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Effect Of Rearing Conditions On The Allocation Of Larval And Adult Acquired Essential And Nonessential Fatty Acids To Flight In Two Adult Lepidoptera: Danaus Plexippus And Mythimna Unipuncta, Libesha Anparasan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Insects which are nectivorous as adults acquire essential fatty acids, which are important for many biological processes, almost exclusively from the larval diet. Thus, adult allocation of this limited resource may result in trade-offs in migrant insects that delay reproduction. I used the true armyworm, Mythimna unipuncta, and monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus, to test the hypothesis that environmental cues (fall migratory or summer reproductive) would influence the use of fatty acids during flight (0-6h). I used larval and adult diets manipulated isotopically (δ¹³C) and chromatographic analyses to determine fatty acid composition and source in the fat …

The Places We'll Go: Rural Migration In Canada, Lindsay Finlay

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

As Canada increases immigration rates, there is a greater need for geographic dispersion to counteract issues of population aging and economic disparities. Historically, Canada’s main Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) have experienced the greatest gains in terms of immigrant recruitment and retention. The problem, however, is that this leaves rural regions falling behind in terms of both population increases and overall development. As such, understanding the characteristics of both rural movers and residents is of utmost importance, especially in regard to potential policy initiatives aimed at ensuring newcomers to Canada are evenly distributed across the country. This study adds to the …

Effects Of Experimental Malaria Infection On Migration Of Yellow-Rumped Warblers (Setophaga Coronata), Rebecca J. Howe

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The potential of migratory animals to spread infectious diseases depends on how infection affects movement. If infection delays or slows the speed of travel, transmission to uninfected individuals may be reduced. Whether and how malaria (Plasmodium spp.) affects bird migration has received little experimental research. I captured 40 actively-migrating Yellow-rumped Warblers (Setophaga coronata) at a migration stopover site and held them in captivity. I inoculated 25 with P. cathemerium while 15 received sham inoculations. After 12 days the birds were released. Six P. cathemerium-inoculated birds (24%) developed P. cathemerium infections after inoculation. I radio-tagged all birds, …

Kindlin-1 Is Involved In Spreading, Migration, And Protein Regulation In Epidermal Scc-13 Cells, Naomi Mishan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Kindlin-1 is a scaffold protein linking the cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix. Loss of function mutations in the FERMT1 gene (encoding Kindlin-1) cause gastrointestinal and skin defects associated with increased susceptibility to aggressive epidermal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). This study investigated the consequences of targeted FERMT1 inactivation in the SCC-13 cell line of epidermal SCC. My studies demonstrate Kindlin-1 is not essential for SCC-13 proliferation or clonogenic potential in culture. Kindlin-1 was required for cell spreading on collagen I, but not on laminin-332, and its absence enhanced SCC-13 directional migration. Finally, I identified several proteins involved in tumor formation and …

Making Meaning About Reproductive Work: A Narrative Inquiry Into The Experiences Of Migrant Caregivers In Canada, Crystal Gaudet

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation examines how migrant caregivers ascribe meaning to the (re)productive labour that they provide within Canada’s Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP). Introduced in 1992, the LCP was a temporary foreign worker program that recruited women, primarily from the Philippines, to care for children, elderly people, and people with disabilities in the homes of their employers. Numerous studies have shown how the stipulations of the LCP produce precarious working conditions that render caregivers vulnerable to exploitation and abuse and that result in their deskilling and de-professionalization. The conditions engendered by the LCP reflect and reinforce the devalued status of care and …

Three Essays On Climate And Development, Samantha Goertz

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

My thesis studies the impact of weather shocks in developing countries. Each chapter of my thesis focuses on a different outcome variable that may be affected by weather shocks: migration, agricultural GDP, and education. The first two are analyzed in the context of Eastern Africa, with data from Kenya and Tanzania, and use data spanning several decades. The third studies a specific tropical storm in Guatemala using data for several years before and after the storm.

My first chapter addresses two questions: What is the inter-regional migration response to weather in Kenya and Tanzania? And does this response vary depending …

Syrian Refugee Women's Experiences With The Ontario Health Care System: A Critical Ethnography Study, Areej Al-Hamad

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

There has been growing interest in migration and refugee research; the vulnerability of Syrian refugee women and how they adapt to their host communities. However, there is limited evidence regarding the pre- and post-migration trauma and its impacts on the health of Syrian refugee women in the Canadian context. The purposes of this critical ethnography using intersectional perspectives were: (1) to explore and describe Syrian refugee women’s experiences and meanings of pre- and post-migration trauma and its impact on their health in the context of repeated displacement and migration from their homes and families; (2) to critically examine how the …

Mood And Anxiety Disorders, Measurement, And Migrant Groups In Ontario, Jordan Edwards

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Our objectives were to: (1) evaluate the current literature on the epidemiology of mood or anxiety disorders among migrant groups; (2) assess how current tools for measuring mood or anxiety disorders at the population level influence our understanding of the epidemiology by a) analyzing the concordance between two commonly used population measures, and b) using a Bayesian analysis to create a combined estimate using both measures; (3) estimate the prevalence and effects of potential risk factors on the prevalence of mood or anxiety disorders among first-generation migrant groups compared to the general population in Ontario. We conducted a systematic review …

(In)Visible Lives: Exploring Lesbian Migrant Spaces Of Belonging In South Africa, Kayla Baumgartner

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation explores how and where lesbian migrant women living in South Africa feel a sense of belonging. Despite South Africa having legal and constitutional protections for sexual minorities and refugees, both groups of individuals face high amounts of homophobic and xenophobically motivated persecution. Little work has explored the unique challenges that migrants who are also sexual minorities can face as a result of their intersecting identities, and this is particularly true for work that looks at the lives of lesbian migrants.

With principles of narrative inquiry serving as methodological guidelines, this study uses interviews and solicited sketch maps from …

Leveraging Cloud-Based Nfv And Sdn Platform Towards Quality-Driven Next-Generation Mobile Networks, Hassan Hawilo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Network virtualization has become a key approach for Network Service Providers (NSPs) to mitigate the challenge of the continually increasing demands for network services. Tightly coupled with their software components, legacy network devices are difficult to upgrade or modify to meet the dynamically changing end-user needs. To virtualize their infrastructure and mitigate those challenges, NSPs have started to adopt Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV). To this end, this thesis addresses the challenges faced on the road of transforming the legacy networking infrastructure to a more dynamic and agile virtualized environment to meet the rapidly increasing demand …

Tracing Nutrient Sources To Lipid Production In Birds And Insects Using Stable Isotope (Δ13c, Δ2h) Tracers: Implications For Nutritional Physiology Of Migratory Species, Libesha Anparasan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Using stable isotope measurements of inert tissues to determine origins and migratory patterns is well established. However, isotopically determining nutritional origins of lipids, the primary fuel of migration, has not been attempted. I explored isotopic links between diet and stored lipids in captive White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) and true armyworm moths (Mythimna unipuncta) using δ¹³C and δ²H measurements. Isotopic discrimination between body lipids and diet was established as linear calibration functions. Isotopic uptake following a diet switch in moths was used to trace lipid accumulation over time. Isotopic correlations between breath metabolic …

The Relative Importance Of Larval And Adult Nutrition In The Isotopic Profile Of The Spermatophore Produced By The Male True Armyworm Moth (Mythimna Unipuncta) (Haworth)., Aida Parvizi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The wings of true armyworm (Mythimna unipuncta) are metabolically inactive tissue and as their isotopic profiles are determined by resources obtained during larval development, they provide information on natal origin of immigrants. The majority of female immigrants are mated so could the isotopic profiles of spermatophores dissected from her reproductive tract provide information about the natal origin of her mates? However, as spermatophores are produced by metabolically active male accessory glands and could use resources obtained from larval and adult feeding I conducted experiments to determine the relative importance of these two dietary sources on the isotopic profiles …

Growth Characteristics And Lipid Metabolism Of Cultured Migratory Bird Skeletal Muscle Cells, Kevin G. Young

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Diets rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) may alter the muscle metabolism of migratory birds, improving their endurance performance. I established and validated for the first time in vitro muscle models of a migratory songbird (yellow-rumped warbler, Setophaga coronata coronata) and shorebird (sanderling, Calidris alba). To evaluate the role of n-3 PUFA in improving fatty acid metabolism in migratory bird muscle, I measured metabolic outcomes following n-3 PUFA supplementation in these two avian cell types and a murine (Mus musculus, C₂C₁₂) cell line. PUFA supplementation in C₂C₁₂ cells …

Hitchhiker's Guide To Migration: Effects Of Experimental Parasitic Infection And Other Immune Challenges On Migratory Traits Of Sparrows, Tosha R. Kelly

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Seasonal migration exposes animals to a variety of habitats and parasites, and if infected migratory birds migrate successfully there is great potential for birds to transport infectious diseases long distances. Our current understanding of whether birds contribute to the spread of disease relies upon observational field studies that are limited in their ability to discern cause from effect. Using captive and field-based experiments for my doctoral research, I answered three research questions: (1) are nocturnal migratory restlessness (Zugunruhe) and body condition affected by mounting an acute phase immune response during migration; (2) what are the impacts of parasitic …

Consequences Of Environmental Mercury Exposure For Migratory Fitness And Survival Of Passerine Birds, Yanju Ma

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Mercury (Hg) is a global contaminant that persists in the environment. The organic form, methylmercury (MeHg) has been shown to adversely affect bird immune function, foraging behavior, navigation, and flight ability. Many songbirds migrate seasonally, a process that consists of multiple endurance flights and refueling at stopovers. Current knowledge of the effects of MeHg on songbird migration and survival is mostly speculative. In this thesis, I present three studies of MeHg in migratory songbirds. In Chapter 2, I assessed the breeding ground MeHg exposure (inferred from feather Hg) of 15 songbird species captured during fall migration at bird banding stations …

Migratory Movements Of The True Armyworm (Mythimna Unipuncta) (Haworth): An Investigation Using Naturally Occurring Stable Hydrogen Isotopes, Kyle Doward

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A number of lepidopteran agricultural pests cannot overwinter in Canada and the annual populations each summer are the result of immigration. In most years densities are low but sporadically there are major outbreaks resulting in serious economic losses. Currently, the detection of potential epidemics is based on pheromone trap catch data in the spring, which leaves a very short window for farmers to intervene if there are high numbers of immigrants. It is accepted that immigrant moth species originate from the USA but we are unsure of whether they originate from one geographic source area every year or if it …

The Role Of Fer Kinase In Human Melanoma Growth And Invasion, Shinthujah Arulanantham

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Feline sarcoma-related (FER) kinase is a ubiquitous non-receptor tyrosine kinase overexpressed in many cancer types. It promotes proliferation, migration and metastasis in prostate, lung and ovarian carcinoma cells, respectively. However, the biological roles of FER in human metastatic melanoma have not been explored. I used a doxycycline-inducible, lentivirus-based shRNA approach to silence FER kinase expression in the 131/4-5B1 human melanoma (hereafter termed 5B1) cells. I determined fewer FER-deficient 5B1 cells in the S-phase of the cell cycle and reduced motility of FER-deficient 5B1 cells, suggesting that FER promotes 5B1 cell cycle transit and migration. In vivo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) studies …

”Not Just Based On Land”: A Study On The Ethnic Tibetan Community In Toronto, Diyin Deng

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The Tibetan identity first emerged as “resistance” (Winland 2002; Scott 1990). The united pan-Tibetan identity did not originally resonate with the diverse group of ethnic minorities living on the Tibetan plateau until post-Chinese occupation. Then, all the groups saw the mutual benefit of adopting the united Tibetan identity against what they perceived as a greater threat to their culture and values. As such the initial Tibetan identity that is projected internationally was harnessed as a “weapon”(Bauman and Vecchi 2004:74) against homogenizing Chinese citizenship and was intimately intertwined with activism.

My research focuses on the formation of diasporic Tibetan identities within …

A Gendered Perspective On Migrant Women Farmers’ Lived Experiences In The Brong-Ahafo Region Of Ghana, Jemima Nomunume Baada

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis examined the lived experiences of migrant women in rural areas of the Brong-Ahafo Region (BAR) of Ghana. Notwithstanding the depth of research on internal migrations in Ghana, little is known about women who have migrated from the Upper West Region to rural settlements in BAR to farm. Using 30 in-depth interviews, 5 focus group discussions and 10 key informant interviews, the study investigated migrant women’s productive and reproductive challenges, how they navigate these limitations, and the current state of livelihood improvement interventions. The findings revealed that migrant women’s livelihoods may not have improved as they had expected pre-migration, …

Energetics Of Migratory Bats During Stopover: A Test Of The Torpor-Assisted Migration Hypothesis, Dylan E. Baloun

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The torpor-assisted migration hypothesis posits that during stopover bats regulate time in torpor facultatively so that daily energy expenditure is independent of ambient roosting temperature. However, direct measurements of total roosting energy expenditure in relation to ambient and body temperature are lacking. I captured migratory silver-haired bats (Lasionycteris noctivagans) at Long Point, Ontario in spring and fall 2016. I used quantitative magnetic resonance analysis to measure full-day energy expenditure of bats roosting at 10, 17 and 25°C and assessed the effects of migration season, body mass, sex and age on energy use. I found that daily energy expenditure …

Weather And Photoperiod Indices Of Autumn And Winter Dabbling Duck Abundance In The Mississippi And Atlantic Flyways Of North America, Lena M. Van Den Elsen

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Climate change may influence autumn and winter distributions of dabbling ducks throughout the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways of North America. To determine how weather and photoperiod influenced autumn-winter abundances of dabbling ducks at staging areas in eastern North America, I modeled weather and photoperiod variables with rate of change in relative abundance of various dabbling duck species over space and time. Latitude was incorporated into models to determine if changes in duck abundance in relation to weather severity were influenced by locale. Changes in abundance were best described by weather models incorporating temperature and snowfall variables for all species except …

Sexual-Economic Entanglement: A Feminist Ethnography Of Migrant Sex Work Spaces In Kenya, Megan Lowthers

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The recent anti-trafficking fervour as well as the moral panic surrounding prostitution has given rise to large gaps within migrant sex work research, especially in Africa. Despite this, sexual commerce remains a viable economic activity for many women in East Africa, a region where variable migration patterns are central to everyday social, cultural, and economic life. Framed by anthropology, feminist geography, and postcolonial theory, this research examines migrant female sex workers’ everyday experiences across time, space, place, and scale from one ethnographic location in Naivasha, Kenya. In order to explore how different migration patterns and types of sexual-economic exchange are …

Smouldering Remediation: Transient Effects Of Front Propagation, Laura L. Kinsman

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Remediation of sites contaminated with non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) presents a significant challenge, particularly for complex and high molecular weight compounds such as coal tar and creosote. Self-sustaining Treatment for Active Remediation (STAR) is an innovative remediation technology based on the principles of smouldering combustion, which has shown potential for rapid destruction of source zone contaminants. The success of smouldering remediation has been previously demonstrated both at the laboratory and field scale, however, these studies have focused primarily on the overall degree of remediation. Laboratory column experiments were employed to identify key transient processes that have the potential to influence …

Energetics And Digestive Physiology Of Age Classes Of Songbirds During Fall Migration, Brendan J. Mccabe

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Among vertebrates, performance of juveniles is typically poor compared to adults. During fall, North American passerine birds migrate south ahead of deteriorating conditions on northern breeding areas. During this migration, juvenile passerines are typically three or four months old and have predictably poor performances. Differential performance could be due to lack of experience, selection against poor-performing cohort members, or physiological constraints of juveniles. Limited evidence suggests that physiology of juveniles may differ from adults during fall migration. I investigated how body composition, metabolic rate, and digestive physiology of juvenile and adult passerines differ during fall migration. In Chapter Two, I …

Cardiomyocyte Polarity And Embryonic Heart Development: Role Of Rac1, Carmen Leung

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are the most common human birth defect and the leading cause of death from a birth defect in the first year of life. Thus, a further understanding of the mechanisms underlying CHDs, which could lead to improved diagnosis and treatment, is crucial. The small GTPase, Rac1, acts as a pleiotropic effector of numerous cellular processes; however, little is known about its role in embryonic heart development. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the role of Rac1 signaling in cardiac development. Using the Cre/loxP system, mouse models with an anterior second heart field (SHF) or …

Natural Variation In Malarial Infection And Immune Investment In A Migratory Songbird, And The Effects Of Infection On Flight Performance, Laura Rooney

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Endurance flight and immune defense are energetically costly activities for birds, and there may be a trade-off between migration and immune investment. Avian blood parasites consume host resources, which may decrease a bird’s resource pool so that endurance flight and immune defense may not be possible simultaneously. I developed a molecular method to detect and quantify blood parasite infection in migrating yellow-rumped warblers (Setophaga coronata), and measured immune activity. I assessed the impact of infection on endurance flight performance and refueling in captive birds. Infection status was not related to age or sex, or timing of migration, and …

Literatura Hispano-Canadiense De Migración Del Siglo Xxi, Ana Chiarelli

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation examines a sample of 21st century Hispano-Canadian literature that focuses on the theme of migration. The first chapter presents a brief historical survey of the migration of Spanish speaking individuals to Canada, as well as the description of the current state of the Hispano-Canadian literature and its challenges. The second chapter explores the representations of the past and the land of origin as well as the representation of Canada that is presented in thirteen short stories. The third chapter analyzes Gabriela Etcheverry’s autobiographical novel Latitudes, both as as a testimony and practice of the poetics of exile, as …

Embattled Communities: Voluntary Action And Identity In Australia, Canada, And New Zealand, 1914-1918, Steve Marti

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation examines voluntary mobilization during the First World War to understand why communities on the social and geographical periphery of the British Empire mobilized themselves so enthusiastically to support a distant war, fought for adistant empire. Lacking a strong state apparatus or a military-industrial complex, the governments of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand relied on voluntary contributions to sustain their war efforts. Community-based voluntary societies knitted socks, raised funds to purchase military equipment, and formed contingents of soldiers. By examining the selective mobilization of voluntary participation, this study will understand how different communities negotiated social and spatial boundaries as …

Impact Of Agroecology Adoption, Migration And Remittance Receipt On Household Welfare, Joseph Kangmennaang

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis aims to examine the impact of two livelihood strategies on household wellbeing in Northern and Central Malawi. Specifically, the study aims to examine how agroecology adoption, migration and remittance receipt impact household food security and asset poverty levels. Prior research has revealed that agroecological farming methods and remittance receipt can increase productivity, yield stability and resilience of family farmers as well as increase their incomes and propel them out of poverty. Agroecology as an alternative agricultural approach has gained momentum through some high-level FAO meetings as well as reports highlighting its potential. Migration and remittances flows have also …

Enterprising Outsiders: Livelihood Strategies Of Cape Town’S Forced Migrants, Madeleine Ann Northcote

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Although refugees and registered asylum-seekers have a legal right to work in South Africa, research shows that prevailing anti-immigrant attitudes and South African employers’ suspicion of these migrants’ documents makes employment extraordinarily difficult to acquire. This thesis investigates how, in the face of such challenges, forced migrants in Cape Town secure their day-to-day livelihoods. The research is based on semi-structured, open-ended interviews with thirty-two refugees and other forced migrants who live and operate in the Cape Town area, as well as five key informant interviews with employees of refugee service organizations. It also draws from literature on both South Africa’s …