Suspected Long-Term Population Increases in Common Eiders, Somateria mollissima, on the Mid-Labrador Coast, 1980, 1994, and 2006

Aerial surveys for adult male Common Eiders, Somateria mollissima, were flown on the Labrador coast during June 2006. This information was then compared with aerial counts of adult male Common Eiders collected in 1980 and 1994. For each survey year, data were grouped and paired by coastal block and were analyzed for population trends. Overall, the observed counts of adult male Common Eiders increased by 244% between 1980 and 2006. Much of this increase seemed to occur in the southern region of the study area

Revolution Night in Canada: Hockey and Theatre in Tomson Highway’s Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing

This article reconsiders the place of hockey within Tomson Highway’s play  Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing , ultimately arguing that the re-evaluative, adaptive, and transformative power enacted at the textual level when the Cree/Anishnaabe women of Wasaychigan Hill take up a Western, male sport mirrors the power reclaimed through the performance of the play itself. Moreover, as a sport that has been adopted and adapted by First Nations communities, hockey provides an ideal reflection of what Highway is doing with Euro-Canadian dramatic conventions, on a micro-scale, and with colonial traditions and powers, on a macro-scale. Just as the female hockey players force spectators to reconsider what hockey means, so too does Highway force his audience to reconsider what constitutes theatre, and, in so doing, reflect on how they distinguish between First Nations and European culture.Dans cet article, Langston et Chaulk repensent la place qu’occupe le hockey dans la pièce  Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing de Tomson Highway. Ces derniers font valoir, en fin d’analyse, que le pouvoir de réévaluation, d’adaptation et de transformation, représenté sur le plan textuel par l’appropriation que font les femmes cri/anishnaabe de Wasaychigan Hill d’un sport occidental et masculin, reflète le pouvoir de réappropriation que constitue la performance de la pièce. Puisque ce sport a été adopté et adapté par les communautés des Premières Nations, le hockey est un reflet idéal de ce que fait Highway à micro-échelle aux conventions théâtrales euro-canadiennes et, à macro-échelle, aux traditions et aux pouvoirs coloniaux. À l’instar de ces joueuses de hockey qui poussent le spectateur à repenser ce que signifie le hockey, Highway oblige son public à repenser ce qu’est le théâtre et, par conséquent, ce qui distingue la culture des Premières Nations et la culture européenne

Black Bear, Ursus americanus, Ecology on the Northeast Coast of Labrador

Twenty-three Black Bears (Ursus americanus) were captured, 20 were measured, marked and/or radio collared, in northeastern Labrador, between 1996 and 1997. Bears used sea ice for travel, coastal islands for denning, hunted adult Caribou (Rangifer tarandus), and were the possible cause of Moose (Alces alces) calf mortality. Body sizes were small, median weight of adult females was 48 kg, and the sex ratio for captured subjects was 1:1. Four of six radio-collared females gave birth during the winter of 1997, female reproductive histories suggest delayed sexual maturity. Den entry occurred between October and December 1996; spring emergence occurred between April and May 1997, with estimated denning period ranging from 148-222 days. Visual observations of habitat use by radio collared subjects (n = 10) were not tested statistically but suggest that barren areas are used nearly as much as forest. Location data from three GPS collars deployed on three adult females were analysed using Chi-square goodness-of-fit test with Bonferroni correction; two females appeared to prefer forest habitats (p < 0.05)

Culicids on the move: a genetic characterization of two mosquito disease vector species in eastern insular Newfoundland

Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are some of the most significant carriers of human and animal disease causing pathogens on our planet. However in regions where the prevalence of nuisance mosquitoes or diagnosed mosquito-borne illness is low, the motivation for efforts to monitor mosquito populations is often lacking, even though less well-known viral agents, capable of causing significant human or animal diseases, may be active. Recently, populations of two container breeding disease carrying mosquito species have been reported in St. John’s, the capital city of the Atlantic Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The first, Culex pipiens, is the primary vector of West Nile virus along the northeast seaboard of North America, while the second, Aedes japonicus, is a highly invasive mosquito species reported to play a role in the transmission of West Nile and La Crosse viruses. Here I report the results of two genetic analyses focused on investigating taxonomic identity, genetic diversity, and connectivity of these populations of medically important species. The first chapter utilizes a set of rapid molecular assays to describe the composition of two populations of Cx. pipiens on the Island of Newfoundland; that is, populations on the Island are a mix of the behavioural/physiological forms of Cx. pipiens. The second chapter uses population genetic techniques to describe the genetic characteristics of a population of Ae. japonicus in Newfoundland, as well as how this population may or may not be connected to other population in Canada and Europe. Results of this study indicate a level of genetic diversity within the recently discovered Newfoundland population comparable to populations in other regions and a general lack of structure between Canadian populations and those in Europe

Time-place learning: can rats time both periods of food availability and non-availability?

Animals learn and use information about the times and locations of food availability. The goal of the current study was to determine how rats time spatially and temporally predictable periods during which no food is available. The first experiment consisted of a daily time-place learning (TPL) task, with sessions conducted on a plus maze at three times each day. The rats learned to avoid the lever that did not provide reinforcement and had longer latencies to first lever press at non-reinforced times of day. Skip session probes showed that the rats tended to use a circadian timing strategy to solve the task. The second experiment consisted of an interval TPL task conducted in an operant box with four levers. Depending on group assignment, the rats experienced breaks between lever activation of either 0 s, 30 s, or 60 s. All rats learned the task, showing both anticipation and anticipation of depletion of a lever’s active period. Despite having learned the task, there was no evidence that the rats timed the break periods. Probe tests revealed that the rats used an interval timing strategy to solve the task. Breaks in reinforcement did not prevent the rats in either experiment from learning the respective TPL tasks

Trauma Systems in Canada: Evolution, Challenges, and Strategies for Improving Trauma Care for Rural Patients

This thesis explores the development and current state of trauma systems in Canada, emphasizing the challenges and disparities faced by patients who are injured in rural areas. With trauma being the leading cause of death for Canadians under 40, effective trauma systems are crucial. However, patients injured in rural and remote areas face significant barriers to timely and adequate trauma care, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. This body of work aims to evaluate some of these disparities and propose strategies for improvement. The concept of organized trauma systems has its roots in ancient wartime practices, evolving significantly over centuries. Despite significant progress, rural trauma care in Canada remains challenging. Approximately 20% of the Canadian population resides more than one hour away from a Level I or II trauma center. This geographical disparity significantly impacts the timely delivery of trauma care. To begin to address some of these challenges, this thesis consists of four interconnected projects aimed at addressing rural trauma care disparities: Historical Review of the Development of Trauma Systems: This comprehensive literature review traces the evolution of trauma systems from their earliest conception to their modern iterations. The goal is to demonstrate how the continuous evolution of trauma systems influences the delivery of trauma care today. It highlights the need for continuous improvement to enhance current systems and ensure care for those who are underrepresented within existing frameworks. Reinforcing the Role of Rural Trauma Laparotomy: This retrospective matched cohort study compares outcomes of patients undergoing damage control laparotomy (DCL) at rural hospitals (RH) prior to transfer to lead trauma hospitals (LTH) with those directly admitted to LTHs. The hypothesis is that timely DCL at RHs is associated with comparable outcomes to DCL completed at LTHs. Twenty-one patients who underwent RH-DCL before being transferred to a LTH were compared to 21 matched patients who received DCL directly at the LTH. Analysis demonstrated no statistically significant difference in abdominal-specific complications including surgical site infection, anastomotic leak, and fistula formation. Secondary outcomes including ICU length of stay, overall hospital length of stay, and mortality rates were also similar between the two groups. These findings suggest that with proper training and support, RHs can effectively perform DCL, potentially improving outcomes by reducing delays in hemorrhage and contamination control. Evaluating the Impact of Advanced Trauma-Team Leader Notification: This pre- post- intervention cohort study assesses a recent policy change in Ontario requiring advanced notification of trauma team leaders (TTL) for incoming hemodynamically unstable patients. By comparing patient outcomes before and after the policy implementation, the study aims to identify the benefits of early TTL involvement, and to serve as a pilot for a larger provincial study. Results indicated a trend towards significance in reduction in time to critical interventions, such as surgery or chest tube placement, following the policy change. The completion of this study solidified methodology to allow for inclusion of the remining four level 1 equivalent trauma centres in the province to address the provincial impact of this new policy. Survey of Ontario Surgeons and Trauma Directors: These two related but distinct surveys address perspectives of community general surgeons and trauma medical directors (TMDs) with respect to their understanding of the above-mentioned policy change, and to identify perceived barriers to delivering trauma care in rural settings.The survey revealed a varying level of awareness and comfort regarding the new protocols. Community surgeons captured in the study appear to be comfortable in performing emergency surgery for trauma patients, however, barriers such as blood product availability and timely transport were identified. Additionally, TMDs highlighted the challenges in maintaining consistent communication and coordination with RHs and felt that there was a lack of comfort preventing community surgeons from performing emergent surgery for trauma patients. The survey underscored the need for standardized training programs, improved resource allocation, and robust communication systems to ensure rural healthcare providers are well-equipped to handle severe trauma cases. This thesis underscores some of the unique challenges in improving trauma care for rural populations in Canada. Despite advancements in trauma systems and the establishment of designated trauma centers, geographic and resource-based disparities continue to hinder the delivery of timely and effective care to rural trauma patients. The results of the work contained in this thesis provide data to support opportunities for improvement in care provided at a population level to minimize the impact of severe injury

Contributions of light- and food-entrainable oscillators to learning daily time-place tasks

Time-place learning (TPL) is the automatic encoding into memory information regarding the time and place of biologically significant events. Involvement of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and the food-entrainable oscillator (FEO) in a daily TPL task was examined. Lesions eliminated the ability to use the SCN in SCNx rats, while unpredictable meal times prevented the use of the FEO in FEOx rats. Rats able to use either oscillator were expected to learn the task. Rats that could only use the SCN, or “master” circadian oscillator, were expected to perform better than rats that could only use the FEO. The ability to use both oscillators could enhance performance or impair learning due to suppression of one by the other. Impairment was expected for rats that could use neither oscillator. No differences were found between the groups, indicating that the use of neither oscillator may be necessary, and that there may be no benefit to having the ability to use either, or both. However, it is likely that unsuccessful lesions affected the results. Unexpectedly, FEOx rats preferred ordinal timing, contradicting previous findings. Replication of this study would be beneficial