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Ethnoracial relations in Trinidad and Tobago: analyzing how racial divisions among political parties block progressive realization
Get PDFThe country of Trinidad and Tobago has held longstanding tensions between its two dominant ethnoracial groups: Afro-Trinidadians (Black) and Indo-Trinidadians (East Indian), despite ratifying the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) on October 4th, 1973 with zero reservations. The present ethnoracial tensions, despite not being outright violent, have greatly influenced the culture of the islands both socially and systemically. Race is frequently discussed and weaponized in politics to the point where the competing political parties are divided by ethnicity and is used as a focal point in their campaigns to draw in voters of the matching demographic. The existing prejudices that fuel the current political system are a violation of ICERD Article 4. This Article contends State Parties should be condemning propaganda based on theories or ideas of racial or ethnic superiority over other groups rather than promoting or justifying them. Despite this, there have been no interventions from the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination or other human rights committees based on racial discrimination. As a result: racial discrimination coupled with other human rights violations continue to persist within the country. Such examples include the disadvantaged standings of social, cultural, and economic rights that the Black and Indian populations face as well as the climate of crime through gang activity. This paper, therefore, argues that the racialization occurring within Trinidadian politics is negatively affecting the State and diverting it from fulfilling its obligations. I seek to explore Trinidad and Tobago’s political system through a racial lens and highlight the consequences of the population prioritizing voting based on their ethnoracial identity rather than the society’s collective need for improvement.May 202
Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory effects of different types and concentrations of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in pullet and laying hen diets
Get PDFThe inclusion of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)in poultry diets has focused largely on enriching eggs for human consumption. However, nutritional guidelines for omega-3 PUFA in laying hen and pullet diets remain undefined, and their potential benefits for pullets, particularly under immune stress, are underexplored. This project examined how different types and levels of dietary omega-3 PUFA influence health and productivity in pullets and laying hens, with emphasis on immune responses using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge model.
An initial study established the temporal pattern of immune activation in LPS-injected laying hens by assessing mRNA and protein levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators from 0 to 6 hours post-injection. Immune activation peaked at 2 hours post-challenge, identifying the optimal sampling point.
Subsequent studies evaluated the effects of diets enriched with EPA and DHA from fish oil (FO), ALA from flaxseed oil (FSO), or DHA from algal biomass. At 2 hours post-LPS injection, FO-fed birds showed elevated EPA- and DHA-derived oxylipins in plasma and liver, along with reduced omega-6 PUFA and oxylipin levels. LPS challenge reduced total oxylipins by ~31% in FO-fed birds. FO also modulated oxylipins associated with soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) activity: decreased under saline, increased under LPS. Despite LPS-induced cytokine expression, FO did not suppress splenic cytokines.
FSO supplementation increased plasma ALA and ALA-derived oxylipins under both saline and LPS conditions, while DHA-rich algal biomass did not affect ALA levels. Diets enriched with both ALA and DHA raised plasma EPA and DHA, but only the DHA diet significantly elevated EPA- and DHA-derived oxylipins and decreased arachidonic acid (ARA). Liver fatty acid profiles mirrored plasma findings. Notably, DHA supplementation at ≥0.4% reduced splenic expression of IL-8 and IL-10.
These findings highlight differential immunomodulatory effects of omega-3 PUFA sources, supporting the role of dietary EPA and DHA in modifying lipid mediators, with DHA potentially offering targeted anti-inflammatory benefits in poultry.Egg Farmers of Canada
Manitoba Egg FarmersOctober 202
Gardnerella contributions to the cervicovaginal microbiome, mucosal immune responses, and bacterial vaginosis
No full textBacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common cause of abnormal vaginal discharge that is characterized by a depletion of optimal vaginal lactobacilli and increased abundance of facultative and anaerobic bacteria. BV has been linked to increased risk to human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) and other reproductive sequelae, possibly via alteration of the mucosal immune milieu. The pathogenesis of BV remains incompletely understood which has resulted in limited interventions that suffer high recurrence rates. Gardnerella has been proposed as a causative agent of BV, however this taxon has also been isolated from healthy individuals, challenging its etiological role. Relevant to this, genomic investigations have resolved four Gardnerella subgroups which exhibit differences in virulence potential in-vitro and may therefore play different roles in the pathogenesis of BV and associated sequelae. To better understand the significance of Gardnerella heterogeneity, cpn60 microbial profiling was used to examine the contributions of cervicovaginal microbiome dominance by different Gardnerella subgroups to microbiome-mucosal immune response associations and BV in a longitudinal cohort of reproductive age Kenyan women. This analysis showed non-Lactobacillus dominant microbiomes were generally associated with an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, microbiomes dominated by different Gardnerella subgroups exhibited divergent associations with the chemokine IP-10 relative to optimal microbiomes. Those microbiomes associated with reduced IP-10 levels (polymicrobial and Gardnerella subgroup A dominant) were more common in those with BV. Given these findings and the relevance of Gardnerella dominant biofilms to BV, follow up in-vitro experiments were performed using isolates from Gardnerella subgroups A, B, and C to examine differences in biofilm forming capabilities and proteomic determinants of these. This analysis revealed superior in-vitro biofilm formation in the G. leopoldii (subgroup A) and G. piotii (subgroup B) isolates relative to the G. vaginalis (subgroup C) isolate used. Comparative proteomic analysis of these biofilms revealed significant differences in functional pathways as well as in many proteins including those associated with metabolic processes and bacterial virulence. In conclusion, this thesis highlights the importance of considering Gardnerella heterogeneity in studies of BV and the vaginal microbiome and sheds light on potential drivers of biofilm formation in different Gardnerella species.May 202
Assessment of the effect of smoke on discharge characteristics of air in positive and negative dc electric fields
No full textHVdc transmission lines extend over extensive landscapes, such as forests, prairies, and grasslands. The risk of wildfires has increased in these terrains due to the presence of combustible vegetation. One of the main issues associated with wildfires is the massive amount of smoke that typically spreads across thousands of square kilometers away from the wildfire area. Wildfire smoke is primarily composed of fine particulate matter (PM), with particle sizes dominated by PM2.5 (particulate diameter ≤ 2.5 μm) and/or PM10 (particulate diameter ≤ 10 μm). These particles can become charged and participate in gas discharge mechanisms under the high electric field around conductors of HVdc transmission lines.
This thesis presents an experimental study conducted to evaluate the impact of smoke on corona discharge and breakdown characteristics of air under negative and positive dc voltage. An experimental setup in which test electrodes are placed inside a chamber, where the smoke density can be maintained at a desired level, is developed enabling the investigation of corona discharges and breakdown voltage under positive and negative dc voltages. Experiments on negative dc corona with various levels of smoke were conducted employing a needle-plane electrode configuration. The variation of characteristics of negative dc corona, with different levels of smoke in PM2.5 ranging from 0 to 6000 μg/m3) were determined and compared. It was concluded that the impact of smoke on the negative dc corona is negligible.
Similarly, the effect of smoke on positive dc corona characteristics was also investigated. There is a greater particle deposition on the ground plane of the needle-plane electrode setup, caused by the positive dc corona. It was noticed that this particle deposition causes the termination of corona discharges. The particles introduced by smoke acts as a barrier to the generation of corona discharges under positive dc voltages. Additionally, the variations in the breakdown characteristics of air under various levels of smoke for positive and negative dc voltages were investigated. It was concluded that there is no significant effect of smoke on the breakdown voltage of air in a uniform electric field for the smoke density levels considered in this study.May 202
Older adult participation in online exercise classes during the pandemic
No full textIn the summer of 2020, older Manitobans (65 years and older) were surveyed about online exercise, during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were recruited through various community organizations (e.g., exercise organizations, senior centres, retiree organizations)
Lodging-related traits in wheat in response to nitrogen fertilization and alteration of gibberellin level
No full textWheat production is limited by numerous factors, including lodging, which refers to permanent displacement of a plant from its upright position due to falling over of the plant or breakage of its stem. The incidence of lodging is determined by genetic factors such as those that regulate gibberellin (GA) metabolism and thereby plant morphological traits, environmental factors such as heavy wind and rain, and crop management practices including nitrogen (N) fertilization. The present study investigated lodging-related morphological traits, which includes plant height, bending moment, internode breaking strength and lodging index, in response to varying N fertilization rates as well as treatment of plants with a plant growth regulator (PGR) that inhibits GA biosynthesis using two spring wheat cultivars with contrasting plant height. The findings of this thesis project indicated that high N fertilization rates increase plant height, bending moment and lodging index in both cultivars. Moreover, the taller cultivar exhibited higher bending moment and lodging index in response to nitrogen than the shorter cultivar. To gain insights into the molecular basis regulating GA metabolism and lodging-related morphological traits, the expression patterns of GA biosynthetic and catabolism genes were examined in the second basal internodes, which revealed differential expression patterns of these genes in response to varying N rates in both cultivars. Consistently, treatment of the tall cultivar plants with the PGR led to the reduction of plant height, which was associated with reductions in bending moment and lodging index.May 202
Envisioning pathways to peace post-war: the views of young Sri Lankan Tamils living in Canada and the United Kingdom
No full textIn post-independence Sri Lanka (1948), ethnic tensions between the GoSL and LTTE escalated into a full-scale 26-year brutal protracted secessionist civil-war. At the epicenter of the war were Tamil youth, who formed the core cadre of the Tamil Tigers or LTTE and were perpetrators and survivors of that war. The mass exodus of Tamils from the island to live in the diaspora played a pivotal role in single-handedly sustaining the war as many funded and supplied the LTTE with arms. It has been over 15-years since the LTTE was defeated by the GoSL ending the war in 2009. The state oppression of Tamils and their marginalization, the Sinhalization of Tamil lands and surveillance as well as pre-existent discriminatory laws that started the war have incensed Tamils globally and continue to escalate the conflict. In recent years, Western host governments have raised fears about a resurgence of Tamil youth radicalization of those living in the diaspora. Yet, these concerns remain largely unsubstantiated, and they tend to portray Tamil youth as societal threats, overlooking their contributions to building peace on the island. Informed by Constructivist Grounded Theory the thesis explores the perceptions and experiences of 16 diaspora Tamil youth living in Canada and the United Kingdom, all of whom are engaged in social change and peacebuilding efforts through civil society organizations to bring about peace in Sri Lanka. Using semi-structured interviews as the main research instrument to generate data, I then made sense of their stories and constructed a model of understanding generated inductively from the data. The key findings highlight how different perspectives have led to intragroup disunity within the Tamil diaspora, ultimately obstructing progress toward building peace on the island. Other key findings indicate that Tamil youth were confused about their identity and were often portrayed by host governments as terrorists while they refused to be political pawns used between the LTTE and the GoSL in a deadly political game. These young people are working for peace within the Tamil diaspora as well as between Tamil and Sinhalese Sri Lankans on the island.May 202
The relationship between birth order, number of children, and family well-being in neurodevelopmentally diverse families
Get PDFParenting a child with a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDDs), such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or intellectual disability (ID) can negatively impact family well-being indices such as family quality of life (FQOL), coparenting quality (CQ), and parenting stress (PS). The limited research examining birth order and number of children in NDD populations suggest that having a child with a NDD earlier in the birth order and having a higher number of children may place more strain on the family system. The current study aimed to explore how birth order and number of children are linked to FQOL, CQ, and PS in neurodevelopmentally diverse families as well as the influence of child group membership on these relationships. Mothers of typically-developing children (n = 56), along with mothers of children with ASD (n = 69), ADHD (n = 127), and/or low intellectual functioning (n = 30) between the ages of 6-12 years old completed an online survey. One-way MANCOVA analyses revealed no significant differences in the ASD, ADHD, or low intellectual functioning groups, however, in the TD group, mothers of children earlier in the birth order reported significantly higher PS. Two-way MANCOVAs showed non-significant interactions between birth order and child clinical group membership in the ASD and ADHD groups, but significant interactions in the low intellectual functioning and TD groups. Regarding the number of children, no significant differences in FQOL, CQ, or PS were found for families of children with ASD, ADHD, or TD children, though mothers of children with low intellectual functioning reported significantly lower CQ when they had fewer children. Finally, a one-way MANCOVA found no significant differences in FQOL, CQ, or PS between families with one child with a NDD versus multiple children with a NDD. Post-hoc analyses revealed significant main effects of child symptomology, indicating that families of children with NDDs are at an increased risk for lower family well-being. The results of this study highlight the unique needs of families of children with NDDs and families of TD children. Additionally, these findings emphasize the importance of providing additional supports to families of children with NDDs.May 202
An analysis of Downtown Community Safety Partnership and its effect on Winnipeg’s core
Get PDFThe Downtown Community Safety Partnership (DCSP) is an outreach organization dedicated to enhancing safety and wellness in downtown Winnipeg. As a unique initiative combining outreach patrollers with long-term case management services, scarce research exists regarding how organizations like DCSP operate or their impact on the community. Additionally, cities often lack knowledge on how such organizations allocate funding to achieve their intended outcomes. This thesis examines two key questions: (1) Was DCSP implemented as planned? and (2) Does DCSP achieve its goals? Four research methods were employed to answer these questions: quantitative analysis, qualitative interviews, literature review, and field observations. Overall, DCSP was implemented as planned. Although qualitative interviews show Winnipeg safety personnel believe DCSP is positively impacting Winnipeg, quantitative analysis did not reveal any major effects. This research provides insight into DCSP’s operations and effects and provides a baseline for subsequent evaluations. The conclusion presents twelve recommendations for DCSP.May 202
Biofilm development and comparative genomic analysis on biofilm formation in Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Kentucky strains isolated from poultry
Get PDFSalmonella Enteritidis has been a leading cause of foodborne illnesses worldwide, and food contamination continue to occur despite implemented foodborne pathogen reduction interventions. A key factor that might contribute to Salmonella persistence is the formation of biofilms, which enhance Salmonella’s resilience. This study aims to evaluate the biofilm formation abilities of Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) and Salmonella Kentucky (SK) at 20-22°C, linking phenotypic date with genomic insights through comparative analysis of marker genes associated with biofilm formation and strain resilience. Fifteen SE and 24 SK strains isolated from poultry processing facilities were compared to assess their biofilm-forming abilities. Biofilm were formed for 5 d at 20-22°C and assessed using the crystal violet method (CV). Genomes were sequenced using Illumina, assembled and annotated using the BV-BRC pipeline. A comparative systems analysis was conducted to screen for genes associated with biofilm formation. A protein-coded gene comparison was conducted to compare the only SE intermediate bovine strain to a strong SE poultry strain. Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) variation analysis was used to screen for genetic mutations. There were 11 strong and 4 intermediate SE strains, and 4 strong, 5 weak, and 15 non-biofilm SK strains. For curli and cellulose production, 11/15 SE and 4/24 SK strains were positive for both. A pan-genome of 39 Salmonella strains generated 5,396 genes and 122 of them were associated with biofilm formation, curli, cellulose, fimbria, flagellum, pilus, and type IV secretion system (T4SS) that might impact biofilm formation, and 107 of them were common to all strains. Strains resulted in almost the same genomic profiles except for curli genes csgDEF and T4SS genes virB1, virB3, virB4, virB6, virB10, virB11, and virD4. Twenty-four genes with mutations could possibly influence the biofilm formation, including bcsFGQ, flgAB, motAB, and tolABR. The nonsynonymous mutations of the bcs and tol genes might play important roles in biofilm forming capacity, explaining the weaker biofilm within some Salmonella strains. Protein-coded gene comparison revealed the absence of some T4SS proteins, including VirB1, VirB3, VirB4, VirB5, VirB6, VirB9, VirB10, VirB11, TraR (VirD2 homolog), and VirD4 in the intermediate strain while present in the strong biofilm strain.May 202