Examining the influence of Aboriginal literature on Aboriginal students' resilience at the University of Saskatchewan

There are many Aboriginal (First Nation, Métis and Inuit) students attending Canadian universities who remain resilient despite the multiple challenges that arise during their first year of studies. This thesis focused on six undergraduate Aboriginal students attending the University of Saskatchewan who learned about resilience as it was demonstrated in Aboriginal novels, plays, poetry and short stories, taught in their university courses. Aboriginal literature with a fictional or non-fictional autobiographical voice demonstrated characters and people who prevailed over hardships without giving up. A combination of Indigenous methodology and grounded theory methods were used in this qualitative study, to analyze how Aboriginal students were learning from Aboriginal literature about their own resilience. Resilience in this study is defined by the Nehiyaw (Cree) concept of Miyo-Pimatisiwin (The Good Life), which refers to relying on traditional Aboriginal concepts, values and perspectives in striving for a good life and being attentive to wholistic growth and balance of the four areas of self: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual (Hart, 2002, p. 13). This study found that Aboriginal students’ resilience is influenced by Aboriginal literature taught in undergraduate courses in three valuable ways: coping with personal and academic challenges, engagement in university learning with a sub-theme of approaches of professors validating Aboriginal literature and experiences, and personal growth and transformation. The University of Saskatchewan has recently announced initiatives aimed at increasing Aboriginal student retention and success, and this study lends support to the development of measures to increase the University of Saskatchewan’s aspirations in this regard

The influence of Aboriginal literature on Aboriginal students’ resilience at the University of Saskatchewan

Indigenizing the Academy is currently an aim of the University of Saskatchewan as the amount of Aboriginal students enrolling at the university is increasing each year.  This position paper argues that increasingly including and valuing Aboriginal literature in university pedagogies may serve to create a university environment that better accommodates Aboriginal students. Aboriginal literature serves notable functions for all university students, as it teaches both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students about Aboriginal worldviews, history, and perspectives.  Aboriginal literature helps students in three ways: it initiates healthy ways of coping with their struggles, increases their engagement in university learning, and leads to their personal growth and transformation while in university.  Reading Aboriginal literature in the form of poetry, short stories, novels, or drama taps into their resilient nature of Aboriginal students and has the power to change their perceptions of their capabilities of succeeding in education. e-kwe-iyiniwastacik kihci-kiskinwahamâtowikamikohk ôta University of Saskatchewan osâm tâk-ayiwâk e-âti-mîceticik iyiniwak e-pe-kiskinwahamâkosicik. ôma masinahikanis e-tastew nawac ta-miywâsin iyiniwasinahikana ka-âpacihta osâm ôma ka-ati-mîciticik. mistahi pakwâwiyak e-miywâsiniyek kôhtinamâsiw. ka-kiskinwamâsiwak miyo-wîcihtowin ekwa mîna ka-nanistohtâtowak. ôma masinahikanis kâ-masinahâkik, nikotwasik ôki iyiniw-kiskinwamâkanak e-kî-kwecimecik tânisi e-isi-sâpostohtecik ekwa e-isi-ohpinikocik ôma ka-âhkam-kiskinwamakosicik. ohi mîna ka-ayamihtâcik tahto-iyiniwasinahikana   mistahi wîcihkowak kîyâm âhta ka-ayamaniyek, kiyâpic sâposkamok

Viscoelastic properties of differentiating blood cells are fate- and function-dependent.

Although cellular mechanical properties are known to alter during stem cell differentiation, understanding of the functional relevance of such alterations is incomplete. Here, we show that during the course of differentiation of human myeloid precursor cells into three different lineages, the cells alter their viscoelastic properties, measured using an optical stretcher, to suit their ultimate fate and function. Myeloid cells circulating in blood have to be advected through constrictions in blood vessels, engendering the need for compliance at short time-scales (minutes), compared to undifferentiated cells. These findings suggest that reduction in steady-state viscosity is a physiological adaptation for enhanced migration through tissues. Our results indicate that the material properties of cells define their function, can be used as a cell differentiation marker and could serve as target for novel therapies

The Aminopeptidase CD13 Induces Homotypic Aggregation in Neutrophils and Impairs Collagen Invasion.

Aminopeptidase N (CD13) is a widely expressed cell surface metallopeptidase involved in the migration of cancer and endothelial cells. Apart from our demonstration that CD13 modulates the efficacy of tumor necrosis factor-α-induced apoptosis in neutrophils, no other function for CD13 has been ascribed in this cell. We hypothesized that CD13 may be involved in neutrophil migration and/or homotypic aggregation. Using purified human blood neutrophils we confirmed the expression of CD13 on neutrophils and its up-regulation by pro-inflammatory agonists. However, using the anti-CD13 monoclonal antibody WM-15 and the aminopeptidase enzymatic inhibitor bestatin we were unable to demonstrate any direct involvement of CD13 in neutrophil polarisation or chemotaxis. In contrast, IL-8-mediated neutrophil migration in type I collagen gels was significantly impaired by the anti-CD13 monoclonal antibodies WM-15 and MY7. Notably, these antibodies also induced significant homotypic aggregation of neutrophils, which was dependent on CD13 cross-linking and was attenuated by phosphoinositide 3-kinase and extracellular signal-related kinase 1/2 inhibition. Live imaging demonstrated that in WM-15-treated neutrophils, where homotypic aggregation was evident, the number of cells entering IL-8 impregnated collagen I gels was significantly reduced. These data reveal a novel role for CD13 in inducing homotypic aggregation in neutrophils, which results in a transmigration deficiency; this mechanism may be relevant to neutrophil micro-aggregation in vivo.This work was funded by a Medical Research Council Research Training Fellowship to CAF (G0900329), Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), CUHNHSFT, Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre. CAF received a Raymond and Beverly Sackler Studentship.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from the Public Library of Science via http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.016010

Outcome of Hospitalization for COVID-19 in Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease. An International Multicenter Study.

Rationale: The impact of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) has not been established.Objectives: To assess outcomes in patients with ILD hospitalized for COVID-19 versus those without ILD in a contemporaneous age-, sex-, and comorbidity-matched population.Methods: An international multicenter audit of patients with a prior diagnosis of ILD admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 between March 1 and May 1, 2020, was undertaken and compared with patients without ILD, obtained from the ISARIC4C (International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium Coronavirus Clinical Characterisation Consortium) cohort, admitted with COVID-19 over the same period. The primary outcome was survival. Secondary analysis distinguished idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis from non-idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis ILD and used lung function to determine the greatest risks of death.Measurements and Main Results: Data from 349 patients with ILD across Europe were included, of whom 161 were admitted to the hospital with laboratory or clinical evidence of COVID-19 and eligible for propensity score matching. Overall mortality was 49% (79/161) in patients with ILD with COVID-19. After matching, patients with ILD with COVID-19 had significantly poorer survival (hazard ratio [HR], 1.60; confidence interval, 1.17-2.18; P = 0.003) than age-, sex-, and comorbidity-matched controls without ILD. Patients with an FVC of <80% had an increased risk of death versus patients with FVC ≥80% (HR, 1.72; 1.05-2.83). Furthermore, obese patients with ILD had an elevated risk of death (HR, 2.27; 1.39-3.71).Conclusions: Patients with ILD are at increased risk of death from COVID-19, particularly those with poor lung function and obesity. Stringent precautions should be taken to avoid COVID-19 in patients with ILD

Viscoelastic properties of differentiating blood cells are fate- and function-dependent.

Although cellular mechanical properties are known to alter during stem cell differentiation, understanding of the functional relevance of such alterations is incomplete. Here, we show that during the course of differentiation of human myeloid precursor cells into three different lineages, the cells alter their viscoelastic properties, measured using an optical stretcher, to suit their ultimate fate and function. Myeloid cells circulating in blood have to be advected through constrictions in blood vessels, engendering the need for compliance at short time-scales (minutes), compared to undifferentiated cells. These findings suggest that reduction in steady-state viscosity is a physiological adaptation for enhanced migration through tissues. Our results indicate that the material properties of cells define their function, can be used as a cell differentiation marker and could serve as target for novel therapies

Anti-CD13 mAbs induce neutrophil HA.

<p>Neutrophils were incubated with bestatin (0.1 mM), WM-15 or IgG1 (8 μg/ml), WM-47 (1:40 v/v), MY7 (5 μg/ml) or vehicle control. HA was assessed by light microscopy in duplicate at 37°C and 4°C (A) and flow cytometry (E and F) and data represent the mean ± SEM of <i>n</i> = 3 independent experiments. ***, <i>P</i> < 0.001, **, <i>P</i> < 0.01 vs. control, by two-way ANOVA/Bonferroni test (A). Representative photomicrographs after 60 min at 37°C (B and C). Original magnification x 50. Representative SSC area by FSC area dot plots of the fixed neutrophil population separated into singlets and non-singlets (D). Quantification of neutrophil HA at 30 min. ***, <i>P</i> < 0.001, **, <i>P</i> < 0.01 vs. control, by repeated measures ANOVA/Dunnett’s test (E and F).</p

Effect of kinase inhibitors on CD13-mediated neutrophil HA.

<p>Neutrophils were pre-incubated for 15 min with LY294002 (10 μM), UO126 (10 μM), or vehicle control prior to the addition of WM-15 (8 μg/ml), WM-47 (1:40 v/v), MY7 (5 μg/ml) or buffer. HA was assessed at 30 min by flow cytometry. Data represent the mean ± SEM of <i>n</i> = 4 (A) and <i>n</i> = 6 (B) independent experiments. *, <i>P</i> < 0.05, ns, non-significant, by Student’s paired <i>t</i> test.</p

CD13-mediated neutrophil HA depends on CD13 cross-linking, involves actin polymerisation and CD13 directly participates in the adhesive interaction.

<p>Neutrophils were pre-incubated for 30 min with cytochalasin-D (2 μM) or vehicle control prior to the addition of WM-15 (8 or 100 μg/ml), Fab fragments of WM-15 (8 μg/ml) or buffer (A). Neutrophils were incubated with WM-15 (8 μg/ml) or with WM-47 alone or followed by a 30 min incubation with F(ab)’₂ fragments of GAM antibody (B). HA was assessed at 30 min by flow cytometry. Data represent the mean ± SEM of at least <i>n</i> = 3 independent experiments (GAM <i>n</i> = 2). ***, <i>P</i> < 0.001, **, <i>P</i> < 0.01, *, <i>P</i> < 0.05 vs. WM-15, by Student’s unpaired <i>t</i> test (A). ns, non-significant, by Student’s unpaired <i>t</i> test (B). Neutrophils were pre-incubated with WM-15 (8 μg/ml) or vehicle control for 10 min and added to PBS- or rCD13 (1000 ng/ml) coated wells in duplicate for 20 min. The number of adherent neutrophils was assessed by light microscopy at 100x magnification. *, <i>P</i> < 0.05 vs. control, by repeated measures ANOVA/Dunnett’s test (C).</p