Characterisation of novel and complex mechanisms of antobiotic resistance using a proteomics approach

The problem of increasing rates of antibiotic resistance has become a global concern, particularly among multi drug resistant Gram-negative nosocomial pathogens. These organisms display non- susceptibility to the majority of routinely used antibiotics, causing infections which are more difficult to treat and increase the duration of patient recovery. Due to the plethora of resistance determinants and the molecular machinery which facilitates their dissemination, new strategies are required to investigate the mechanisms that confer antibiotic resistance. Proteomic techniques allow the global analysis of the expressed proteome, providing a more holistic view of the current physiological state of the bacterial cell. The techniques used in this investigation cover the separation, quantification and identification of proteins present in cellular extracts from resistant organisms. These included the use of 2-D electrophoresis, DIGE and LC-MS/MS mass spectrometry applied to multidrug resistant Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, Serratia marcescens and Acinetobacter baumannii. In summary, these investigations revealed that the Tol-Pal membrane protein system and susceptibilities to polymyxin antibiotics and biocides are altered upon acquisition of a resistance plasmid in E. coli. Furthermore, it revealed that non-carbapenemase-mediated carbapenem resistance in K. pneumoniae involved the loss of fimbriae proteins, the increased expression of OmpK26 and the resistance proteins EmrA and APH(3"), in addition to OmpK35/36 porin loss. The upregulation of a multi drug efflux pump in E. cloacae, A. baumannii and S. marcescens involved the differential regulation of many proteins, spanning a broad range of functional classes, including the MinCDE cell division inhibitors, iron acquisition proteins such as FepA and FhuA and proteins involved in biofilm and LPS formation such as PapC, LptD and GmhA. Overall this project has highlighted the complex and dynamic changes in protein expression upon acquisition of a resistance phenotype and the importance of using genetically related isolates when undertaking proteomic analyses. This work also emphasised the advantages of using proteomics for profiling the expression of resistance proteins, including the detection of specific enzymes, such as CTX-M ESBLs

A “Fashionable Tailor” on Water Street:Nineteenth-century Tailor’s Chalks fromSt. John’s, Newfoundland

Excavations related to a large sewer construction project in St. John’s, Newfoundland exposed several examples of tailor’s chalk lost during the Great Fire of 1892. Made from pipe clay, these objects may be the first of their kind identified on an archaeological site in North America. This paper introduces the changing social and economic position of tailors and other clothing-related trades in St. John’s. Tailor’s chalks are discussed within the context of the clay tobacco pipe industry, particularly the non tobacco-related objects produced, and within the tailoring trade throughout the early modern period

Angular reflectance of leaves with a dual-wavelength terrestrial lidar and its implications for leaf-bark separation and leaf moisture estimation

A new generation of multi-wavelength lidars offer the potential to measure the structure and biochemistry of vegetation simultaneously, using range resolved spectra indices to overcome the confounding effects in passive optical measurements. However, the reflectance of leaves depends on angle of incidence and if this dependence varies between wavelengths, the resulting spectral indices will also vary with angle of incidence, complicating their use in separating structural and biochemical effects in vegetation canopies. The SALCA dualwavelength terrestrial laser scanner (Salford Advanced Laser Canopy Analyser) was used to measure the angular dependence of reflectance for a range of leaves at the wavelengths used by the new generation of multi-wavelength lidars, 1063 nm and 1545nm, as used by SALCA, DWEL and the Optech Titan. The influence of the angle of incidence on the Normalised Difference Index of these wavelengths (NDI) was also assessed. The reflectance at both wavelengths depended on the angle of incidence, was non-Lambertian and could be well modelled as a cosine. The change in NDI with leaf angle of incidence was small compared to the observed difference in NDI between fresh and dry leaves and between leaf and bark. Therefore it is concluded that angular effects will not significantly impact leaf moisture retrievals or prevent leaf/bark separation for the wavelengths used in the new generation of 1063 nm and 1545 nm multi-wavelength lidars

ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE AS A CATALYST FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, RURAL REJUVENATION, AND RETHINKING OUR SHARED PAST: PERSPECTIVES FROM A QUARTER CENTURY OF COMMUNITY ARCHAEOLOGY IN NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

Archaeological research in Canada’s easternmost province has enjoyed a long and evolving history of community partnerships. This is due, in part, to Memorial University’s unique mandate, as well as the Department of Archaeology’s strong commitment to working with individuals and organizations where excavations are conducted. Three case studies from Newfoundland and Labrador shed light on the motivations, experiences, challenges, and outcomes that community–university research partnerships can foster, and demonstrate that archaeology has the potential to make valuable local contributions.A pesquisa arqueológica na província mais oriental do Canadá se beneficiou de uma longa e expansível história de parcerias com as comunidades. Tal deve-se, em parte, ao mandato excepcional da Memorial University, assim como ao engajamento forte do departamento de arqueologia em trabalhar com indivíduos e organizações locais durante escavações. A partir de três casos de estudos da província de Terra Nova e Labrador, este artigo revela as motivações, as experiências, os desafios, como os resultados que podem surgir das parcerias comunidade-universidade, e atesta do potencial da arqueologia em contribuir localmente de forma vantajosamente.La recherche archéologique dans la province canadienne située le plus à l’Est du pays a longtemps profité d’une histoire de partenariats avec les communautés qui a su évoluer dans le temps. Cela s’explique, en partie, par le mandat exceptionnel de la Memorial University, ainsi que par l’engagement prononcé du département d’archéologie pour travailler avec les individus et les organisations locales lors des excavations. À partir de trois études de cas de Terre-Neuve et Labrador, cet article met en lumière les motivations, les expériences, les défis, et les résultats que les partenariats communauté–université peuvent générer, et démontre le potentiel de la discipline archéologique à réaliser des contributions importantes au niveau local

Approaches to Regulating Privacy Dark Patterns

In this paper, we will evaluate new bills slated to replace the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and offer stronger privacy dark pattern protections to Canadians. Existing scholarship in the realm of privacy law, such as “Deceptive Design and Ongoing Consent in Privacy Law” by Jeremy Wiener and “Privacy Dark Patterns: A Case for Regulatory Reform in Canada” by Ademola Adeyoju, primarily focuses on creating frameworks for understanding privacy dark patterns in the law and explaining the pitfalls and legal inadequacies surrounding dark pattern legislation in Canada. However, the aim of this paper diverges significantly. While acknowledging the invaluable insights provided by these foundational works, the objective of this article is twofold: First, to offer a comprehensive review of multiple proposed legislative bills slated to replace PIPEDA in Canada; and second, to critically evaluate the effectiveness of these proposed changes, especially in comparison with more robust frameworks like California\u27s Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the European Union\u27s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which offer extensive protections against dark patterns. In doing so, this paper seeks to fill a gap in the existing literature by examining how proposed Canadian legislation measures up to international standards in protecting citizens from the pitfalls of dark patterns

The Seventeenth Century Brewhouse and Bakery at Ferryland, Newfoundland

In 2001 archaeologists working at the 17th-century English settlement at Ferryland, Newfoundland, uncovered evidence of an early structure beneath a mid-to-late century gentry dwelling. A preliminary analysis of the architectural features and material culture from related deposits tentatively identified the structure as a brewhouse and bakery, likely the same “brewhouse room” mentioned in a 1622 letter from the colony. Further analysis of this material in 2010 confirmed the identification and dating of this structure. Comparison of the Ferryland brewhouse to data from both documentary and archaeological sources revealed some unusual features. When analyzed within the context of the original Calvert period settlement, these features provide additional evidence for the interpretation of the initial settlement at Ferryland not as a corporate colony such as Jamestown or Cupids, but as a small country manor home for George Calvert and his family