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Quantifying mercury, arsenic, and selenium in six coastal fish species in Labrador, Canada
No full textContaminants in Indigenous food supplies in Labrador were quantified. Fish including Striped bass, Herring, Cod, Capelin, and Mackerel were collected by local anglers and commercial fisheries
from coastal areas in Labrador. Small fishes such as Capelin and Herring were frozen as whole fish whereas only parts of other fish were provided. All dry weights of harvested tissues (muscle) and
organs (liver and gonads) were converted to wet weight. Tissues and organs were processed by taking an interior piece and storing each in separate glass vials. Samples were freeze dried and
ground into fine powder using a mortar and pestle prior to contaminant analysis of total mercury (THg) and other trace metals such as total selenium (TSe) and total arsenic (TAs). A total of 92
samples were analysed from 49 fish. There were clear signs of THg bioaccumulation in predatory fishes (Cod, Striped bass, and Atlantic salmon) compared to forage fishes (Capelin, Herring). Striped bass liver had a mean THg concentration of 0.418 ± 0.178 mg· kg-1ww. TAs concentration was high for Cod muscle (3.44 ± 2.49 mg· kg-1ww) as Cod are benthic feeders making them more susceptible to contaminant exposure. Higher levels of TSe were found in liver and gonad tissues. These preliminary findings will help inform future sampling efforts and analyses. More tissues samples would increase confidence levels in mean concentrations and allow more accurate relationships to be found between contaminants and biomagnification
Becoming "emperors" two extraordinary emperors from the classical Roman world versus the non-classical Chinese world: a comparison of Augustus and Qin Shi Huang, the first emperors of their own empire/dynasty
No full textThere is evidence to prove the interconnection between the Western Roman worlds and the Eastern Qin Dynasty of the Chinese worlds two thousand years ago. This thesis aims to compare Augustus, the first emperor of the Roman Empire with Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of imperial China. Obviously, they share similar characteristics of being extraordinary military victors and political leaders and being the icon of people for thousands of years. Conversely, due to the fundamental difference in cultural background and human nature, the fact that their different perceptions of religion and the different legalism of their own empire (dynasty) caused different results for both emperors. Analyzing the primary resources Res Gestae Divi Augusti and Shi Ji (Records of the Grand Historian) provides an opportunity to compare these two great emperors' lives. Bringing together the evidence from different civilizations has brought cultural integration and proved the two emperors with universal characteristics. The goal of this thesis is to examine both emperors together, through their achievements and influences to have a better understanding of these two extraordinary emperors
Attachment, social type, holistic processing: an examination of individual differences in face and object processing
No full textRecent research suggests that the development of cognitive abilities is a complex, dynamic process that is influenced by a myriad of factors, including social experiences. As a result, understanding
individual variation in cognition requires exploring relationships among social and cognitive behaviours. The current study explored the relationship between individual differences in adult attachment styles and holistic object processing, with social motivation assessed as a potential moderator of this relationship. Participants were tested using the Vanderbilt Holistic Processing Test for Faces (Richler et al., 2014) and the Vanderbilt Holistic Processing Test for Novel Objects (Chau & Gauthier, 2020) to measure individual differences in holistic processing. They also completed the Experiences in Close Relationships-Short Form (Wei et al., 2007) to assess adult attachment style, and the Friendship Questionnaire (Baron-Cohen &. Wheelwright, 2003) to assess social motivation. Results showed a significant relationship between attachment anxiety and holistic face processing as moderated by social motivation. Participants high in anxiety and social motivation were more likely to process faces, but not objects holistically. Future research is required to more fully understand the relationship between attachment style, social motivation, and cognition
On the Grundy numbers of oriented graphs
No full textOne simple way to assign labels or colours to the vertices of a graph is by using a process known as the greedy colouring algorithm. The maximum number of colours this process uses over all possible orderings of the vertices is known as the Grundy number of that graph. This process has been well studied for undirected graphs, but less attention has been paid to the Grundy number of oriented graphs which was introduced in [2].
We contribute to the theory of Grundy oriented colouring, and provide results on the Grundy oriented numbers (under the two nontrivial definitions given in [2]). In particular, new bounds for various graph classes are given, including paths, cycles, stars, windmills, and wheels
Examining FOXQ1 and EXO1 in cancer patient survival based on mRNA expression, copy number alteration, methylation and metastasis status in various cancers
No full textCancer is one of the leading causes of death and colorectal cancer deaths are the second highest among all cancer deaths in the world. Copy number alteration (CNA) and methylation likely play a major role in cancer development and progression. Dysregulation in the mismatch repair pathway is associated with colorectal cancer. This paper examines the dysregulation of forkhead box Q1 (FOXQ1) and exonuclease 1 (EXO1) gene expression, their correlation to CNA and methylation, and the impact on patient survival. cBioPortal, Oncomine, gene expression profiling interactive analysis (GEPIA) and GraphPad Prism were used to obtaining cancer patient data, compare gene expression in tumor tissue and normal tissue, construction of plots and statistical analysis. FOXQ1 is highly upregulated in colorectal cancer and high expression of FOXQ1 correlates with a gain of CNA, low methylation and tumor metastasis. Upregulation of FOXQ1 promotes tumor metastasis and is significantly associated with poor patient survival. EXO1 is upregulated in multiple cancers and impacts patient survival in colorectal adenocarcinoma, thymoma, cervical squamous cell carcinoma, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, breast invasive carcinoma, sarcoma, lung adenocarcinoma, and liver hepatocellular carcinoma. CNA and methylation of EXO1 correlate with the mRNA expression of EXO1 and contribute to patient survival in several cancers. Low methylation of EXO1, for example, significantly associates with poor patient survival in liver hepatocellular carcinoma. Future research should focus on developing a FOXQ1 inhibiting cancer therapy and understanding EXO1 function and signaling pathways in various cancers.</p
Towards an understanding of the roots, core concepts and contextual application of 'missional church' within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada
No full textAt the August 2011 Oasis – the Annual Assembly of the then Convention of Atlantic Baptists Churches (CABC), which now is known as the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada(CBAC) – the church-appointed delegates accepted the 'Senior Staff Restructuring Plan' which included a series of proposed goals as they looked towards the year 2025. One of the 2025 goals that was adopted at the 2011 Oasis was that by theyear 2025 "eighty percent of CABC churches would demonstrate a missional culture."
Making use of the 'missional' language was admittedly new for this particular denominational family as the term itself had only been coming into common usage since the 1990's and it remained (as it does yet today) a term that can carry shades of different meaning depending on who is using it.
This study traces the rise of the 'missional' conversation and explores the Scriptural and theological basis for its legitimacy. Research was gathered from 140 quantitative surveys completed by CBAC pastors as well as qualitative interviews with four CBAC pastors. Together this body of research demonstrates that CBAC pastors and churches largely affirm the value of the missional paradigm while acknowledging that many congregations are yet struggling to know how to meaningfully live into it. These congregations and their leaders would welcome accessible, practical resources to aid them in knowing how they could more holistically live out their faith in their neighbourhoods and world
'Stuck in the welfare trap': the impacts of institutional welfare policy on single parents' access to and attainment of post-secondary education
No full textThis thesis explores barriers and challenges for single parents on welfare in Nova Scotia of accessing post-secondary education, most notably the effects of institutional welfare policy itself. This
thesis draws on Feminist Political Economy and a key concept of the relations of ruling as developed by Smith (1989) as a theoretical orientation. An Institutional Ethnography research approach was used, and 10 semi-structured interviews were conducted between April and June of 2020. The findings are discussed in light of the importance of higher education for low-income single parents
arguing that relations of ruling prevent single parents on welfare from leaving conditions of poverty through education–mediated by conflicting ideas of the poor and the roles of parents, and institutional ideologies and arrangements of social welfare provisions
The new age of sports entertainment: how context shapes sport engagement in the MLS, NBA, NFL, and NHL
No full textDiving into the growing industry of esports and competitive video gaming, this thesis provides a case study of four of the main professional sports leagues in North America in an effort to understand what has led their esports developments to their current state. Esports refers to competitions and events that involve individuals or teams competing against one another in a video game. This
research came about as a result of personal motivations and an understanding of the connections between professional sports and esports in North America. A limited amount of research in this field, and particularly inthe connections between professional sports and esports spearheaded this analysis. The study examines the four professional sports leagues in North America with developed esports scenes, specifically the MLS, NBA, NFL, and NHL. Using a multi-case study, the research analyzes the histories of the leagues, growth of the leagues, as well as their current state of both sport and esport to uncover trends and themes that seem to have the most impact on esports success. Current and former athletes, as well as owners and front-office management
getting involved in esports appeared to be a constant theme among all leagues, thus it became its own point of examination. After completing the analysis of the leagues and the involvement of athletes and owners, three common factors became the most apparent in understanding what has led each esport to its current state: the focus on geographical expansion, internationalization, and the involvement of influential figures.This thesis provides evidence as to the importance of these things when explaining why some sport-related esports may be more successful than others, as well as starting a conversation for what things impact esport success with ties to professional sports and how to continue to grow the MLS, NBA, NFL, and NHL esports environment
The effect of a neuromuscular hip fatigue protocol on hip joint kinematics in females during dynamic jump landings and unanticipated cutting
No full textINTRODUCTION: Neuromuscular control provides joint stability, and it has the potential to influence the risk of sustaining athletic injuries via delayed muscle activation, decreased force production, and altered activation patterns. Neuromuscular fatigue will increase the effects of inadequate neuromuscular control, further increasing the risk of injury. The hip abductors and external rotators function to stabilize the hip joint during dynamic activity, preventing movement into adduction and internal rotation. Movement into these positions are associated with lower extremity injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries.Typically, majority of ACL injuries are due to non-contact mechanisms and occur during weight acceptance phase of rapid athletic maneuvers such as changing directions, landing from a jump, or pivoting. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of a hip muscle fatigue protocol on hip joint kinematics in females during dynamic jump landings and unanticipated cutting tasks. METHODS: Twenty-two female participants were initially recruited for this study, of those twenty-two participants, sixteen (mean age 20.38±0.96 years) of them had complete kinematic data sets that went on to be analyzed. They completed a series of triple hop (THop) tasks and 90o and 135o unanticipated cutting tasks pre- and post-fatigue protocol. The hip kinematics were measured using a 3D motion capture system for participants dominant leg only during the stance phase of tasks and were then compared pre-and post-fatigue. The fatigue protocol specifically targeted the external rotators and abductors at the hip, consisting of three sets of modified stork stance and resisted lateral step exercises. A one-way repeated measures MANOVA was used to determine effects of time on hip kinematics. RESULTS: Statistical analysis revealed a significant effect of fatigue on hip flexion angle (p=0.037) during the THop testing. There was a significant effect of fatigue on hip abduction angle (p=0.006) during the 90o unanticipated cutting task. An analysis of clinical data revealed a significant effect of fatigue on performance of THop, decreasing the distance travelled. DISCUSSION: The results indicate that when participants hip abductors and external rotators are in a fatigued state , they will demonstrate hip joint kinematics associated with lower extremity injury during dynamic tasks. These positions include decreased hip flexion during the THop and decreased hip abduction during 90o unanticipated cut post-fatigue. The position of no return described for ACL injuries includes both of these positions, indicating that hip musculature fatigue possibly increased the risk of ACL injuries
in participants.This suggests that as the hip musculature fatigues the joint becomes unstable, impacting the generation of hip flexion and resistance of hip adduction collapse during dynamic tasks, meaning participants will be at a greater risk for sustaining injuries. IMPORTANCE: The findings of this study emphasize the importance of targeting hip musculature strength and endurance when designing injury prevention and intervention programs. Additionally, it showed that incorporating fatigue into training programs may be beneficial for identifying athletes that execute dynamic maneuvers with high-risk positions. This information could be used to create unique training programs for athletes to correct poor neuromuscular control and mechanics
Habitat selection by the two-spotted spider mites: using behaviour to understand the role of chemical cues in silk and frass
No full textTetranychusurticae (the two-spotted spider mite) is a phytophagous agricultural pest that effects many economically important crops. We investigated the effects that silk and frass have on microhabitat selection of these mites and whether the settlement behaviour was based on the chemical cues present on the silk. Two-choice behavioural assays allowed mites to settle in the
presence/absence of these cues produced by conspecifics. Both sexes of mites preferred to settle in the presence of silk produced by conspecific females. Sex of weaver mites only slightly
impacted settlement decisions. Frass alone had no effect on the settlement of these mites but did tend to prefer the silk and frass combination. Attraction to silk was removed after being soaked in
methanol, confirming that the attraction is to a chemical cue. Furthermore, settlement behaviour was recovered when they were exposed to a crude extract of the silk's cues. These results allowed
us to determine that mites use the social cues produced by both males and females present on the silk for microhabitat selection