URSCA 2020 Program

6TH ANNUAL UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH IN SCIENCE CONFERENCE OF ALBERTA

CELEBRATING UNDERGRADUATE SCIENCE RESEARCH IN ALBERTA

CONTENTS 4

THE HISTORY OF URSCA

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KEYNOTE SPEAKER

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CONFERENCE AT A GLANCE

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ORAL PRESENTATION SCHEDULE

14

POSTER Q&A SESSION SCHEDULE

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ORAL PRESENTATION ABSTRACTS

50 POSTER PRESENTATION ABSTRACTS 75

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The History of URSCA We would like to acknowledge assistant professor of physics at MacEwan University, Dr. Orla Aaquist, for his vision and dedication to undergraduate student research in science and for bringing URSCA to Alberta.

Dr. Aaquist has a BSc from the University of Alberta, a BEd from Queen’s University, and a MSc and PhD in physics, with a specialization in astrophysics, from the University of Calgary.

During his masters and doctoral research, he conducted a survey of compact planetary nebulae at radio wavelengths using the Very Large Array radio telescope in New Mexico.

Meeting Dr. Aaquist for the first time at the inaugural URSCA conference, Interim Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science at the University of Lethbridge, Dr. Matthew Letts, was immediately impressed by his commitment to undergraduate research. “His vision was to celebrate the impact of undergraduate involvement in research on the academic and career trajectories of Alberta students,” says Dr. Letts. “This vision has now come to fruition across Alberta’s degree-granting institutions — beyond even his wildest imagination — with popular events run at five different institutions.”

Since receiving his doctorate, he has focused his efforts on teaching physics and astronomy at the undergraduate university level. He also participates in community science outreach efforts, works with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Scientist in the School programs and other science outreach organizations. Since 2009 his interests have focused on developing undergraduate research projects for MacEwan University students in the areas of physics and astronomy.

The inaugural conference was hosted at MacEwan University in 2015 with the theme “Exploring Undergraduate Research.”

Since then, URSCA has been successfully hosted by Kings University, Mount Royal University, the University of Lethbridge and the University of Calgary.

This year, the 6th annual URSCA conference was originally scheduled to return to MacEwan University and would have been Dr. Aaquist’s last time hosting the event as he has decided to retire. However, due to concerns over public gatherings during COVID-19, the conference was restructured as an on-line event, and hosted by the University of Lethbridge.

“Orla has been a valued member of the Physical Sciences department at MacEwan for over 20 years now,” says MacEwan University’s Incoming Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science, Dr. Melike Schalomon. “He played a central role in keeping undergraduate students at the core of every decision made as the department expanded and evolved, in addition to being active in raising the profile of outstanding science education in the community. Orla’s retirement leaves a gap in his department that will be very hard to fill.”

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ARTICU

Articulation Photo from 2015 | Pictured below Carolyn Ives, MacEwan University; John Wood, The King’s University; Mariola Maya Janowicz, Concordia University; Jerri-Lynne Cameron, Mount Royal University; Brian Martin, The King’s University; Leah Martin-Visscher, The King’s University; Andrew Tappenden, The King’s University; Michael Janzen, The King’s University; Patrick Kamau, Concordia University; Matthew Letts, University of Lethbridge; Connie Varnhagen, University of Alberta; Gerhard Lotz, Augustana; Stefan Cartledge, MacEwan University; Crystal Snyder, University of Alberta; Orla Aaquist, MacEwan University; Zoltan Berkes, Concordia University; Phil Langill, University of Calgary; Martin Connors, Athabasca University; Kevin Judge, MacEwan University; Tara Stieglitz, MacEwan University; Greg Wagner, MacEwan University; Robyn Hall, MacEwan University

ULATION PHOTO 5

DR. STACEY WETMO PROFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY AND TIER I BOARD OF GOVERNORS RESEARCH CHAIR DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY & BIOCHEMISTRY, UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

The Things Computers Can Teach Us About the Chemistry of DNA and RNA The overall objective of research performed in the Wetmore laboratory is to use computer simulations to understand the chemistry of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA). We are interested in revealing fundamental details of how these critical biomolecules are modified and processed within our cells, and uncovering how to exploit the properties of modified nucleic acids in novel applications in medicine and biotechnology. Modified nucleic acids can arise in the form of DNA damage from external influences (e.g., UV light, pollutants, carcinogenic compounds) or can be introduced by enzymes to regulate cellular activity (i.e., epigenetic modifications). Alternatively, synthetically modified nucleic acids can be used in many applications including medicine (i.e., bioprobes, antimicrobial/anticancer agents) and nanotechnology (i.e., biomaterials). Computer modelling of modified nucleic acids can provide unique molecular-level insights into biosystems and cellular reactions. These insights are required to predict experimental outcomes or clarify discrepancies between experimental hypotheses and results. This talk will illustrate the usefulness of this approach by discussing recent topics of interest in the Wetmore lab such as the structural implications of damage to DNA nucleobases, the pathways used to copy and repair of damaged DNA, the impact of naturally occurring RNA modifications on protein synthesis, and the function of aptamers designed to detect toxins.

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ORE

KEYNOTE SPEAKER 7

Dr. Stacey D. Wetmore is a Professor of Chemistry and Tier I Board of Governors Research Chair at the University of Lethbridge. She received a BSc (1995) from Mount Allison University (Sackville, Canada) and a PhD (1999) from Dalhousie University (Halifax, Canada) in computational chemistry under the supervision of Prof.

Russell J. Boyd. After completing a postdoctoral fellowship with Prof. Leo Radom at the Australian National University (Canberra), she launched an independent research program at Mount Allison in 2001 and was recruited to Lethbridge in 2006 as a Tier II Canada Research Chair in Computational Chemistry (renewed in 2012).

Dr. Wetmore’s research program uses computer modelling (computational chemistry) to study nucleic acid chemistry. She uses calculations to answer questions not easily addressed by experiments and successfully addresses key questions in the field. Dr. Wetmore tackles problems regarding the mutagenicity and repair susceptibility of harmful DNA lesions, the function of enzymes that repair DNA damage in our cells, the impact of naturally-occurring modifications to RNA, and the function of nucleic acid aptamers. She has established active and productive collaborations with top U of L, Canadian and international researchers. Dr. Wetmore has published 151 peer-reviewed articles, delivered 99 invited lectures, and secured over $5.8 million in funding from institutional, provincial and national agencies.

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Her expertise has led to her appointment as Co-Editor-in-Chief for the Canadian Journal of Chemistry, a member of Editorial Boards (RSC Advances, Molecules) and a chairperson of grant selection committees (NSERC, Compute/Calcul Canada Resource Allocation).

Dr. Wetmore takes great pride in the mentorship she provides to her trainees, which have included over 100 undergraduate researchers (21 Honours students) and 7 high school students, as well as 21 graduate students and 4 postdoctoral fellows.

Her trainees have been extremely successful receiving highlycompetitive scholarships (totalling more than $1.8 million), co-authoring publications (> 130 published), delivering conference presentations (> 400 oral/poster presentations), winning presentation awards (> 60) and continuing careers in science.

She was the first U of L faculty member to be elected as a Fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada in 2018, a distinctive membership that recognizes members who have made outstanding contributions to their fields.

Conference at a Glance The University of Lethbridge is proud to have the opportunity to showcase the outstanding original research produced by Alberta’s undergraduate students at URSCA 2020. During this unprecedented time, we remain committed to highlighting undergraduate research in science, and although we can’t gather in person, there is nothing stopping us from moving this conference to an online format.

We are proud of the hard work that students have done in the lab, in the field, on their computer and, recently, in the safe confines of their residence. We are living through some challenging times right now, so the Faculty of Arts & Science is pleased to be able to provide students with this opportunity to safely disseminate their work and socialize with students with a diversity of related interests from across the province of Alberta.

The Undergraduate Research in Science Conference of Alberta (URSCA) is a celebration of Alberta’s discovery and innovation at the earliest stage of postsecondary education.

Gone are the days when most researchers began their original research at the graduate level. Increasingly, student-focused, research-intensive institutions are not only encouraging hands-on research in the laboratory and in the field at the undergraduate level but are also providing a wide range of experiential education opportunities, from independent and applied studies to co-operative education and workintegrated-learning placements, study abroad programs and groundbreaking, publishable research with faculty mentors.

Bright, liberally-educated minds are our future – and they are putting theory into practice in laboratories and in the field across this great province.

PRE-CONFERENCE SESSIONS Thursday, May 21, 2020 3:30-5:30 p.m.

Poster/Video Upload Support Drop-In Session | Poster Presenters 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Poster/Video Upload Support Drop-In Session | Poster Presenters Monday, May 25, 2020 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Teaching Centre Zoom Support Session | All Presenters Day 1 | Monday, May 25, 2020 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Opening Reception & Keynote Emcee: Dr. Matthew Letts Keynote: Dr. Stacey Wetmore Day 2 | Tuesday, May 26, 2020 Online 8:15-10:15 AM Oral Presentations Session I (A1, A2, A3) 10:15-12:15 PM Oral Presentations Session II (B1, B2, B3) 12:15-1:30 PM Lunch 1:30-3:10 PM Poster Adjudication (P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6) 3:30-5:30 PM Oral Presentations Session III (C1, C2, C3) 5:30-7:00 PM Dinner Break 7:00-8:00 PM Awards Announced Live

We acknowledge the collaborative efforts of all of the participating Alberta post-secondary institutions in making URSCA 2020 a successful experience for our undergraduate research students.

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Oral Presentation Schedule SESSION A1 | 8:15-9:45 AM

SESSION A2 | 8:15-10:15 AM

8:30 a.m.

CHUNGPENG NIE (University of Alberta) STUDYING CARTILAGE DYSFUNCTION USING PROTEOMICS

8:30 a.m.

LACEY ROBERTS (University of Calgary) RELATING HYDROPHYSICAL PROPERTIES AND SOIL PROFILE LAYERING TO RUNOFF GENERATION POTENTIAL FROM FORESTED HILLSLOPES AND PEATLANDS IN THE WESTERN BOREAL PLAIN, CANADA

8:45 a.m.

DANIEL ROCCA (University of Lethbridge) RIBOSOME ASSEMBLY FACTORS: HOW DO CELLS ASSEMBLE THEIR PROTEIN FACTORIES? 9:00 a.m.

ISABELLE BERNARD (University of Alberta) CELL-ASSOCIATED SIALIC ACID CONTRIBUTES TO REOVIRUS ATTACHMENT TO TUMORIGENIC CELLS 9:15 a.m.

REBECCA JEONG (University of Lethbridge) COMPUTATIONAL STUDIES OF NUCLEIC ACID APTAMERS TO DETECT OCHRATOXIN A 9:30 a.m.

ANGELLE BRITTON (The King’s University) ANALYSIS OF THE GENE CLUSTER ENCODING THE TWO-PEPTIDE BACTERIOCIN CBNXY

8:45 a.m.

DYLAN BRASSARD (University of Lethbridge) THE EFFECTS OF SEVERE WILDFIRE ON BLACK BEAR (URSUS AMERICANUS) DISTRIBUTION IN WATERTON LAKES NATIONAL PARK 9:00 a.m.

MIKAYLA DONOVAN (University of Calgary) ECOSYSTEM CONSEQUENCES OF VEHICLE EMISSIONS IN A WILDERNESS AREA 9:15 a.m.

OLIVER KIENZLE (University of Lethbridge) THERMOKARST SUSCEPTIBILITY BASED ON PERMAFROST PRESENCE AND SOIL TEXTURE, YUKON 9:30 a.m.

STEFAN KURBATFINSKI & KATHY LUC (University of Calgary) SULFUR AND NITROGEN OXIDES IN THE GHOST WATERSHED: A DISPERSION MODEL OF INDUSTRIAL POINT SOURCE EMISSIONS 9:45 a.m.

HUMAIRA ENAYETULLAH (University of Lethbridge) TEMPERATURE ANALYSIS OF MACMILLAN PASS, YUKO 10:00 a.m.

ADDISON SCHAUB (MacEwan University) ANALYSIS OF ORGANIC AND HEAVY METAL POLLUTANTS IN MARINE PLANKTONIC ORGANISMS FROM BAMFIELD, BRITISH COLUMBIA BY ICP-OES AND GC-MS

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SESSION A3 | 8:15-10:15 AM

SESSION B1 | 10:15 AM-12:15 PM

8:30 a.m.

BRENDAN LAZAR (Mount Royal University) RESPIRATORY SINUS ARRHYTHMIA REACTIVITY DURING ACUTE EXPOSURE TO NORMOBARIC HYPOXIA AND HYPEROXIA

10:30 a.m.

KARABEE BATTA (University of Calgary) BENCHMARKING THE QUANTUM SATELLITE GROUND STATION IN CALGARY

8:45 a.m.

BUSHRA ANJUM (University of Alberta) DIFFERENCES IN ABO ANTIBODY PRODUCTION IN FEMALE VS. MALE MICE 9:00 a.m.

TAYLOR BADER (Mount Royal University) THE EFFECTS OF ACUTE HYPOCAPNIA ON NEUROVASCULAR COUPLING MAGNITUDE 9:15 a.m.

NADIA HAND (University of Lethbridge) CHARACTERIZATION OF THE NOVEL “CLUMP” PHENOTYPE INDUCED BY PRAIRIE PLANT EXTRACTS IN STAPHYLOCOCCUS EPIDERMIDIS 9:30 a.m.

JORDAN BIRD (Mount Royal University) TIME COURSE AND MAGNITUDE OF VENTILATORY AND RENAL ACCLIMATIZATION FOLLOWING RAPID ASCENT AND RESIDENCE TO 3800M OVER NINE DAYS 9:45 a.m.

SEAN ANDREI MALIA (University of Alberta) DEVELOPING NON-INVASIVE BIOMARKERS FOR RADIATION THERAPY

10:45 a.m.

CHRISTOPHER GERGESS (Mount Royal University) N2O-AR: OBSERVATION OF TWO HOT BANDS DUE TO BENDING MODES OF N2O MONOMER IN THE 2224 CM-1 REGION 11:00 a.m.

ANNA KLICK (MacEwan University) ARITHMETIC PROGRESSIONS IN MODEL SETS 11:15 a.m.

RANA ZIBAKHSHSHABGAHI (University of Calgary) BIOPHOTON EMISSION FROM TADPOLE BRAINS 11:30 a.m.

HANNAH KRIVIC (Mount Royal University) WAVE-PARTICLE DUALITY IN A MACH-ZEHNDER INTERFEROMETER USING POLARIZATION 11:45 a.m.

ANA MUCALICA (MacEwan University) HYDROSTATIC BALANCE IN METEOROLOGY

10:00 a.m.

ANNA-MARIA CIOROGARIU-IVAN (Mount Royal University) THE EFFECTS OF ACUTE HYPERGLYCEMIA ON CEREBROVASCULAR REACTIVITY TO CO2 IN HEALTHY PARTICIPANTS

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SESSION B2 | 10:15 AM-12:15 PM

SESSION B3 | 10:15 AM-12:15 PM

10:30 a.m.

JHANVI MEHTA (University of Lethbridge) EXPLORING THE EFFECTS OF NOVEL, HIGH-CBD CANNABIS EXTRACTS ON LOCOMOTOR ACTIVITY IN THE LONG-EVANS RAT

10:30 a.m.

KADEN FUJITA (University of Lethbridge) 1 H NMR BASED METABOLOMIC PROFILING OF EARLY LIFE STAGE ZEBRAFISH (DANIO RERIO) EXPOSED TO WEATHERED SEDIMENT-BOUND DILUTED BITUMEN

10:45 a.m.

CRYSTAL MULIK (University of Lethbridge) A COMPARISON OF SAMPLE PREPARATION METHODS FOR FECAL METABOLOMICS WITH IN SILICO BASELINE CORRECTION 11:00 a.m.

BRAEDYN AU (University of Calgary) THE SEARCH FOR CRITICALITY IN BIOLOGICAL NEURAL NETWORKS 11:15 a.m.

SAM DRESCHER (University of Lethbridge) EFFECTS OF COMPLETE HIPPOCAMPAL ANTEROGRADE LESIONS ON THE FORMATION AND MAINTENANCE OF CONTEXTUAL FEAR MEMORIES 11:30 a.m.

JENNY LE (University of Alberta) FUNCTIONAL NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY (fNIRS)-BASED NEUROFEEDBACK – A LITERATURE REVIEW 11:45 a.m.

MYKAELA HOLT (McEwan University) THE INFLUENCE OF INTERPERSONAL SYNCHRONY ON HELPING BEHAVIOR, SOCIAL BONDING, AND EMPATHY IN CHILDREN 12:00 p.m.

GISELLE TIEDE (University of Lethbridge) THE METABOLOMIC PROFILE OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE IN DENTATE NUCLEUS BRAIN TISSUE

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10:45 a.m.

DONOVAN MAKUS (Concordia University of Edmonton) THE EFFECTS OF IVERMECTIN TREATED CATTLE ON AQUATIC COMMUNITIES 11:00 a.m.

STEPHANIE SHEPPARD (University of Lethbridge) EFFECTS OF AMENDING A BROILER CHICKEN DIET WITH CANOLA MEAL ON FOOD CONSUMPTION AND BIRD GROWTH, THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE CECAL MCIROBIOTA AND THE CECAL CONTENT, LIVER AND BREAST MUSCLE METABOLOMES 11:15 a.m.

RYLEIGH VANDERSCHEE (The King’s University) IMPACT OF WILDFIRES ON SNOWSHOE HARE (LEPUS AMERICANUS) RELATIVE ABUNDANCE IN WINTER HABITAT DURING A POPULATION PEAK 11:30 a.m.

CHRISTIE STEPHEN (University of Lethbridge) ISOLATION AND CULTIVATION OF RUSSET BURBANK POTATO LEAF PROTOPLASTS 11:45 a.m.

HAO LUU (Mount Royal University) SSR MARKER POLYMORPHISM IN ARG 12:00 p.m.

CHAD BECK (University of Lethbridge) NUCLEAR ASSOCIATED VACUOLES PRESENT IN PATIENTS WITH RARE GENETIC DISEASES CAN BE MIMICKED IN CELL MODELS BY THE ADDITION OF A NATURAL PRODUCT FROM A CANADIAN PRAIRIE PLANT

SESSION C1 | 3:30-5:30 PM

SESSION C2 | 3:30-5:30 PM

3:45 p.m.

JORDAN BIRD (Mount Royal University) SEVERITY OF CENTRAL SLEEP APNEA DOES NOT IMPROVE SLEEPING OXYGEN SATURATION DURING ASCENT TO HIGH ALTITUDE

3:45 p.m.

DARREN VAN ESSEN (University of Lethbridge) THE NOVEL BROMINATED FLAME RETARDANT, 1,2,5,6-TETRABROMOCYCLOOCTANE (TBCO), IMPAIRS OOCYTE MATURATION IN ZEBRAFISH (DANIO RERIO)

4:00 p.m.

LENA SOBZE (University of Alberta) SYNTHESIS OF MACROCYCLIC PEPTIDES USING 1,5-DICHLORO-2,4PENTADIONE FOR LATE STAGE FUNCTIONALIZATION 4:15 p.m.

JEFFREY YEE (Mount Royal University) TEST TUBES ARE NOT CELLS! - THE NONLINEAR EFFECTS OF COMBINED NEUTRAL WATER-SOLUBLE COSOLUTES ON THE KINETICS OF AN ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE CATALYZED REACTION 4:30 p.m.

VAISHVI PATEL (University of Alberta) INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF MERLIN PROTEIN IN THE DELVEOPING NERVOUS SYSTEM 4:45 p.m.

JOANNA KEOUGH (Mount Royal University) EXPERIENCE-DEPENDENT CARDIORESPIRATORY EFFECTS RESULTING FROM TWO PATTERNS OF ACUTE INTERMITTENT HYPOXIA IN HEALTHY HUMANS 5:00 p.m.

VALENTINE DEREGNAUCOURT (University of Lethbridge) EXERCISE-INDUCED MODIFICATION OF GUT MICROBIOTA IN RATS FED A HIGH FAT OR CHOW DIET 5:15 p.m.

MATTHEW BETTON (Mount Royal University) THE EFFECTS OF INSPIRED HYPEROXIA ON ACUTE CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW REGULATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR PRE-HOSPITAL INTERVENTION IN STROKE

4:00 p.m.

CHAZ FRANCIS COMIA (Ambrose University) COMPARING MOLECULAR AND MORPHOLOGICAL METHODS FOR DISTINGUISHING INTRODUCED PRUSSIAN CARP (CARASSIUS GIBELIO) FROM GOLDFISH (CARASSIUS AURATUS) IN ALBERTA 4:15 p.m.

ELIJUS SLAMAS (University of Lethbridge) EFFECTS OF THE KENOW FIRE ON LONG-TOED SALAMANDER (AMBYSTOMA MACRODACTYLUM) OCCUPANCY IN WATERTON LAKES NATIONAL PARK 4:30 p.m.

DANA GUHLE (MacEwan University) THE EFFECTS OF MUTATIONS ON THE FIRST TWO HOURS OF AN IMMUNE RESPONSE IN DROSOPHILA LARVAE 4:45 p.m.

CHLOE DEVOY (University of Lethbridge) EFFECTS OF THE NOVEL BROMINATED FLAME RETARDANT 1,2,5,6-TETRABROMOCYCLOOCTANE (TBCO) ON SWIM BLADDER DEVELOPMENT IN ZEBRAFISH 5:00 p.m.

RHONDA THYGESEN (The King’s University) BACTERIOPHAGE THERAPY FOR AMERICAN FOULBROOD IN ALBERTA HONEYBEES 5:15 p.m.

JONATHAN FARR (University of Alberta) PITTED AGAINST THE ODDS: THE EFFECT OF PIT TAGGING ON THE SURVIVAL AND BODY CONDITION OF BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES (POECILE ATRICAPILLUS)

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Poster Q & A Se SESSION C3 | 3:30-5:15 PM 3:45 p.m.

NATHANIA TAKYI (University of Lethbridge) MOLECULAR DYNAMICS STUDIES ON THE MUTAGENIC EFFECTS OF DIADDUCTS ON DNA 4:00 p.m.

SAM DRESCHER (University of Lethbridge) SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF SILVER(I) COMPLEXES SUPPORTED

BY NEN-PINCER LIGANDS (E = S, O) 4:15 p.m.

SYDNEY MAZIARZ (McEwan University) ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF MEDICINAL TEA EXTRACTS AND THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH ANTIBIOTICS 4:30 p.m.

DAISY CRUZ-MILETTE (University of Lethbridge) MODIFYING THE STERIC AND ELECTRONIC ENVIRONMENT OF CATIONIC ZINC COMPLEXES SUPPORTED BY NEN-PINCER LIGANDS (E = O, S, SE) 4:45 p.m.

TANNER LOCKWOOD & QUENTIN GOLSTEYN (University of Lethbridge / University of British Columbia) PHARM-DRONE: LOCATING SOUTHERN ALBERTA PRAIRIE FLOWERS BY UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES (DRONE) IMAGERY 5:00 p.m.

HALEY SHADE (University of Lethbridge) BLACKFOOT NAMES AND EXCHANGE OF SCIENTIFIC AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE TO INVESTIGATE PRAIRIE PLANTS BY CELL-BASED ASSAYS

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All conference attendees are encouraged to view the poster presentations on Moodle.

Poster presentations (poster and pre-recorded video) will be available for viewing starting Monday, May 25, 2020 at 8 a.m.

• • • •

Detailed login instructions have been emailed to all registered attendees.

The times listed on the next page are for a private Q & A session between the session presenters and judges.

Judges must have viewed the posters before the scheduled Q & A session.

Presenters are asked to login to the Zoom meeting two minutes prior to their scheduled time.

ession Schedule SESSION P1 Q&A | 1:30-3:10 PM

SESSION P2 Q&A | 1:30-3:10 PM

1:30 p.m.

JAXON REITER (University of Lethbridge) PIN-MEDIATED AUXIN TRANSPORT ALTERS CELL POLARITY IN ARABIDOPSIS LEAVES AND ROOTS

1:30 p.m.

VALENTINE DEREGNAUCOURT (University of Lethbridge) EXERCISE-INDUCED MODIFICATION OF GUT MICROBIOTA IN RATS FED A HIGH FAT OR CHOW DIET

1:40 p.m.

BRITTANY SUPINA (MacEwan University) METHOD OPTIMIZATION FOR THE ANTIMICROBIAL SCREENING OF PIGMENTED INVASIVE WEED EXTRACTS

1:40 p.m.

VAISHVI PATEL (University of Alberta) INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF MERLIN PROTEIN IN THE DELVEOPING NERVOUS SYSTEM

2:00 p.m.

LACEY ROBERTS (University of Calgary) RELATING HYDROPHYSICAL PROPERTIES AND SOIL PROFILE LAYERING TO RUNOFF GENERATION POTENTIAL FROM FORESTED HILLSLOPES AND PEATLANDS IN THE WESTERN BOREAL PLAIN, CANADA

1:50 p.m.

JOANNA KEOUGH (Mount Royal University) EXPERIENCE-DEPENDENT CARDIORESPIRATORY EFFECTS RESULTING FROM TWO PATTERNS OF ACUTE INTERMITTENT HYPOXIA IN HEALTHY HUMANS

2:10 p.m.

MATHIEU BOUDREAU (Mount Royal University) THE SEARCH FOR CLIMATE SIGNATURES IN THE CRETACEOUS OF ALBERTA: CYCLES IN A PROPOSED LAKE BASIN OF THE FOOTHILLS ~75–70 MILLION YEARS AGO 2:20 p.m.

REBECCA RUNIONS (University of Lethbridge) PRAIRIE PROTEINS: MEASURING THE PROTEIN CONTENT OF NATIVE PRAIRIE PLANT SAMPLES 2:30 p.m.

TEJAS GILL (Mount Royal University) MEASURING THE EDUCATION ATTAINMENT OF DIFFERENT SUBPOPULATIONS OF CANADA USING THE GINI INDEX 2:50 p.m.

FRANKI RACE (University of Calgary) NUCLEAR DESALINATION 3:00 p.m.

ANDREA GELENE ABENOJA (University of Lethbridge) IMPROVEMENT OF POTATO CLONAL MICROPROPAGATION

2:00 p.m.

OJAS SRIVASTAVA (University of Alberta) CYTOKINE TRANSPORT IN EOSINOPHILS FOLLOWING VIRUS STIMULATION 2:10 p.m.

NABILAH GULAMHUSEIN (University of Calgary) DETERMINING THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN NOTCH AND BMP/WNT SIGNALING IN DORSAL SPINAL CORD DEVELOPMENT 2:20 p.m.

SARAH ALMAS (University of Alberta) ROLE OF INNATE IMMUNE CELLS IN THE ASTHMATIC RESPONSE 2:30 p.m.

BRENDAN LAZAR (Mount Royal University) RESPIRATORY SINUS ARRHYTHMIA REACTIVITY DURING ACUTE EXPOSURE TO NORMOBARIC HYPOXIA AND HYPEROXIA 2:40 p.m.

FAINA BENYAMINOV (University of Alberta) ELUCIDATING SEX DIFFERENCES IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF DIABETIC CARDIOMYOPATHY 2:50 p.m.

TAYLOR BADER (Mount Royal University) THE EFFECTS OF ACUTE HYPOCAPNIA ON NEUROVASCULAR COUPLING MAGNITUDE

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SESSION P3 Q & A | 1:30-3:10 PM

SESSION P4 Q & A | 1:30-3:10 PM

1:30 p.m.

JOHN NGO (University of Calgary) COSMIC WATCH MUON DETECTOR ANDROID APPLICATION FOR MUON DETECTOR PERIPHERAL

1:30 p.m.

LONGXIANG WANG (University of Alberta) BIOCONJUGATION OF NANOBODIES TO MALEIMIDE-FLUOROPHORES AS RECOMBINANT DETECTION REAGENT

1:40 p.m.

HALEY JURAK (McEwan University) SHOCK CONDITIONS EXPERIENCED BY HAUGHTON CRYSTALLINE BASEMENT ROCKS: A COMBINED RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY AND ELECTRON BACKSCATTER DIFFRACTION STUDY OF ANOMALY HILL ZIRCONS

1:40 p.m.

JAROD COLQUHOUN (Mount Royal University) PREVENTING THE UNWANTED SYSTEMATIC ABSORPTION OF SUNSCREEN USING DENDRIMER CHEMISTRY

1:50 p.m.

KYLE GOODBRAND, MANPREET KAUR, ARIANNA MAMER & MUBIN MANASIA (University of Calgary) SPECTRA STUDIES WITH THE RAO ECHELLE SPECTROGRAPH 2:00 p.m.

CHRISTOPHER EVERETT (Concordia University of Edmonton) THE AVERAGE CASE OF THE LLL-ALGORITHM 2:10 p.m.

AMIT KAIN, DANIELA LAPADA, NADEEM LATIF & KELLY MA (University of Calgary) PROPERTIES OF POTENTIAL ASTEROIDS THROUGH PIXELS 2:20 p.m.

ZINA ALAQABI (Mount Royal University) SUNSCREEN SYNTHESIS 2:30 p.m.

TIANNA GROENEVELD (McEwan University) INSIGHT INTO THE POST-IMPACT HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEM AT THE CHICXULUB IMPACT STRUCTURE, MEXICO 2:40 p.m.

JANELLE BYKOWSKI (University of Lethbridge) LEWIS-ACID BEHAVIOUR OF MOLYBDENUM PENTAFLUORIDE TOWARD PYRIDINE 2:50 p.m.

CAROLINE BASTA & PRABHJOT NEHAL (Mount Royal University) SYNTHESIS OF CARBON NANOTUBE FROM SUGAR-BASED SOURCES 3:00 p.m.

AMOS TAVATYA (Concordia University of Edmonton) SIMULTANEOUS DETERMINATION OF CARMOISINE AND SUNSET YELLOW IN LUCOZADE AND IRN BREW BY HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY (HPLC)

1:50 p.m.

JOLIE HAMEL (McEwan University) BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF DNA REPAIR ENZYME INHIBTORS – MOLECULES WITH POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS TO IMPROVING CANCER TREATMENT 2:00 p.m.

EMMA BOGNER, MITCHEL DEMERS, DANIEL MAJOR & MICHAEL MAKHOUL (Mount Royal University) CHANGES IN LOCALIZATION OF CYTOSKELETAL PROTEINS REFLECTS MORPHOLOGICAL AND FUNCTIONAL CHANGES OBSERVED DURING MYOGENESIS 2:10 p.m.

CATRIONE LEE (University of Lethbridge) IN SILICO IDENTIFICATION OF INTEGRATIVE AND CONJUGATIVE ELEMENTS IN TRANSCONJUGANTS VIA NANOPORE SEQUENCING 2:20 p.m.

YOUTONG LI (University of Alberta) ENGAGING NEURAL STEM CELLS USING HEPATOMA DERIVED GROWTH FACTOR AND IMPLICATIONS FOR DEMYELINATING DISORDERS 2:30 p.m.

MERRY GHEBERATATIOS, HANNAH KRIVIC & HAO LUU (Mount Royal University) A PHYSIOLOGICALLY RELEVANT MODEL OF SKELETAL MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT ON A LASER-ETCHED SUBSTRATE 2:40 p.m.

KUSH PATEL (University of Lethbridge) SENSITIZING HNSCC AND GBM TO CANCER THERAPEUTICS THROUGH RNAIMEDIATED DEPLETION OF EIF5B, EIF3F, AND PDCD4 2:50 p.m.

BHADRA PANDYA (University of Lethbridge) QUANTUM MECHANICAL TREATMENT OF POST-TRANSCRIPTIONALLY MODIFIED URACIL BASE PAIRS 3:00 p.m.

ANNA-MARIA CIOROGARIU-IVAN (Mount Royal University) THE EFFECTS OF ACUTE HYPERGLYCEMIA ON CEREBROVASCULAR REACTIVITY TO CO2 IN HEALTHY PARTICIPANTS

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SESSION P5 Q & A | 1:30-3:10 PM

SESSION P6 Q & A | 1:30-2:20 PM

1:30 p.m.

JENNY LE (University of Alberta) NEURAL PROCESSING AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTION IN YOUNG CHILDREN USING PORTABLE EEG

1:30 p.m.

ETHAN HAGEN (McEwan University) THE IMPACT OF DIFFERENT FEEDING SCHEDULES ON MEMORY AND ANXIETY-LIKE BEHAVIOUR IN ZEBRAFISH

1:40 p.m.

BRAEDYN AU (University of Calgary) THE SEARCH FOR CRITICALITY IN BIOLOGICAL NEURAL NETWORKS

1:40 p.m.

KAITLYN WILLERTH (Mount Royal University) MORPHOLOGICAL VARIATION WITH PELVIC STRUCTURE POLYMORPHISM IN CULAEA INCONSTANS

1:50 p.m.

MANSI PATEL (University of Lethbridge) IMPACT OF ACUTE DEXTRAN SULFATE SODIUM ON RECALL OF CONTEXTUAL FEAR MEMORY 2:00 p.m.

WITHDREW 2:10 p.m.

ANDREA SLINGERLAND (University of Lethbridge) TRAUMA-RELATED STRESS DISORDERS AMONG SYRIAN REFUGEES IN LETHBRIDGE 2:20 p.m.

JANET ADEOTI (Mount Royal University) THINKING OUTSIDE THE BRAIN: ARE MUSCLES A MISSING PIECE IN THE DYSTONIA PUZZLE?

1:50 p.m.

JOSHUA SZASZKIEWICZ (McEwan University) COHO SALMON REARED UNDER VARYING PHOTOPERIODS AND SALINITIES IN RECIRCULATING AQUACULTURE SYSTEMS DEMONSTRATE MINIMAL BEHAVIOURAL EFFECTS 2:00 p.m.

DONOVAN MAKUS (Concordia University of Edmonton) THE EFFECTS OF IVERMECTIN TREATED CATTLE ON AQUATIC COMMUNITIES 2:10 p.m.

BROOKLYN MILLER (McEwan University) MAPPING THE DISTRIBUTION OF RETROGRESSIVE THAW SLUMPS ALONG THE OLD CROW RIVER IN THE YUKON

2:30 p.m.

SHAYNA CHAPUT (University of Alberta) STIMULI THAT DICTATE SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR IN ZEBRAFISH 2:40 p.m.

JADE RADKE (MacEwan University) IMPROVING SELF-CONTROL WITH THE USE OF “UNBREAKABLE” RESOLUTIONS 2:50 p.m.

ANDREW WU (University of Alberta) QUANTIFICATION OF CEREBRAL DEGENERATION IN ALS USING TEXTURE ANALYSIS 3:00 p.m.

KIMBERLY PAPP (University of Alberta) THE EYE’S IMMUNE DEFENSES IN GENE THERAPY

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Oral Presentation Abstracts STUDENTS HAVE 10 MINUTES TO PRESENT, FOLLOWED BY UP TO 5 MINUTES TO TAKE QUESTIONS.

SESSION A1 | 8:15-9:45 AM STUDYING CARTILAGE DYSFUNCTION USING PROTEOMICS Chunpeng Nie, Pranidhi Baddam, Daniel Graf (University of Alberta) The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects the jaw with the skull and allows its movement. Joints, including the TMJ, develop disorders such as osteoarthritis if the joint’s cartilage cells function inappropriately. Osteoarthritis treatment options are limited partly because cartilage dysfunction is poorly understood. Lack of a signalling protein, BMP7, is known to cause osteoarthritis in the knee and TMJ. Here, we investigated how cartilage cells change before they become osteoarthritic. We hypothesized that loss of BMP7 in the TMJ changes the cells’ metabolism before cartilage damage. To investigate the osteoarthritic TMJ, we genetically modified mice to lack the gene for BMP7 and compared them to control mice. Tissue staining, a traditional way to assess osteoarthritis, showed that cartilage developed normally up to 2 weeks but showed signs of early osteoarthritis in the mutant at 4 weeks. To understand how cellular activity could have caused this change, we used proteomics and looked for differences in protein abundance between control and mutant. Proteins involved in several cellular processes, including energy production and protein breakdown, were decreased greatly. Surprisingly, these metabolic changes to cartilage were already present at 2 weeks, before any cartilage dysfunction was visible through the tissue stains. This was a new, successful application of proteomics to study cartilage disease. Our findings suggest that osteoarthritis in the TMJ is preceded by changes in cartilage cell activity. Thus, osteoarthritis might be a consequence of metabolic changes within the cartilage. This finding has important implications for developing new treatments and diagnostic procedures for osteoarthritis

RIBOSOME ASSEMBLY FACTORS: HOW DO CELLS ASSEMBLE THEIR PROTEIN FACTORIES? Daniel Rocca, Ute Kothe (Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute (ARRTI), Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge) According to the central dogma of molecular biology, DNA is copied into RNA which carries the information to make proteins. The structure that assembles proteins based on RNA, is called the ribosome and is an essential element of cell functions. The ribosome is an incredibly complex machine composed of a set of ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) and many proteins (r-Proteins). In addition, the process of assembling a ribosome requires an assortment of over 100 assembly factors. These assembly factors serve a variety of functions modifying the rRNAs and assembling the r-proteins around it. However, the exact roles of many assembly factors remain poorly characterized. My project focusses on studying the function of a specific assembly factor to understand how it helps to shorten the rRNA into its final form. In order to study the complex process of ribosome assembly, we can use a series of shortened rRNAs.These rRNAs only form partial ribosomes representing intermediates in the ribosome assembly pathway. It has been shown that these intermediates contain various assembly factors depending on the rRNA length. Therefore, by reducing the length of the rRNA, we can freeze ribosome assembly at a specific stage and study the function of the associated assembly factors. By examining multiple “frozen” ribosome intermediates before, during and after containing a specific assembly factor, we can analyze what changes this assembly factor induces in the maturing ribosome. Understanding ribosome assembly provides fundamental insight into the inner workings of healthy cells. Additionally, this research has broader implications in diseases as the process of ribosome assembly is dysregulated in many diseases, especially cancers. The overproduction of ribosomes in cancers makes assembly factors a potential target for therapeutics.

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CELL-ASSOCIATED SIALIC ACID CONTRIBUTES TO REOVIRUS ATTACHMENT TO TUMORIGENIC CELLS Isabelle Bernard, Heather Eaton, Francisca Cristi Munoz, Maya Shmulevitz (Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta) Type 3 Dearing reovirus (T3D) is undergoing clinical testing as an oncolytic therapy for breast cancer. Despite its promising development, reovirus therapy fails to completely regress tumors. For successful infection of a cancer cell, T3D binds to cell surface sialic acids (SA) or JAM-A using the N- and C-terminal domains of viral σ1 attachment protein, respectively. However, proteases in breast tumor microenvironments cleave the C-terminal domain of σ1, leaving only the truncated σ1N on the reovirus. σ1 consequently becomes entirely dependent SA for attachment. It remained unknown whether SA level differs on breast cancer cells and if proteases in the tumor microenvironment impact reovirus binding towards breast cancer cells. We first measured SA levels on four breast cancer (MCF7, MTHJ, TUBO, T47D) and one fibroblast (L929) cell lines. Cell surface SAs were detected with SA-binding fluorescein, and fluorescence assessed by flow cytometry. MCF7/MTHJ were SA-low, while L929/TUBO/T47D were SA-high. We then investigated whether SA levels correlate with cell binding of reovirus. We compared binding of T3DWT with a full σ1, to T3DUnaG with a truncated σ1N to mimic cleaved reovirus in a tumor microenvironment. The same cell panel was exposed to T3DWT or T3DUnaG and the relative levels of cell-bound reovirus particles were assessed by flow cytometry. SA-low cells restricted T3DUnaG binding to a greater extent than T3DWT when compared to SA-high cells. We have therefore demonstrated that SA-low cells decrease binding of T3D with a truncated σ1N, which mimics the tumor microenvironment. Characterizing the relationship between cell-associated SA and T3D attachment provides a greater understanding of restrictions to reovirus oncolysis, presenting opportunity to engineer an increasingly potent virus overcoming these restrictions.

COMPUTATIONAL STUDIES OF NUCLEIC ACID APTAMERS TO DETECT OCHRATOXIN A Rebecca Jeong, Preethi P. Seelam and Stacey D. Wetmore (University of Lethbridge) Mycotoxins are toxic chemicals produced by fungi found in crops. A common mycotoxin found in our food products, such as cereal and dried fruits, is ochratoxin A (OTA). Once OTA enters our body, it affects the kidneys and pancreas, which has been shown to lead to pancreatic cancer and nephropathic diseases. Therefore, it is important to detect OTA, particularly in our food crops. Currently available methods to detect toxins such as OTA include a technique such as chromatography. A potential way to more cost-effectively and conveniently detect OTA is by using aptamers. Nucleic acid aptamers are defined structured molecules made up of singlestranded deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA) oligomers that bind to a specific target. Aptamers have been developed to detect a variety of targets including proteins and viruses. Aptamers are of interest for use in detection due to their range of targets, high binding affinity, sensitivity and specificity. However, a sufficient aptamer to target OTA has yet to be designed. In order to design new and improved versions, the structure and function of existing aptamers must be understood. Using computational chemistry, the feasibility of an aptamer to detect OTA can be studied, including gaining structural information about the bound and unbound aptamer, and the preferred OTA binding site. In the present work, the ability of computational chemistry to predict OTA binding was initially investigated using the so-called OBA3 aptamer for which an NMR structure is available. Once the computational methods were proven effective, a second aptamer for which little structural information is currently available was investigated. In direct complement to existing experimental data, this work provides the molecular level details of the structure of novel OTA aptamers and insights into their ability to detect OTA.

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ANALYSIS OF THE GENE CLUSTER ENCODING THE TWO-PEPTIDE BACTERIOCIN CBNXY Angelle Britton, Dr. Leah Martin-Visscher (The King’s University) Bacteriocins produced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) display a wide variety of characteristics. An interesting subclass of bacteriocins are the two-peptide bacteriocins, wherein two separate peptides must be present in equimolar amounts for optimal activity. These bacteriocins are encoded on an operon which includes the genes essential for the production, transport, and regulation of the bacteriocin and its immunity. Carnobacterium piscicola LV17B is a producer of at least three bacteriocins, including carnobacteriocin B2 (CbnB2), carnobacteriocin B1 (CbnB1), and the two-peptide bacteriocin carnobacteriocin XY (CbnXY). Previously, the gene cluster encoding CbnB2 and CbnXY, located on the PCP40 plasmid of LV17B, has been examined via gene inactivation and deletion studies to identify which genes encode for regulatory and transport proteins necessary for CbnB2 and CbnB1 production. However, it is not currently known if these same proteins are required for production and transport of CbnXY. Our goal was three fold: 1) to construct a plasmid containing the 10 kB bacteriocin gene cluster from PCP40, 2) to inactivate various genes in the newly constructed plasmid, and 3) transform these various plasmids into a bacteriocin free strain of LAB to asses the presence or absence of functional CbnXY by testing against a CbnXY sensitive strain. We were successful in amplifying the 10 kB gene cluster from PCP40 using PCR, but, encountered difficulties in cloning the constructs into the intermediate host, E. coli DH5α. Due to problems culturing transformants, and contradictory DNA sequencing results, it is likely that that the expression of the gene cluster may be toxic to the E. coli. This hypothesis was supported by examining the activity of CbnXY against E. coli DH5α in the presence and absence of EDTA, which weakens the cell wall, enabling LAB bacteriocins to access the cell membrane.

Session A2 | 8:15-10:15 AM RELATING HYDROPHYSICAL PROPERTIES AND SOIL PROFILE LAYERING TO RUNOFF GENERATION POTENTIAL FROM FORESTED HILLSLOPES AND PEATLANDS IN THE WESTERN BOREAL PLAIN, CANADA Lacey Roberts1, Scott Ketcheson2 and Dan Shugar3 (1University of Calgary, 2Athabasca University, 3University of Calgary) Processes that control water release (runoff) from any headwater catchment are vital factors in the function, sensitivity and vulnerability of ecosystems to human and climate-induced environmental change. Different soil hydraulic properties and layering control water storage and runoff potential and strongly affect the volume of runoff generated from forested landforms. In the Boreal Plain, the conventional paradigm is that soil storage reduces the potential to generate lateral flow on hillslopes. However, a soil profile with sharply contrasting soil hydraulic properties between layers will produce conditions favourable for lateral runoff generation at the moss–mineral interface. A key component of interpreting and fully understanding water movement and exchanges among forests and wetlands in the Western Boreal Plain is linking soil profile characteristics to runoff observations. This study presents depth profiles of soil hydraulic properties along soil catenae throughout the Stony Mountain Headwater Catchment Observatory (SMHCO) ~40 km south of Fort McMurray, Alberta. Soil profiles and configurations were evaluated in the field, and soil cores were extracted for laboratory-based parameterization of hydraulic properties of the dominant soil layers (i.e., soil water storage parameters, porosity, bulk density, particle size distribution and saturated hydraulic conductivity). Laboratory and field measurements identified a distinct change and sharp reduction in hydraulic conductivity at the base of the organic forest floor layer with substantially lower hydraulic conductivity and porosity in the underlying mineral soils. This contrast, along with the low soil water storage potential in the typically thin organic forest floor layer, presents conditions favourable for lateral runoff generation, which is supported by field observations. This information helps to reveal the magnitudes and variabilities of runoff generation potentials at the hillslope scale.

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THE EFFECTS OF SEVERE WILDFIRE ON BLACK BEAR (URSUS AMERICANUS) DISTRIBUTION IN WATERTON LAKES NATIONAL PARK Dylan Brassard1, Helena Mahoney2, Jennifer Carpenter2 and Julie Lee-Yaw2 (1University of Lethbridge, 2 Parks Canada) The effects of climate change and fuel loading in forest ecosystems have increased the frequency and severity of wildfires across North America. The effects of intense wildfires on large mammals has not been well studied despite the increasing prevalence of severe wildfires. In the fall of 2017, the Kenow Wildfire burnt approx.

38% of Waterton Lakes National Park (WLNP). Using trail camera data located in WLNP, we evaluated how the number of black bear (Ursus americanus) camera capture events changed between pre-fire and post-fire years and whether the distance of cameras from unburnt forest refugia is correlated with postfire events. We hypothesized that the fire would significantly impact black bear activities in burnt areas and specifically, that black bears would occur in higher frequency closer to unburnt refugial islands following the fire. Our results show that there is a significant seasonal variation in black bear events, with more bears recorded during summer months than in the spring and fall, both before and after the fire. In contrast to our predictions, our results show that there was not a significant difference in black bear events pre-fire vs post-fire in different parts of the park.

We also found no significant relationship between the change in black bear events or the total number of black bear events and the distance the camera is located from unburnt refugial islands. These results suggest that the Kenow wildfire has not significantly changed how black bears use the landscape.

ECOSYSTEM CONSEQUENCES OF VEHICLE EMISSIONS IN A WILDERNESS AREA Mikayla Donovan, Dr. Mary Reid, Dr. Ann-Lise Norman (University of Calgary) Emissions from internal combustion engines in vehicles contribute nitrogen oxides (NOx) to the air. The NOx in the air can settle through deposition and can then become incorporated into the ecosystem. Nitrogen is a limiting nutrient, and fluxes of nitrogen can modify ecosystems through decreased biodiversity and alterations to the naturally occurring processes in the nitrogen cycle. Mosses are bioindicators as they take in nutrients through the air and can be used to indicate atmospheric nutrient conditions. The contribution of nitrogen from vehicles to the ecosystem has been quantified in settings such as urban areas and heavily trafficked parks. However, this effect has yet to be tested in protected, forested areas with relatively low amounts of traffic. We used data from 2003 to 2019 to determine if the nitrogen from vehicle emissions was observable in the protected Kananaskis Valley, in SW Alberta. Air NO2 concentrations and the abundance of combustion-derived nitrogen isotopes (d15N) in moss was compared to a traffic gradient within the park and over the years. NO2 concentrations in the air followed the same trend as traffic, increasing with the number of vehicles present. However, air NO2 did not follow the yearly trend of traffic and did not increase with the number of vehicles when looking at the yearly pattern. d15N in moss followed the same pattern as traffic within the valley, with higher d15N observed at locations with more vehicles. d15N in moss followed the same yearly pattern as traffic and was found to increase with the number of vehicles present over the years. This study concludes that although emissions are not the most prominent concern associated with roads through wilderness areas, the effect of vehicle emissions can be observed in the ecosystem even at relatively low concentrations.

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THERMOKARST SUSCEPTIBILITY BASED ON PERMAFROST PRESENCE AND SOIL TEXTURE, YUKON Oliver K. Kienzle, Philip P. Bonnaventure (University of Lethbridge) Permafrost is perennially frozen ground, and is the only part of the cryosphere which people live on permanently. Permafrost can contain ground ice, sometimes in the form of massive segregated lenses multiple metres thick and hundreds of metres across. Arctic amplification, the phenomenon in which highlatitude regions experience a greater magnitude of climatic change than the rest of the globe, increases the risk of permafrost thaw. The consequences of permafrost thaw are well-documented across Arctic and sub-Arctic regions in countries like Canada and Russia, and can have global effects by releasing sequestered carbon into the atmosphere, thereby accelerating climate warming. One potential outcome of permafrost thaw in ice-rich sediments and soils is thermokarst, a suite of geomorphological processes and their resulting landscape disturbance features. Thermokarst features are characterized by instability, and can take the form of wetlands, lakes, or erosional landforms. Landscape disturbance of this kind can have dramatic negative impacts on ecology, hydrology, and infrastructure. It is therefore valuable for governments, industries, conservationists, and archaeologists to know which areas in a region are more or less likely to experience thermokarst development with climate change. This project aimed to build on a body of existing field-based research regarding permafrost distribution in Yukon using the basal temperature of snow method. It was a proof of concept that soil texture data, as a predictor of ground ice content, could be employed in conjunction with permafrost distribution in a GIS-based empirical model to predict thermokarst susceptibility in three dissimilar sites across the territory.

The results of an informal validation show that this method is effective in identifying thermokarst susceptibility, and that these site-specific models should be refined and expanded to cover the entire territory.

SULFUR AND NITROGEN OXIDES IN THE GHOST WATERSHED: A DISPERSION MODEL OF INDUSTRIAL POINT SOURCE EMISSIONS Stefan Kurbatfinski, Kathy Luc, Sofia Castillo, Kyle Stene, Mikayla Donovan (University of Calgary) The Ghost Watershed, situated in the Eastern Slopes of Alberta, is located near two sour gas plants: Wildcat Hills Gas Plant (WC) and Jumping Pound Gas Complex (JP). These gas plants release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere, which can have consequential effects on human health and the environment. However, to meet increasing energy demands due to rising global populations, emission of these chemicals is inevitable. With inconsistent and dynamic wind patterns, distribution models of point source emissions can be implemented to determine associated effects. Dispersion of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and SO2 emissions from WC and JP were modeled near the Ghost Watershed. Analysis was performed through the California Puff (CALPUFF) modeling system for the years 2002 – 2006 using 2017 emission data, which integrates three-dimensional data for qualitative and quantitative results in varying landscapes. Easterly dispersion was not observed, but was expected, as westerly winds normally concentrate emissions in eastern regions. Annual average concentrations of SO2 were higher compared to NO2. Total annual NO2 deposition was greater at WC than all other receptor sites of interest. Maximum annual deposition rates for NO2 and SO2 occurred in 2004, and were 0.02405 and 31.59600 Οg/m2/s1, respectively. Results illustrate areas of higher and lower deposition within the Ghost Watershed and can be used to understand the spatial distribution of natural gas impacts. Further research is needed to quantify the impact of NO2 and SO2 deposition near the point sources and to determine the quantitative gradient further from the sources.

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TEMPERATURE ANALYSIS OF MACMILLAN PASS, YUKON Humaira Enayetullah, Philip Bonnaventure (University of Lethbridge) Permafrost is defined as the subsurface layer of the soil that remains at or below 0°C for two consecutive years. Long-term temperature records are important in understanding the relationship between air and permafrost. Temperature data were collected from a borehole using a temperature sensor in Macmillan Pass, Yukon from August 2018 to August 2019. The goal of this study is to understand monthly variations in temperature profile using a trumpet curve. The results show that there is variability in average monthly temperatures up to a depth of 6 m, but the curves converge as the depth increases to 15 m. The temperature of permafrost and its thickness are influenced by surface energy balance. It is predicted that high latitudes will have the strongest warming as a result of climate change making the permafrost carbon pool vulnerable to thawing. This can the cause dramatic changes in the ecosystem and have socioeconomic effects on the Northern communities.

ANALYSIS OF ORGANIC AND HEAVY METAL POLLUTANTS IN MARINE PLANKTONIC ORGANISMS FROM BAMFIELD, BRITISH COLUMBIA BY ICP-OES AND GC-MS Addison Schaub (MacEwan University) Plankton form the base of the marine ecosystem. It is for this reason it is important to understand the interactions between these critical organisms and the pollutants that they encounter. Heavy metals occur naturally in trace amounts and are continuously being released into the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere of the Earth. The increase in sea water temperatures is increasing the solubility of heavy metals in the water. Organic pollutants such as pesticides are hydrophobic and lipophilic. Plankton samples were collected by the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre as part of their regular public programming. Samples were analysed by inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectroscopy for heavy metals and gas chromatography – mass spectrometry for organic pollutants. This analysis found the majority of the plankton samples showed significant difference between one another for all detected heavy metals with more sampling required to identify any trends. Analysis of organic pollutants was suspended due to Covid-19 response.

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Session A3 | 8:15-10:15 AM RESPIRATORY SINUS ARRHYTHMIA REACTIVITY DURING ACUTE EXPOSURE TO NORMOBARIC HYPOXIA AND HYPEROXIA Brendan Lazar, Stephanie Nguyen, Matt Betton, Evan Olar, Trevor Day (Mount Royal University) Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) is the normal fluctuation in heart rate (HR) in phase with the respiratory cycle, increasing during inspiration and decreasing during expiration. The underlying mechanisms and potential physiological utility remain elusive. RSA magnitude is thought to be affected by autonomic balance, with sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation attenuating its magnitude. In addition, RSA is thought to improve ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) matching in the lung, which may protect oxygen saturation in hypoxia. We hypothesized that (a) acute hypoxia would decrease the magnitude of RSA through SNS activation, and (b) those with larger RSA in hypoxia would have improved oxygen saturation. Healthy participants (n=15) were instrumented with a pneumotachometer and instructed to breathe at three percentages (30, 40 and 50%) of their forced vital capacity (FVC) at three levels of randomized inspired gases: (a) room air (21%), (b) hypoxia (~13.5%) and (c) hyperoxia (100%). RSA was quantified via the peak-valley approach, and RSA reactivity (RSAR) was quantified as the slope of increases in RSA across FVC levels. RSA magnitude was not different at each percentage of FVC with each gas (P>0.05), nor were RSAR slopes different between gases (P=0.97).

There was no relationship between RSA magnitude at 50% FVC in hypoxia, and the improvement in oxygen saturation from baseline breathing (r=-0.011, P=0.71). Our data provides evidence that (a) hypoxic stimulation of the carotid bodies elicits activation of both arms of the autonomic nervous system, maintaining autonomic balance and (b) RSA magnitude plays no role in improving V̇ /Q matching in hypoxia.

DIFFERENCES IN ABO ANTIBODY PRODUCTION IN FEMALE VS. MALE MICE Bushra Anjum1, Ibrahim Adam2,3, Jordana Fersovich1, Maurits Sulzer1, Jean Pearcey1,3,4, Kesheng Tao1,3,4, Bruce Motyka1,3,4 and Lori J. West1-5 (1Dept. Pediatrics; 2Dept. Medical Microbiology & Immunology; 3Alberta Transplant Institute; 4Canadian Donation & Transplantation Research Program; 5Depts. Surgery and Laboratory Medicine & Pathology; University of Alberta) ABO histo-blood group incompatibility is a barrier in solid organ transplant due to the presence of ‘natural’ preformed ABO antibodies. However, ABO-mismatched heart transplantation is successful in infants as natural ABO antibodies are low/absent. A better understanding of the specificity and the production of natural ABO antibodies may allow for successful ABO-mismatched transplantation at older ages. In mice, ABO antibodies develop naturally with age and can be ‘induced’ following sensitization (eg, with human A/B erythrocytes).

Here, we sought to determine the isotype (IgM/IgG) and subtype (I-VI) specificity of ABO antibodies produced naturally or induced by sensitization in mice as a function of age and sex. BALB/c mice were assessed for natural ABO antibody production over time (n=32/39, female/male; age 1-18 months), or challenged with human A erythrocytes (5 weekly intraperitoneal injection) beginning at 5 weeks of age to measure induced ABO antibody production (n=13/8, female/male; age 1-3 months). Blood samples were collected in regular intervals by tail bleed, and hemagglutination assay and ABH glycan microarray was used to determine plasma ABO antibody titre and ABO antibody isotype and subtype specificity, respectively. Female mice produced markedly higher natural anti-A and anti-B ABO antibodies compared with male mice. With age, natural anti-A antibodies shifted from an IgM to IgG isotype in females but remained predominantly IgM in males; anti-B antibodies remained mostly IgM in both sexes. Natural ABO antibodies were mainly specific to subtypes III/IV with specificity to subtypes I/II absent/very low. In contrast, following A-antigen sensitization both female and male mice produced IgM and IgG anti-A antibodies with specificities for all subtypes (I-VI). Male and female mice show distinct differences in ABO antibody production depending on whether these are produced naturally or induced by sensitization. Future studies will explore mechanisms for sex differences and relevance to humans.

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THE EFFECTS OF ACUTE HYPOCAPNIA ON NEUROVASCULAR COUPLING MAGNITUDE Taylor J. Bader1, Anna-Maria Ciorogariu-Ivan1, Joanna Keough1, Josh Donald1, Jack K. Leacy2, Ken D. O’Halloran2, Trevor A. Day1 (1Mount Royal University, 2University College Cork) The brain requires well-regulated cerebrovascular perfusion to match metabolic demand. Regional coupling of perfusion to metabolic rate is termed neurovascular coupling (NVC). NVC remains stable during blood gas perturbations upon ascent to altitude, where individuals are exposed to the antagonistic effects of hypoxia and hypocapnia. Few studies have addressed the effects of acute hypocapnia and respiratory alkalosis independently. We aimed to assess the specific effects of acute steady-state hypocapnia on NVC magnitude in a laboratory setting. We recruited 17 healthy participants and instrumented the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) with a transcranial Doppler ultrasound. NVC was elicited using a standardized strobe light stimulus (6 Hz; 5x30sec on/off), and both peak and mean absolute responses from baseline (BL) were quantified. Participants were coached to hyperventilate to reach steady-state hypocapnic steps of Δ-5 and Δ-10 Torr end-tidal (PET) CO2 from baseline levels. PETCO2 levels were significantly decreased from 36.7±3.2 (baseline) to 31.6±3.9 Torr (∆-5) and 26±4.0 (∆-10) Torr (P<0.001). There was a significant reduction in NVC magnitude (ΔPCAv) from BL during controlled hypocapnia at both Δ-5 and Δ-10 in peak ΔPCAv (P=0.044 and P=0.037, respectively), but no significant decrease in mean ΔPCAv (P=0.193). Our study demonstrates that acute respiratory alkalosis attenuates peak NVC magnitude at Δ-5 Torr PETCO2, without further attenuation at Δ-10. Although peak NVC magnitude was attenuated, our data suggests that NVC is remarkably stable in acute respiratory alkalosis given (a) the magnitude of reduction in peak NVC was small and (b) NVC was unchanged in mean responses to visual stimulation.

CHARACTERIZATION OF THE NOVEL “CLUMP” PHENOTYPE INDUCED BY PRAIRIE PLANT EXTRACTS IN STAPHYLOCOCCUS EPIDERMIDIS Nadia Hand1,2, Megan Puchbauher1, Leanne DuMontier1, and Sophie Kernéis1 (1 Microbial Research Laboratory, Lethbridge College, 2 University of Lethbridge, Research Internship Concentration) The World Health Organization has declared antibiotic resistance as the next global threat. One of their recommendations is to discover new antibiotics or alternatives to antibiotics especially for bacteria from the ESKAPE group; bacteria that are more responsible for nosocomial infection and that present more antibiotic-resistant strains. The natural antibiotics available have a fungal or bacterial origin. No antibiotics have been isolated from plants even though plants have been used in traditional medicine for their anti-infectious properties. The Microbial Research Laboratory at Lethbridge College is looking for new antibiotics from plants that are growing in Alberta. The laboratory has a large plant extract library that are tested for their antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli, a Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, respectively.

A subpopulation of the plant extracts induced a novel clumping phenotype when added to bacteria. In this study, we analyzed five different plant extracts from three different plant families for their clumping activities with S. epidermidis and E. coli. The plant extracts were tested at 1mg/ml using 18 hours bacterial kinetics.

We were able to observe a more prominent clumping for S. epidermidis than E. coli. Intending to characterize this clumping phenotype we established techniques to analyze the survival of the bacteria inside the clumps as well as in the surrounding medium. We demonstrated that plant extract NP856 had a 1.9 log reduction of the bacteria growth with 99.9% of the live bacteria found in the clump. The clump phenotype associated with certain plant extracts represents a novel natural products effect that could be used as a way of clearing bacterial contamination.

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TIME COURSE AND MAGNITUDE OF VENTILATORY AND RENAL ACCLIMATIZATION FOLLOWING RAPID ASCENT AND RESIDENCE TO 3800M OVER NINE DAYS Jordan D. Bird1, Glen E. Foster2, Caroline A. Rickards3, Jack K. Leacy4, David P. Burns4, Ken D. O’Halloran4, Nicholas G. Jendzjowsky5, Richard J.A. Wilson5, Craig D. Steinback6, Peter Ondrus6, Trevor A. Day1 (1Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Mount Royal University, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 2 Centre for Heart, Lung, and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, Canada, 3Cerebral & Cardiovascular Physiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology & Anatomy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA, 4Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland, 5Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 6Neurovascular Health Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation, University of Alberta, Canada.)

Rapid ascent to high altitude imposes an acute hypoxia and acid-base challenge. Several interrelated acclimatization processes work to counter these perturbations, in part through ventilatory and renal systems.

Specifically, a hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) improves oxygenation, but elicits acute hypocapnia and respiratory alkalosis. In response, the kidney tubules eliminate bicarbonate, eliciting a compensatory relative metabolic acidosis, protecting arterial pH(a). However, the time course and magnitude of these acclimatization processes are highly variable between-individuals and between organ systems. Using a previously developed metric of renal reactivity (RR) that indexes the relative change in arterial bicarbonate concentration (∆[HCO3-] a; i.e., renal response) over the relative change in arterial pressure of CO2 (∆PaCO2; i.e., renal stimulus), we aimed to assess whether: (a) RR magnitude increased with duration at altitude and (b) whether RR was inversely correlated with relative changes in pH (∆pHa) with time spent at altitude. Resident lowlanders (n=16) were tested at 1045m (day 0) prior to ascent, and on days D2 and D9 upon arrival and during residence at 3800m. On days 0, 2 and 9, arterial blood draws were obtained to measure and/or calculate blood gas variables PaO2, [Hb], SaO2 and CaO2, and acid-base variables PaCO2, [HCO3-]a and pHa. RR increased from D2 to D9 (P=0.056), suggesting plasticity in renal acid-base compensatory mechanisms. We observed a strong negative correlation between RR and ∆pHa from baseline on D2 and D9 (r≤−0.95; P<0.00001). The high variability in blood gas and acid-base variables on D2 suggests three distinct phenotypes for how individuals acclimatize within the first 24 hours of altitude exposure: (a) no HVR, and thus no renal compensation, (b) HVR with no renal compensation and (c) HVR with renal compensation. Our study highlights the differential time course and magnitude of ventilatory and renal acclimatization following rapid ascent and residence at high altitude.

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DEVELOPING NON-INVASIVE BIOMARKERS FOR RADIATION THERAPY Sean Andrei Malia (University of Alberta) The ultimate objective of this project is to develop non-invasive biomarkers for radiation therapy. We propose that molecular antibody-bound radiotracers detectable by positron emission tomography (PET) could function to this effect. Specifically, we aim to develop radiotracers that localize to tumours if, and only if, the tumour has a certain characteristic. The characteristic that we will investigate—the presence of NKG2D cell surface proteins recognized by the immune system—are known to correlate with a high probability of successful cancer treatment. These probes could provide the means to assess the success probability of radiation therapy strategies tailored for individual patients at a much earlier stage than conventional means today. This project is part of a large multi-group effort and it is currently at its initial steps. The first goal was to establish an in-vitro model for the radiotracers and select a cancer cell line that could be later used for in-vivo models. The different cancer cell lines used in this project were cultivated via molecular cloning and tissue culture. These cells were irradiated at varying doses and stained with a combination of primary antibodies that bind to NKG2D proteins and fluorescent secondary antibodies that bind to the primary antibodies. Data signals from subsequent flow cytometry analysis suggested a dose-dependent NKG2D expression following irradiation, as predicted.

Moreover, the data signals suggested that the extent of NKG2D expression varied according to the type of cell line. These results allowed the team to move the project forward and select an appropriate cell line to use for a human tumour xenograft in future mouse model testing.

THE EFFECTS OF ACUTE HYPERGLYCEMIA ON CEREBROVASCULAR REACTIVITY TO CO2 IN HEALTHY PARTICIPANTS Anna-Maria Ciorogariu-Ivan, Jordan Bird, Trevor Day (Mount Royal University) Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) is one of three regulatory mechanisms to maintain adequate cerebral blood flow (CBF): autoregulation, neurovascular coupling (NVC) and cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR). Autoregulation and NVC have been implicated in blunted responses following an acute glucose load in the context of both healthy individuals and those with metabolic diseases. However, it has yet to be demonstrated if CVR magnitude changes in response to acute glucose loading in healthy participants. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of acute hyperglycemia on CVR to increases in carbon dioxide (CO2). We hypothesized that acute glucose loading would blunt the magnitude of the cerebrovascular response to increases in CO2 during rebreathing. 23 healthy participants were recruited and subjected to two separate hyperoxic CO2 rebreathing trials: fasted, and 30-min following ingestion of a standard 300 mL, 75g glucose drink. Blood glucose levels were tested before and after glucose loading, and the difference between these was significant (P <0.0001). CVR was quantified via linear regression during CO2 rebreathing, with the average CVR slope decreasing from the fasted state (1.37±0.5 cm/s/mmHg) to glucose loaded state (1.04±0.6 cm/s/mmHg; P=0.005). This data suggests that relative hyperglycemia significantly blunts the regulatory mechanisms underlying CVR to CO2, and these results could have implications for those suffering from metabolic disorders like diabetes and populations who regularly consume high carbohydrates diets.

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Session B1 | 10:15 AM-12:15 PM BENCHMARKING THE QUANTUM SATELLITE GROUND STATION IN CALGARY Karabee Batta1,2, Abhijeet Alase1, Barry Sanders1, Phil Langill3 and Daniel Oblak1 (1Institute for Quantum Science and Technology, University of Calgary, 2BITS, 3Rothney Astrophysical Observatory, University of Calgary) Quantum communication holds the promise of ultimately secure information exchange and of interconnecting quantum sensors and computers. To date, truly long-distance quantum communication has only been realized by means of ground-to-satellite links. The Micius satellite was launched as the initial step to achieve such intra-continental quantum communication. In one seminal experiment, the onboard transmitter sends singlephoton pulses to two ground stations, in Xinglong and Graz, which then proceed to communicate via a secure quantum key distribution protocol using the satellite as a trusted node. In 2019, the setup of a new receiving ground station in Calgary was planned as a way to test the limits of intracontinental free-space QKD. This ground station will initially be located on the University of Calgary main campus and is slated to be operational by the fall of 2020. Prior to establishing a ground-to-satellite link we must consider both the signal loss and the background noise sources, which will affect the achievable signal-to-noise ratio. Calgary is a fairly lit city, and thus has considerable levels of light pollution, especially in the main urban area. The primary causal agents of light pollution have wavelength peaks centred around values in the visible spectrum, but the spectrum of noise is not isotropic. Similarly, the moonlight, albeit a secondary factor, does have an anisotropic effect on the light received by the telescope. In this paper, we explain our methodology for determining the optimal time to receive the single-photon stream from the satellite and try to establish a dependence on measured noise pollution spectral density, on the angle of elevation of the satellite and atmospheric conditions.

N2O-AR: OBSERVATION OF TWO HOT BANDS DUE TO BENDING MODES OF N2O MONOMER IN THE 2224 CM-1 REGION Christopher Gergess1, Mehdi Dehghany1, Aaron J. Barclay2, Nasser Moazzen-Ahmadi2 (1Department of Chemistry and Physics, Mount Royal University; 2Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary) Rotationally-resolved infrared spectra due to two bending modes of N2O-Ar van der Waals complex have been studied in the region of the N2O ν1 fundamental vibration (≈ 2224 cm-1), using a tunable Quantum Cascade laser source to probe a pulsed supersonic slit jet expansion. The assigned bands are presenting vibrational transition where the doubly-degenerate bending mode of the N2O monomer splits to two distinct modes (in-plane and out-of-plane of complex) in the presence of Argon atom. 220 transitions are identified and assigned to the ro-vibrational Hamiltonian, finding the band centers at 2209.699 and 2209.800 cm-1, respectively. This important observation is evidently suggesting that there is sufficient population in the first vibrational excited state to allow detection of hot band transitions, even when van der Waals molecular beam is supersonically cooled. In addition, this study presents an experimental value of a- and b-type Coriolis couplings between the two bending vibrational modes of a complex (dimensionless Coriolis parameter ξ is close to unity which suggests complete coupling of the modes). This is an important, but previously-absent, additional piece of information to further assists quantum computational calculation of van der Waals forces.

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ARITHMETIC PROGRESSIONS IN MODEL SETS Anna Klick, Nicolae Strungaru (MacEwan University) To understand quasicrystals, physical crystals which lack periodic internal structure, we must use different techniques than what is deployed in the study of ‘perfect’ crystals. We will establish the existence of arbitrarily long arithmetic progressions in model sets, which are the best tool to describe quasicrystals, and provide some brief examples. These results show that model sets have a strong internal order. The presence of this internal order indicates that there is path forward to further develop a rigorous mathematical description of their structure.

BIOPHOTON EMISSION FROM TADPOLE BRAINS Rana Zibakhshshabgahi1, Christoph Simon1, Gabriel Bertolesi2, Daniel Oblak1 (1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary, 2Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary) The phenomenon of biophoton emission refers to ultra-weak light (a few photons to hundreds of photons s-1 cm2 ), mostly observed at visible and near-IR wavelengths, which is emitted spontaneously by all metabolically active organisms (i.e. bacteria, plants, animals, humans). It is generally believed to originate from metabolic mechanisms in the cells and the production of the so called “Reactive Oxygen Species” (ROS). This field of study has found various applications in biology, medicine, and neuroscience. In neuroscience, it is particularly interesting for studying the underlying structure of the brain. Interestingly, since 1900s there has been some suggestions on the possible links between consciousness and quantum effects of the neuronal processing in the brain. These theories are becoming more popular among scientists with the recent advancements in quantum biology. Moreover, there is evidence that the biophoton mechanism admits correlations to the well-known electrochemical signalling process of the neurons. Whether it also serves as an additional optical (and perhaps quantum) communication channel between the neurons remains a profound conjecture. There have been numerous efforts for exploring this phenomenon in mouse brain tissues and humans both in vivo and in vitro. It has been found that application of certain stressors can modify the light intensity. In our research, using an ultra-sensitive detection technique which involves a superconducting nanowire single photon detector (SNSPD) and by implementing an optical fiber as a probe, we look at the biophoton emission from tadpole brain tissues. We began a set of experiments in November 2019 but were not successful in capturing this light from tadpole brains. Therefore, currently we are further developing our optical system in order to collect this “inherently diffuse light” more efficiently and in addition we are using chemicals such as glutamate that are known to enhance the emission rate.

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WAVE-PARTICLE DUALITY IN A MACH-ZEHNDER INTERFEROMETER USING POLARIZATION Hannah Krivic, Raphael Slawinski (Mount Royal University) The discovery that quantum objects, such as electrons or photons, can exhibit both wave and particle-like properties has become a fundamental characteristic in physics. The principle of complementarity, when applied to the wave-particle duality, states that it is impossible to simultaneously observe wave and particle properties.

Originally a qualitative statement, more recently this complementarity has been made precise as a duality relation. This duality relation is most often discussed for photons in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, where a photon beam is split into two and then recombined to form an interference pattern. Here, complementarity becomes evident by a loss of interference fringes when the photon through the interferometer becomes predictable. Most of the published work to date has focused on the symmetric case, where the photon beam is split equally between the two possible paths, yet little understanding is provided for the asymmetric case.

Here a derivation and interpretation of the duality relation for the general asymmetric case is presented, with the photon polarization state acting as a which-way marker. This project has the potential to enhance current knowledge of wave-particle duality through an easy to follow interpretation. By establishing an understanding on this concept, future steps can involve investigation on more complex interferometer systems.

HYDROSTATIC BALANCE IN METEOROLOGY Ana Mucalica, Anneliese Ansorger, Cory Efird, Cassandra Lisitza, Christopher Macyk, Tarig Mergani, Adam Reeves, Rebecca Walton, Yaying Zhong, Jett Ziehe (MacEwan University) Meteorology is a branch of geophysics that studies the properties of the atmosphere that “cushions” the Earth and all the phenomena that happen within it. The hydrostatic balance occurs when the pressure at any point in the fluid equals the weight of an air column of the unit section from above the point, and in these ideal conditions, we have the hydrostatic equation for the fluid in hydrostatic balance. The hydrostatic equation is viewed as the hydrostatic equilibrium condition, which provides an accurate approximation for the vertical dependence of the pressure field in the real atmosphere. In this talk, we manipulate a mathematical model describing the variation of pressure to altitude in the atmosphere using partial differential equations, and we will show how realistic charts based on real data are obtained, and compare them to charts obtained by using a climate change scenario when the temperature at sea-level is warmer by 2°C than the one used in current charts.

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Session B2 | 10:15 AM-12:15 PM EXPLORING THE EFFECTS OF NOVEL, HIGH-CBD CANNABIS EXTRACTS ON LOCOMOTOR ACTIVITY IN THE LONG-EVANS RAT Jhanvi Mehta, Claire Niehaus, Allonna Harker, Bryan Kolb, Olga Kovalchuck, Robbin Gibb, Igor Kovalchuk (University of Lethbridge) Following the recent legalization of cannabis in 2018, the number of new cannabis users in Canada has almost doubled1. With an increasing number of adults consuming cannabis, it’s imperative we understand its short and long-term implications on the user’s well-being. Two of the principal molecules within cannabis include tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—known for its hallucinogenic and euphoric effect—and cannabidiol (CBD)—the molecule of interest in this research. By manipulating the levels of these molecules in novel cannabis strains, this study aims to examine the effects that various dosages of both high-CBD and high-THC cannabis strains have on behaviour. Specifically, the animals’ motor functioning, anxiety levels, and exploratory behaviours were analyzed via a behavioural test battery. We hypothesize that there will be a distinct difference between the low-CBD and high-CBD strains of cannabis, which would be evident in discernible behavioural consequences. Adult Long-Evans rats were administered one of two novel cannabis doses at either a low (10mg/kg) or high (40mg/kg) dosage. Control animals received no extract. These animals then underwent behavioural testing during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. The activity box test analyzed the animals’ locomotor activity as a measure of their exploratory behaviour and amount of anxiety. The test was administered once prior to cannabis exposure during adolescence, once immediately after dosing in adulthood, and once two weeks following the cessation of dosing. These time periods ensured adequate brain development prior to the CBD treatment and ensured that both the immediate and long-term consequences of high-CBD cannabis exposure are examined. After completion of testing, the animals were perfused, and their brains were extracted for neuroanatomical measurements. The results of these analyses are pending, but we hypothesize that any changes in behaviour will be reflected in changes in neuroanatomy.

Statistics Canada. (2019). National Cannabis Survey, first quarter 2019. Retrieved from https://www150. statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/daily-quotidien/190502/dq190502a-eng.pdf?st=-N3YKB5B

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A COMPARISON OF SAMPLE PREPARATION METHODS FOR FECAL METABOLOMICS WITH IN SILICO BASELINE CORRECTION Crystal Mulik1, 2, 3, Hannah Scott1, 2, Tony Montina3, 4, Gerlinde A.S. Metz1, 2, 3 (1Canadian Centre for Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, 2Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, 3Southern Alberta Genome Sciences Centre, University of Lethbridge, 4 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge) Metabolomics provides an innovative method to investigate an organismâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s microbiome through various biofluids and tissues, including stool. Fecal metabolomics can provide valuable insight into the gut microbiome by studying its reciprocal relationship with the environment. However, high fat and macromolecule levels in stool can prove problematic for nuclear magnetic resonance based metabolomic studies, due to signal distortions in the baseline of spectra. The following sample preparation methods have been proposed to reduce or remove this content: (1) basic extraction of fat and macromolecules using centrifugation; (2) the Bligh-Dyer method; (3) fatty acid extraction methods; (4) Millipore filtration; (5) Millipore filtration followed by the Bligh-Dyer method. Each of these methods not only vary in the effectiveness of fat and macromolecule extraction, but also the associated cost and time. This study presents a novel in silico baseline correction method that can be used to effectively reduce signal distortion due to the high fat content in feces. In this study, all of the above sample preparation methods were compared against each other; Millipore filtration and the Bligh-Dyer method were the most effective at reducing signal distortions. In silico baseline correction was then compared against filtration and the Bligh-Dyer method to determine its validity. We observed that in silico baseline correction represents a reliable alternative to dealing with fecal metabolomics. Moreover, it significantly reduces costs and proves more time efficient. The new approach will aid in advancing current approaches to fecal metabolomics when investigating the gut microbiome.

THE SEARCH FOR CRITICALITY IN BIOLOGICAL NEURAL NETWORKS Braedyn Au, Daniel Korchinski, Joern Davidsen (Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary) The methods by which information spreads across the brain and its dynamics have been long-standing questions. The criticality hypothesis posits that information processing in the brain operates near a critical point of a continuous phase transition, meaning brain activity is balanced between exponential growth and decay.

Previous studies show that systems at criticality exhibit optimal stimuli encoding and response, suggesting that criticality provides an evolutionary advantage. Evidence of criticality has been observed in cell cultures, brain slices, and full-scale brain functional MRI scans. To model neural activity, neurons are assumed to spread activity like a simple branching process and thus fall into the universality class of directed percolation. The branching process describes activity spreading from a single initiation site, an assumption that can be violated in real neurons where external drivers and spontaneous activity (e.g. minis) can initiate multiple cascades.

By incorporating spontaneous activity into the branching process, criticality has been achieved on various random network types via analytical investigation and numerical simulation with the underlying universality class transitioning from directed to undirected percolation. Directed percolation describes only small-scale distributions of activity, whereas on larger scales cascades can merge together and undirected percolation becomes the appropriate description. However, this behavior has yet to be observed on real brain networks.

Here, we apply the branching process with spontaneous activity on networks reconstructed from diffusion MRI with 1014 and 967 366 nodes corresponding to coarse grained brain regions at different resolutions. We show that the critical exponents of directed and undirected percolation can each be observed independently for cascade size distributions, however a universality class transition has yet to be observed due to finite size effects or the complex network topology. This work provides a natural bridge for future work searching for criticality with spontaneous activity, both experimentally and computationally.

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EFFECTS OF COMPLETE HIPPOCAMPAL ANTEROGRADE LESIONS ON THE FORMATION AND MAINTENANCE OF CONTEXTUAL FEAR MEMORIES Sam L. Drescher, Robert J. Sutherland (University of Lethbridge) Memory consolidation is considered a process of neural changes over time from experiences achieved through neural and cellular changes (Dudai, Karni, & Born, 2015). Theories of how this process occurs has focused on the interactions between the neocortex and hippocampus. One such theory includes the Standard Model of Systems Consolidation (SMSC), proposed by Squire and Alvarez (1995). The SMSC suggests that the hippocampus is initially required to store and retrieve the memory; however, over time the neocortex is able to retrieve the memory without the hippocampus. The SMSC also postulates that extrahippocampal structures are only able to make gist-like representations of a context; therefore, rats with anterograde lesions would be unable to make accurate context discriminations. Work from Darryl Gidyk’s doctoral thesis (2019), however, does not support this. The aforementioned experiments show that rats with complete hippocampal anterograde lesions were able to make accurate context discriminations even 15 days after conditioning. Furthermore, it was observed that 15 days after conditioning, hippocampal lesion rats froze less in the novel context than sham rats. To further the work done by Darryl Gidyk, a replication was performed; however, retention intervals included 3, 15, or 30 days after conditioning rather than 1, 7, or 15 days. The rats were split into two groups, divided into whether the novel context had a plexiglass cover on the stainless-steel rods. The results do not suggest replication of Darryl Gidyk’s finding, however, this may be due to sample size.

Dudai, Y., Karni, A., & Born, J. (2015). The consolidation and transformation of memory. Neuron, 88(1), 20-32.

Gidyk, D. (2019). Maintenance and behavioral expression of long-term memories acquired in the absence of

the hippocampus. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from http://opus.uleth.ca/bitstream/

handle/10133/5423/Gidyk_Darryl_PhD_2019.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y Squire, L.R., & Alvarez, P. (1995). Retrograde amnesia and memory consolidation: A neurobiological perspective. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 5(2), 169-177.

FUNCTIONAL NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY (fNIRS)-BASED NEUROFEEDBACK – A LITERATURE REVIEW Jenny Le¹, Kerstin Konrad², Simon H. Kohl² (¹University of Alberta, ²RWTH Aachen University) Treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders are constantly being investigated due to the complexity and limited understanding surrounding the human brain. Technological advancements in neuroimaging, a desire for biologically noninvasive psychological treatments, and growing public awareness about the importance of improving mental health have driven the field of neurofeedback research. The use of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)-based neurofeedback in clinical settings has only begun to be recently studied. It is considered to be safe, cost-effective, and possess strong ecological validity as a neuropsychiatric treatment for a wide range of disorders. fNIRS measures changes in oxygen concentration in the brain through the placement of light detectors on the scalp. Neurofeedback is the technique of receiving real-time feedback about one’s brain activity and using self-regulation to modify the activity to improve brain function. The current research examines the reporting and methodological quality of fNIRS-based neurofeedback studies in modulating behaviour, cognitive/affective processes, and brain function. 26 studies that examined the effect of fNIRS-based neurofeedback on psychological processes were included in the literature review. Both healthy participants and participants with neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders were included in these studies. As predicted, the reporting quality of best practices in the current literature is substandard on account of the field’s novelty and lack of sufficient existing background literature to base procedural designs from.

Modifications in the reporting and methodological procedures of future research is needed to understand the extent to which fNIRS-based neurofeedback can change psychological processes in both healthy and clinical populations.

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THE INFLUENCE OF INTERPERSONAL SYNCHRONY ON HELPING BEHAVIOR, SOCIAL BONDING, AND EMPATHY IN CHILDREN Mykaela Holt, Dr. Tara Vongpaisal (MacEwan University) The current study examines the influence of interpersonal synchrony on typically developing three- to fiveyear-old children’s empathy and helping behavior. In a replication of a spontaneous helping task developed

by Kirschner & Tomasello (2010), fish food is spilled on the way to an imaginary fish tank, creating an opportunity for child participants to help their play partner (adult or same-aged children) at the cost of the immediate gratification of feeding their own fish. Cognitive and affective empathy were measured in an emotion assessment task following the fish food incident using a 7-point Likert scale. Both prosocial and empathy measures were assessed before and after the clapping task, where children clapped to metronome sounds that were either in-synchrony or out-of-synchrony. It was found that helping behavior and empathy were not significantly higher in the synchronous condition when compared with the asynchronous condition.

Furthermore, pairwise comparisons of helping and empathy measures prior to and following the clapping task remained unchanged across synchronizing conditions, and there were no differences in the frequency of eyecontact and smiles during the clapping task. Although no trend emerged wherein children were more likely to help same-aged peers when compared with adult playmates, follow-up studies with modifications to the task demands are needed to optimize the performance of child playmates. While our findings do not show an effect of interpersonal synchrony on enhancing the social connections and prosocial abilities of the children in our current sample, further research is needed to explore possible age-related differences that may account for discrepancies observed between the current study and those reported in previous research.

THE METABOLOMIC PROFILE OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE IN DENTATE NUCLEUS BRAIN TISSUE Giselle Tiede1, 2, 3, Tanzi Hoover1, 2, Mirela Ambeskovic1, 2, Jeffrey T. Joseph5, Tony Montina3, 4, Gerlinde A.S. Metz1, 2, 3 (1Canadian Centre for Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge; 2Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge; 3Southern Alberta Genome Sciences Centre, University of Lethbridge; 4Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge; 5Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary) The metabolome is the complete profile of all down-stream small molecules produced by cell activity. Changes in cell functioning due to changes in the environment or changes in the genome, can be detected at the level of the metabolome. Therefore, the metabolome provides a unifying, comprehensive measurement of multiple cellular responses of the organism to different stimuli. Identifying and quantifying altered metabolite signatures can be used as biomarkers to help identify a pathological state. This study investigates the metabolomic changes in brain tissue due the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Currently, the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease can only occur post-mortem by observation of morphologically characteristic traits. Identification of biomarkers via metabolomics can aid in both providing diagnosis in living patients and insight into future treatments. In this study, we investigate the metabolomic profiles of the dentate nucleus, a deep cerebellar nucleus. The effect of AD on the cerebellum is less known compared to other regions, for example, the hippocampus. Brain samples (n=11 AD, n=11 controls) were donated from the Calgary Brain Bank. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used to quantify and identify the metabolite profiles present in the brain tissue. Both univariate, multivariate, and machine learning analyses were used to identify specific metabolites that can be used to classify AD versus non-diseased tissue accurately. We have compiled the metabolome of each of the cohorts, and have identified 26 specific metabolites which can act as biomarkers that distinguish between the two groups involving 12 metabolomic pathways. The most notable pathways were amino acetyl-tRNA biosynthesis; glycine, serine & threonine metabolism; valine, leucine & isoleucine biosynthesis. These findings provide insight into potential degenerative and compensatory changes in the cerebellum in AD. Metabolomics may therefore present an effective technology that will advance the understanding of the pathological mechanisms of AD.

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Session B3 | 10:15 AM-12:15 PM H NMR BASED METABOLOMIC PROFILING OF EARLY LIFE STAGE ZEBRAFISH (DANIO RERIO) EXPOSED TO WEATHERED SEDIMENT-BOUND DILUTED BITUMEN. 1

Kaden Fujita, Tony Montina, Steve Wiseman (University of Lethbridge) Spills of diluted bitumen (dilbit) pose a great risk to the environmental well-being of aquatic ecosystems and with the expected increases in production and transportation of dilbit, these risks are expected to increase.

While our understanding of the effects of dilbit are increasing, little research has been performed investigating the effects of weathered sediment-bound dilbit (WSD). Therefore, studies have now started to assess these effects in early life stages of fish; however, understanding of the underlying mechanisms of toxicity is still limited. This study used 1H NMR based metabolomics, to identify altered metabolites and pathways to provide insight into the underlying mechanisms of toxicity of WSD, in early life stages of zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Zebrafish exposed to WSD exhibited an increased prevalence of pericardial edema, yolk sac edema, and swim bladder malformations that are typical of exposure to dilbit. Through 1H NMR based metabolomics, the concentrations 9 metabolites (alanine, glutamine, lysine, threonine, tyrosine, betaine, taurine, inosine, and glycerol) were identified to be potentially altered after exposure to WSD. Pathway topology analysis revealed 4 potentially impacted pathways: 1) phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis, 2) taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, 3) alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, and 4) glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism. The altered metabolites and perturbed pathways have been linked to various important biological roles and could help to understand the underlying mechanisms of toxicity induced by WSD. Future studies should look deeper into these metabolites and pathways to determine the specific role they might play in the induced toxicity.

THE EFFECTS OF IVERMECTIN TREATED CATTLE ON AQUATIC COMMUNITIES Donovan J. Makus, Mariola M. Janowicz, Rhett J. Clark (Concordia University of Edmonton) Ivermectin is a member of the Avermectin family of anthelmintics, commonly used in agriculture settings.

Despite almost four decades of use, no research into the effect of Ivermectin in a field setting exists. A twenty-two day zooplankton field sampling regime of a pond surrounded by cattle was undertaken, in conjunction with the treatment of cattle with Ivermectin. The total population size decreased, significantly, post-treatment, increasing only on day 22 post-treatment. This pattern was observed in the total community, cyclopoid, cladoceran communities, and Daphnia sp. population, at the sites located adjacent to the cattle.

Sites not located close to cattle did not demonstrate the same pattern. Species richness was fairly constant for the duration of the observation. The pond community was consistent with other Albertan ponds, with a larger cladoceran community than is typically seen. HPLC-UV analysis of sediment samples did not detect Ivermectin. These findings have implications regarding the usage of Ivermectin in cattle located adjacent to small waterbodies.

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EFFECTS OF AMENDING A BROILER CHICKEN DIET WITH CANOLA MEAL ON FOOD CONSUMPTION AND BIRD GROWTH, THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE CECAL MCIROBIOTA AND THE CECAL CONTENT, LIVER AND BREAST MUSCLE METABOLOMES Stephanie A. Sheppard1, Benjamin D. Wright1, Catherine L.J. Brown1,2, D. Wade Abbott2, Matt A. Oryschak3, Tony Montina4,5,*, and G. Douglas Inglis1,2,* (1 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, 2Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 3Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, 4Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge, 5Southern Alberta Genome Sciences Centre, University of Lethbridge, *Co-lead investigators) Canola is major crop in Canada, with >5 million ha in annual production, contributing $27 billion to the national economy. Following extraction of oil, canola meal (CM) is a protein rich by-product, which has the potential to be used as a value-added protein and carbohydrate source in diets of monogastric livestock. Demand for poultry meat is increasing worldwide, and using CM in chicken diets may decrease production costs.

However, CM can be anti-nutritive, and the primary objective of the current study was to use metagenomic and metabolomic methodologies to more fully ascertain how CM directly or indirectly affects broiler performance and health, including the identification of cardinal biomarkers. Broiler chicks (n=60) were fed a control or CM-enriched (20%) diet, adjusted so that metabolizable energy was equivalent between the two diets (six replicates/treatment). Birds were monitored for 35 days. No difference in feed consumption or weight gain was observed between the two treatments. However, concentrations of fermentation by-product (short chain fatty acids) were higher in the cecal digesta of birds fed the CM-enriched diet. Next-generation sequence analysis revealed that cecal bacterial diversity was not affected, but the structure of communities differed between the two diet treatments. Some bacterial taxa were differential abundant in birds fed the CM-enriched diet, including fermentative taxa. Moreover, the metabolome of cecal bacteria was significantly altered in these birds. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance-based metabolomics has not been extensively applied to poultry, and the benefits of using metabolomics to identify cardinal biomarkers and to ascertain health impacts on chickens will be presented. Amendment of broiler diets with CM imparted profound impacts on bacterial structure and function in the ceca of birds, including altered fermentation characteristics. The study findings (e.g. identified biomarkers) may be used to advance CM as a nutritious and economical diet amendment for poultry production in Canada.

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IMPACT OF WILDFIRES ON SNOWSHOE HARE (LEPUS AMERICANUS) RELATIVE ABUNDANCE IN WINTER HABITAT DURING A POPULATION PEAK Ryleigh Vanderschee1, Vernon Peters1, Mélanie Routh2, Scott Nielsen2 (1The King’s University, 2University of Alberta) The northern boreal forest is an important habitat for snowshoe hares, along with the many other species that are dependent on it. However, wildfires are expected to become more frequent due to global warming, and the changes to boreal vegetation dynamics that this may cause will have consequences on a range of ecosystem services. We surveyed 140 plots in the northeastern boreal forest of Alberta to determine the factors that significantly impact the relative abundance of snowshoe hares in winter feeding habitat, and how wildfire affects these factors. Model selection using Akaike’s information criterion (AIC) suggests that availability of browse was insignificant compared to stand structure characteristics for determining snowshoe hare relative abundance. Therefore, snowshoe hare conservation plans need to focus on stand structure variables, such as landcover, stand age, and canopy cover, as opposed to a specific plant level browsing analysis, for species for management strategies to be effective. Additionally, hares were largely absent in mixedwood habitats and understory density was an insignificant predictor of abundance. These results likely occurred in our study since the snowshoe hare and related predator cycles are at or near a peak, and when hares are experiencing higher predation pressures. The significance of canopy cover was consistent with our hypothesis since it was predicted to provide hares with protection from predation. Since wildfires reduce canopy cover and can cause shifts to more deciduous stands, the predicted changes to the wildfire regime could have negative effects on snowshoe hares and the many other species that depend on them.

ISOLATION AND CULTIVATION OF RUSSET BURBANK POTATO LEAF PROTOPLASTS Christie Stephen, Dmytro Yevtushenko (University of Lethbridge) Plant protoplasts present a convenient cell-based experimental model to study many aspects of plant biology, including transient expression assays for the rapid analysis of gene expression, protein subcellular localization, protein activity and protein–protein interactions in vivo. Because of the totipotency of plant cells, protoplasts serve as a primary target for the introduction of new genes and gene editing in many plant improvement programs. However, simple and efficient protocols for the isolation of protoplasts and plant regeneration are still lacking for many plant species, including some commercial genotypes of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.).

The latter limits the genetic improvements of this crop plant. The aim of this study was to develop an efficient system for protoplast isolation, culture, and regeneration of protoplast-derived calli from the Russet Burbank potato cultivar. This cultivar is the most important processing potato grown in North America. Fully developed leaves of 4-week-old potato plants, grown in vitro, were used as the source material for protoplast isolation.

The leaves were cut into 1-mm-wide strips and incubated in a cell wall degrading enzyme solution. Among all tested enzyme solutions, the combination of 0.6% cellulase ‘Onozuka’ R-10, 0.6% Macerozyme R-10, 0.2% cellulase ‘Cellulysin’, 0.4 M sucrose, 0.1 M L-glycine, 10 mM CaCl2 and 10 mM MES (pH 5.6) resulted in the highest yield of 7.4 × 106 protoplasts/g FW. The viability of isolated protoplasts, determined as a proportion of live cells stained with neutral red, was found to be over 90%. The first cell divisions were observed after 48 h of culture in SW liquid medium. Compared with liquid medium, immobilization and cultivation of freshly isolated protoplasts in alginate films increased the plating efficiency from 15% to about 62%, and reduced the time required for plant regeneration. This method is efficient, reliable, and provides a greater platform for plant improvement studies.

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SSR MARKER POLYMORPHISM IN ARG Hao Luu, Sima Masouji, Arielle Adrian, David Bird (Mount Royal University) Argenteum (Arg) is a dominant mutation in pea (Pisum sativum). Argentum leaves appear greyish in colour due to its loose adherence to the leaf epidermis to its mesophyll layer underneath. Known to be localized to chromosome 1 (linkage group 6) of the pea genome, its exact locus within chromosome 1 has not yet been identified. Toward the goal of identifying the Arg locus, we backcrossed the Argenteum mutant line into the progenitor strain, PI 34333 to develop a segregating population for analysis using PCR and small satellite repeat (SSR) markers. Nine SSR markers, in which six SSR belongs to linkage group VI, two SSR belongs to linkage group II, one marker belongs to linkage group III was used. Agarose gel electrophoresis was applied to determine allele variation of each individual SSR marker. From this study, only one out of nine markers showed a polymorphic characteristic. The low level of polymorphism provides us with some confidence to proceed with a genome-wide association study to identify the polymorphism associated with the Arg phenotype and thus identify the locus responsible for this trait.

NUCLEAR ASSOCIATED VACUOLES PRESENT IN PATIENTS WITH RARE GENETIC DISEASES CAN BE MIMICKED IN CELL MODELS BY THE ADDITION OF A NATURAL PRODUCT FROM A CANADIAN PRAIRIE PLANT Chad R. Beck1, Jan Tuescher1, Locke Spencer1, Raymond J. Andersen2, Roy M. Golsteyn1 (1University of Lethbridge, 2University of British Columbia) Plants are excellent sources of natural products, some of which are used in medicines. As part of the Prairie to Pharmacy Program, we isolated the chemical Pheophorbide A (PhA) by biology-guided fractionation from the Canadian plant denoted PP-630. We found that PP-630 extracts and then PhA can induce nuclear associated vacuoles (NAVs) and cytoplasmic vacuoles (CVs) in human cells upon light irradiation. The NAVs are large, clear vacuoles that neighbour the nucleus. Such vacuoles are rare in cells, but there are reports that NAVs and CVs are caused by mutations of the lamin B receptor (LBR) gene found in the human rare genetic diseases Greenberg skeletal dysplasia and Pelger-Huët anomaly, also known as laminopathies. Due to in-utero mortality, studying laminopathies such as Greenberg skeletal dysplasia is difficult. We hypothesize that PhA induced NAVs are structurally similar to NAVs found in laminopathies. We identified conditions to induce NAVs by PhA and light treatment in human U2OS cells. The NAV ultrastructure was visualized using transmission electron microscopy, demonstrating a formation from the perinuclear space via separation of the double nuclear membrane, similar to the reported NAVs from LBR mutants. To further compare NAVs by PhA, two plasmids encoding LBR mutants were acquired and transfected into U2OS cells, and a second culture was treated with PhA and light. Each condition produced identical results as determined by light microscopy.

Finally, the nuclear pore complex and lamin A/C proteins were investigated in transfected mutants and PhA treated cells by immunofluorescence microscopy. Each protein was similarly distributed around the nuclear membranes in PhA and LBR mutant induced NAVs. These results suggest the NAVs formed by PhA treatment may mimic those induced by Greenberg skeletal dysplasia and Pelger-Huët anomaly. This first report of chemically induced NAVs demonstrates the biological potential of natural product research in Canada.

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Session C1 | 3:30-5:30 PM SEVERITY OF CENTRAL SLEEP APNEA DOES NOT IMPROVE SLEEPING OXYGEN SATURATION DURING ASCENT TO HIGH ALTITUDE Jordan Bird1, Richard Wilson2, Nick Jendzjowsky2, Trevor Day1 (1Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Mount Royal University, 2Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary) Central sleep apnea (CSA) is characterized by intermittent periods of apnea (no breathing) and hyperventilation (over breathing) with associated fluctuations in blood oxygen saturation. CSA is universal at high altitude (>3000m), increasing in severity with ascent and/or time spent at altitude. Although there is a large degree of variability in CSA severity, factors that increase susceptibility to CSA at altitude include: (a) hypoxia, (b) hypoxic ventilatory response-mediated hypocapnia and (c) increases in chemoreflex responsiveness via ventilatory acclimatization. Whether CSA is adaptive or maladaptive at altitude is unknown. We hypothesized that CSA protects mean sleeping oxygen saturation during acclimatization to high altitude. We characterized the effects of increasing CSA severity on sleeping oxygen saturation during rapid ascent and residing at 3800m over 10 days/nights in the Sierra Nevada mountains, CA, USA (n=21). Using portable polysomnographs and scoring software (ResMed ApneaLink; AASM criteria), we assessed apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and baseline, mean and nadir oxygen saturation (SpO2) during sleep at each altitude. AHI increased in severity and baseline, mean and nadir SpO2 decreased significantly, suggesting both altitude- and sleep apnea-associated hypoxia. After 10 days/nights following rapid ascent to 3800m, AHI increased from 3.4±3.5 (1045m) to 23.2±21.2 events/ hour (P<0.001). In addition, baseline, mean and nadir SpO2 decreased from 95.3±1.9, 93.7±2.1 and 86.0±5.1% (1045m) to 85.6±1.8, 84.0±2.4 and 74.1±6.2%, respectively (P<0.0001). There was no significant correlation between AHI and mean nor nadir SpO2 during sleep at 3800m (night 9/10; r>−0.45, P>0.05). Individuals were dichotomized into high and low AHI subgroups using median splits. Mean saturation between high (83.4±2.9%) and low (84.6±1.6%) AHI subgroups was not statistically significant (P=0.28). We conclude that the severity of CSA following acclimatization to high altitude does not play a role in improving SpO2. However, the relative hyperventilation between apneas likely protects against the apnea-mediated oxygen desaturation during sleep at altitude.

SYNTHESIS OF MACROCYCLIC PEPTIDES USING 1,5-DICHLORO-2,4PENTADIONE FOR LATE STAGE FUNCTIONALIZATION Lena Sobze, Arunika Ekanayake, Raja Mukherjee, Ratmir Derda (Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta) Peptide based drugs play an essential role in pharmacotherapy, due to their high selectivity, effectiveness and overall safety. There are over 60 peptide drugs that are FDA-approved, 140 peptide drugs are currently in clinical trials, and around 500 therapeutics peptide in preclinical development. Peptide therapeutics is a rapidly developing field with millions of dollars having been invested by various pharmaceutical companies.

In this project we aimed to make lead compounds, by the cyclization of different unprotected peptides, using 1,5-dichloro-2,4-pentadione as a linker to create macrocycles (protected cyclic peptides). These macrocycles could then undergo further modification such as for late-stage functionalization by unnatural chemotypes and pharmacophores using various hydrazine’s, with no effect on the peptide structure. The Knorr pyrazole synthesis was used as inspiration for this project, as it is used to convert a hydrazine or its derivatives and a 1,3- dicarbonyl compound to a pyrazole. After completing the synthesis of these macrocycles, we purify the product by preparatory HPLC, remove solvents by speedvac and lyophilizer, then perform a complete characterization of the synthesized compounds by LCMS. The purpose of this project is to optimize the conditions of the reactions on peptides in an aqueous system, and then apply these same conditions onto bacteriophage libraries (which consists of millions to billions of peptides). The bacteriophage libraries will allow us to modify billions of peptides at a time, rather than a single peptide, which can lead to a larger pool of targets to select lead compounds from.

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TEST TUBES ARE NOT CELLS! - THE NONLINEAR EFFECTS OF COMBINED NEUTRAL WATER-SOLUBLE COSOLUTES ON THE KINETICS OF AN ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE CATALYZED REACTION Jeffrey Yee and John K. Chik (Mount Royal University, Faculty of Science and Technology) To investigate the effects of mixed macromolecular cosolutes on the alkaline phosphatase catalyzed hydrolysis of para-nitrophenyl phosphate, we measured the Michaelis-Menten kinetic parameters Km and Vmax in the presence of sucrose and two different molecular weights of polyethylene glycol (400 and 8000) on their own and in combination with each other. Changes in these parameters were interpreted using classical competitive and uncompetitive inhibition. Our results indicate that mixed cosolute solutions had a measurably different effect on enzyme kinetics compared to single cosolute environments. Of the three individual cosolutes, PEG400 caused the greatest individual decrease in Vmax, while sucrose caused a lesser decrease in Vmax and Km. PEG8000 caused either the smallest decrease or a slight increase in Vmax and Km. The binary solution of PEG8000 and PEG400 was particularly interesting, having the lowest value of Vmax, despite PEG8000 having the smallest individual effect on Vmax. It seems that PEG400 had the most significant effect on Vmax when in combined solutions. We entertained several possible phenomena that could explain this, and the simplest explanation is a change in catalysis after enzyme-substrate interaction. This would manifest as a change in Kcat, a parameter that cannot be directly obtained from our particular experiment. In the subject literature, the presence of macromolecular cosolutes can increase, decrease, or have no effect on enzyme activity, depending on the enzyme and cosolute. But the majority of these studies have only considered one cosolute at a time. Conducting experiments in the presence of various cosolutes is one way to compensate for the difference between in vitro and in vivo conditions, where macromolecule concentration can be up to 400mg/ ml. This is in stark contrast to the standard “test tube” where concentrations are generally less than 1mg/ml.

INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF MERLIN PROTEIN IN THE DELVEOPING NERVOUS SYSTEM Vaishvi Patel, Sarah Hughes (University of Alberta) The human body has built-in regulatory mechanisms that help it achieve a steady internal environment.

When homeostasis is not maintained, disorders and diseases arise. Therefore, it has become important to study and better understand the body’s homeostatic mechanisms so disorders can be mitigated or prevented altogether. This project aimed to analyze an upstream regulator called Merlin and study its role in neural cell division and differentiation, and the formation of tumors such as schwannomas. Our lab’s preliminary results have shown that ubiquitous Merlin protein knockdown within Drosophila melanogaster resulted in an increase in neuroepithelial cells, a decrease in neuroblasts, and an increase in glia. In this study, we utilized the yeast gal4/UAS system to perform cell-specific and area-specific Merlin knockdown in the developing Drosophila nervous system. Using immunofluorescence, we assessed the impact of Merlin knockdown on various cell types within the larval brain. The results reproduced a component of the previously observed phenotype when Merlin was knocked down ubiquitously, and within glial cells only. Furthermore, our data also provided evidence for crosstalk between distinct parts of the brain specifically between the Optic Lobe and the Central Brain, as Merlin knockdown within one area resulted in change within a different area. Taken together, our data highlights the importance of Merlin in development and tumor formation and has led us to better understand its role in neural cell differentiation. Future experiments can focus on utilizing quantitative methods to further build on our proposed model.

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EXPERIENCE-DEPENDENT CARDIORESPIRATORY EFFECTS RESULTING FROM TWO PATTERNS OF ACUTE INTERMITTENT HYPOXIA IN HEALTHY HUMANS Joanna R. G. Keough1, Michael M. Tymko1,2,3, Lindsey M. Boulet1,2, Alenna N. Jamieson1, Glen E. Foster2, Trevor A. Day1 (1Mount Royal University, 2University of British Columbia, 3University of Alberta) Peripheral respiratory chemoreceptors monitor breath-by-breath changes in arterial CO2 and O2, mediating ventilatory changes through a peripheral chemoreflex. Intermittent bouts of hypoxia (IHx) elicit hypoxic ventilatory responses, with well-described experience-dependent effects (EDEs), mostly from work in animal models using 5-min intermittent bouts. These EDEs include post-hypoxia frequency decline (PHxFD), progressive augmentation (PA), and long-term facilitation (LTF). Comparisons of these EDEs between animal models and humans using similar IHx protocols have not been extensively performed. In addition, whether shorter bouts of IHx elicit EDEs in humans is unknown. Respiratory (frequency, inspiratory tidal volume and minute ventilation; fR, VTI and VĚ&#x2021; I) and cardiovascular (heart rate and mean arterial pressure; HR and MAP) variables were measured during and following two patterns of acute isocapnic IHx in 14 healthy human participants: 5x5-min on/off and 5x90-sec on/off (normoxia vs. hypoxia [45 Torr PETO2]) using steady-state dynamic end-tidal forcing. We found that (a) PHxFD and PA were not present in either pattern of IHx (P>0.14), but that (b) LTF was present in VĚ&#x2021; I following 5-min on/off IHx (P<0.001) and 90-sec on/off IHx (P<0.001) and (c) LTF was present in MAP following 5-min on/off IHx (P<0.001) but not following 90-sec on/off IHx (P=0.058).

Our data suggest that (a) most EDEs characterized in animal models in response to acute IHx are absent in healthy humans and/or absent following shorter IHx bouts and (b) caution should be exercised when using reduced animal models to extrapolate understanding of human responses to blood gas perturbations.

EXERCISE-INDUCED MODIFICATION OF GUT MICROBIOTA IN RATS FED A HIGH FAT OR CHOW DIET Valentine Deregnaucourt, Marc Bomhof (Exercise and Nutrition Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Lethbridge) The gastrointestinal tract and gut microbiota play a central role in metabolic regulation and health. Recent research has shown that gut microbiota dysbiosis is associated with various diseases including metabolic syndrome, autoimmune disease, and some cancers. The objective of this research project was to assess the impact of aerobic exercise in combination with a high fat or chow diet on gut microbiota in rats. Forty-one male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: 1) Chow+Sedentary; 2) Chow+Exercise; 3) HFS+Sedentary; and 4) HFS+Exercise. Exercise consisted of a progressive treadmill training program for 12 weeks. Stool samples were taken at baseline and week 12. DNA was extracted and purified from stool and 16S rRNA gene copy number was assessed with qPCR. Exercise and diet interacted to affect the abundance of Clostridium leptum, Lactobacillus, Roseburia, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Methanobacterium smithii, and Total bacteria (p < 0.05). There was a main effect of diet for Bifidobacterium, Collinsella aerofaciens, Enterobacteriaceae, and Akkermansia muciniphila (p < 0.05). Exercise independently increased the abundance of C. aerofaciens, a bacteria that has been demonstrated to increase the production of the short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). These results demonstrate that the impact of exercise on gut microbiota may be influenced by diet. Exercise-induced increases in cecal SCFA concentration may result from exercise-induced increases in C. aerofaciens. The metabolic benefits associated with exercise may be mediated via modification of gut microbiota.

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THE EFFECTS OF INSPIRED HYPEROXIA ON ACUTE CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW REGULATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR PRE-HOSPITAL INTERVENTION IN STROKE Matthew G. Betton, Dani M. Sorenson, Megan A. Crosby, Vanessa L. Mattson, Nathan J. Hart, Trevor A. Day (Mount Royal University) Stroke is the third leading cause of death in Canada, and effective early treatments are critical in limiting longterm deficits. During ischemic stroke, the blood supply to brain tissue is reduced or blocked, which can cause irreversible damage if not treated quickly. Pre-hospital care personnel routinely provide 100% inspired oxygen to patients suspected of suffering a stroke. However, increases in inspired oxygen (hyperoxia) may cause cerebral vasoconstriction, potentially exacerbating ischemia. In addition, hyperoxic hyperventilation may also lower arterial CO2, causing further vasoconstriction. We performed a meta-analysis of all known human studies of cerebral blood flow (CBF) in hyperoxia, and compared the effects of isocaponic (i.e., CO2 held constant) and poikilocapnic (CO2 allowed to fluctuate) hyperoxia on CBF. In 9 studies (97 participants) investigating the effects of isocapnic hyperoxia, CBF was decreased -4.5±7.3% over 13.0±3.3-min. In 12 studies (156 participants) investigating the effects of poikilocapnic hyperoxia, where participants likely hyperventilated (i.e., hypocapnia), CBF was reduced -15.0±8.8% over 15.3±14.6-min, which was significantly lower than the reductions calculated from isocapnic studies (P=0.009). Our results suggest that CBF is not significantly reduced when CO2 is maintained during hyperoxia, but this condition is unique to research contexts.

However, when patients are allowed to breathe normally when receiving hyperoxia, the resulting hyperoxic hyperventilation decreases CO2, causing appreciable cerebrovascular vasoconstriction, posing a risk of further ischemia. Thus, liberal administration of hyperoxia in suspected stroke patients in the context of pre-hospital care may exacerbate ischemia. Pre-hospital emergency care policies and procedures should be reviewed and developed in light of experimental data, and oxygen administration be titrated to arterial oxygen saturation.

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Session C2 | 3:30-5:30 PM THE NOVEL BROMINATED FLAME RETARDANT, 1,2,5,6-TETRABROMOCYCLOOCTANE (TBCO), IMPAIRS OOCYTE MATURATION IN ZEBRAFISH (DANIO RERIO) Darren Van Essen, Steve Wiseman (University of Lethbridge) Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) can leak from consumer products into aquatic environments where they bioaccumulate and can adversely affect organisms. Because the novel BFR 1,2,5,6-Tetrabromocyclooctane (TBCO) is a potential replacement for a major use BFR, concentrations of TBCO in aquatic systems are likely to increase with usage. Though little is known about its toxic effects, studies have shown that TBCO disrupts the endocrine systems, including causing decreased fecundity in Japanese medaka (Oryzias lapites). It has been proposed that decreased fecundity might be due to impairment of oocyte meiosis. Thus, objectives of this study were to determine whether exposure to TBCO impairs oocyte maturation and to investigate the molecular mechanisms of effects. Sexually mature female zebrafish (Danio rerio) were given a diet of 100 (low) or 1000 (high) µg TBCO / g food for 14 days. Tissues were isolated to determine effects on body indices and stage IV oocytes were isolated for in vitro maturation assays. Exposure to TBCO did not significantly alter fish condition factor, hepatosomatic index, or gonadosomatic index. In vitro maturation of oocytes from fish exposed to TBCO was significantly less than maturation of oocytes from control fish. To investigate underlying mechanisms, the mRNA abundance of genes encoding proteins involved in signal transduction and meiotic resumption during oocyte maturation were quantified by qPCR. The mRNA abundances of mPRα and igf3 were decreased in oocytes from fish exposed to TBCO. However, there were no significant changes in mRNA abundances of mPRβ, pgrmc1, or ywha and camk2 family members. Results suggest that impairment of oocyte maturation by TBCO may involve a decreased expression of mPRα and igf3, but molecular mechanisms require further investigation. Consequently, roles of miRNAs are also being investigated. Overall, results indicate that impairment of fish reproduction by TBCO might be due to impairment of oocyte maturation.

COMPARING MOLECULAR AND MORPHOLOGICAL METHODS FOR DISTINGUISHING INTRODUCED PRUSSIAN CARP (CARASSIUS GIBELIO) FROM GOLDFISH (CARASSIUS AURATUS) IN ALBERTA Chaz Francis Comia, Matthew Morris (Ambrose University) While the presence of potentially invasive Carassius gibelio (Prussian carp) has recently been confirmed in North America, their morphological similarities with wild-type Carassius auratus (goldfish) make it difficult to distinguish the two species. Here we attempt to use DNA barcoding to confirm morphology-based species identification of C. gibelio specimens collected from two Alberta sites where the species has not been previously reported. While species-level identification was not possible through DNA barcoding, sequence alignments using reference sequences from online databases reveal that our specimens more closely resemble C. gibelio, while morphometric characters are outside the expected range for C. auratus. Our results suggest that the Barcode of Life Data Systems and Genbank sequence libraries contain mislabelled sequences for C. gibelio.

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EFFECTS OF THE KENOW FIRE ON LONG-TOED SALAMANDER (AMBYSTOMA MACRODACTYLUM) OCCUPANCY IN WATERTON LAKES NATIONAL PARK Elijus Slamas, Julie Lee-Yaw (University of Lethbridge) In September, 2017 a fire ravaged Alberta and British Columbia, including Waterton Lakes National Park.

The Kenow wildfire spanned 38000 hectares and was defined to be one of extreme severity. Several sensitive amphibian species, such as the long-toed salamander, reside in the area affected by the Kenow fire.

Understanding how the Kenow wildfire has affected the long-toed salamander is very important as it is known that sensitive amphibian species respond to wildfires much more negatively. We took this unique advantage to examine the effects that this severe wildfire had on long-toed salamander occupancy in Waterton Lakes National Park. In order to examine this, we looked at 30 breeding sites at which long-toed salamanders have previously been observed and their presence was recorded in amphibian monitoring data provided by Waterton Lakes National Park. We found that the proportion of sites occupied remained roughly the same (66.7% before the fire and 63.3% after the fire). It is important to note that although the proportion of sites did not change drastically, the populations of long-toed salamanders may have been affected. The distribution of sites in which long-toed salamanders reside has changed which indicates a change biotic makeup of Waterton Lakes National Park. The change in site distribution may also have a significant change in long-toed salamander migration patterns through the different sites. Our results suggest that although the proportion of sites occupied by long-toed salamanders did not change drastically, the changes in habitat as well as the distribution of sites may threaten the persistence of a rich long-toed salamander community in Waterton Lakes National Park.

THE EFFECTS OF MUTATIONS ON THE FIRST TWO HOURS OF AN IMMUNE RESPONSE IN DROSOPHILA LARVAE Dana Guhle, Agata Becalska (MacEwan University) The innate immune system in Drosophila melanogaster has two responses to an infection, a cellular and a humoral response. They communicate with each other to produce a functional immune system. Certain mutations in the immune system of Drosophila show an activated immune response without bacterial infection.

It is not known whether this will prime the immune system and give the animal an advantage or if these mutations will cause a non-functional immune response. In my research I used a septic injury assay to test some of these mutations to determine if these mutants have an advantage in the immune response or if the immune response is non-functional. I found that these mutations caused a priming effect and decreased the response time for the immune system of Drosophila to clear an infection. This research helped us to confirm that the functionality of the immune system in these mutants have a different response than the wildtype immune response.

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EFFECTS OF THE NOVEL BROMINATED FLAME RETARDANT 1,2,5,6-TETRABROMOCYCLOOCTANE (TBCO) ON SWIM BLADDER DEVELOPMENT IN ZEBRAFISH Chloe Devoy, Darren VanEssen, Steve Wiseman (University of Lethbridge) Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are added to a variety of flammable products to increase their fire resistance. BFRs can leach from materials into aquatic ecosystems where they can bioaccumulate, biomagnify and induce toxicity in organisms. The novel BFR 1,2,5,6-Tetrabromocyclooctane (TBCO) was introduced as a replacement for the widely used BFR, Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). However, little is known about the toxic effects of TBCO or mechanisms underlying toxicity. TBCO has been shown to be developmentally toxic to early life stages of zebrafish (Danio rerio). For example, inflated swim bladders are absent from zebrafish embryos exposed to supra-environmental concentrations of TBCO. The objective of this study is to characterize mechanisms underlying the effects of TBCO on the development of swim bladders in zebrafish embryos. Embryos were exposed to either a freshwater control, low (10 μg/L) or high (100 μg/L) concentration of TBCO (N=5) at 1 hour post-fertilization (hpf). Mortalities were recorded every 24 hours and heart rate (BPM) was quantified at 48 hpf. Larvae were assessed for presence of an inflated swim bladder at 120 hpf. Exposure of embryos to TBCO resulted in a concentration dependant decrease in heart rate and a concentration dependant increase in the incidence of uninflated swim bladder. There was no significant difference in mortality, yolk sac edema or pericardial edema between exposure solutions. Results suggest that cardiac impairment might be a mechanism of uninflated swim bladders. Effects of TBCO on expression of genes important for development of the swim bladder are currently being investigated.

BACTERIOPHAGE THERAPY FOR AMERICAN FOULBROOD IN ALBERTA HONEYBEES Rhonda Thygesen, Heather Prior (The King’s University) Domesticated honeybees (Apis mellifera) are an important agricultural and economically active resource to Alberta. Bees are responsible for the pollination of many commercial crops while also producing honey. A major threat to bee populations, and the honey industry, is American foulbrood disease (AFB), caused by the Grampositive bacterium Paenibacillus larvae. These bacterial cells infect the larvae of the hive causing decimation to the hive. As this disease becomes more resistant to conventional antibiotic therapies, new treatment options must be developed. One option currently being explored is phage therapy. Phages are viruses that infect and kill bacteria with specific host-selectivity. In this project, we isolated and amplified phages from P. larvae stocks. DNA extraction and analysis identified at least two phages in the lysate. Results of phage isolation and amplification from mixed phage types also suggested the presence of phage types that were not presently being tested for. Further steps involve continuing phage amplification and identification, towards the larger goal of developing the potential use of phage in Alberta bee hives as a treatment for AFB.

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PITTED AGAINST THE ODDS: THE EFFECT OF PIT TAGGING ON THE SURVIVAL AND BODY CONDITION OF BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES (POECILE ATRICAPILLUS) Jonathan J Farr1, Elène Haave-Audet1, Kimberley J Mathot1, 2 (1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, 2 Canada Research Chair in Integrative Ecology) Identification of individuals is critical for addressing a range of questions in ecological studies, and a variety of methods have been developed to mark individuals. Prior to implementing new tagging methods, it is important to study the lethal and sublethal effects of tagging on individuals to ensure both data reliability and animal welfare. Passive integrated transponders (PIT) and radio frequency identification are a relatively new tagging method used on a variety of species, including songbirds. Although their potential impacts have been evaluated for a range of species, the effects of PIT tags on Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) have not. This is important, given that chickadees are significantly smaller than other over-wintering species in which this tagging method has been studied. We individually marked chickadees in the University of Alberta Botanic Gardens to evaluate potential sub-lethal and lethal effects of two PIT tagging methods: attached to leg bands or implanted subcutaneously. We compared the standardized body condition of PIT tagged birds to their body condition after over-wintering, and using mistnet recapture data, we compared the survival of chickadees with leg bands (N=87), implanted PIT tags (N=84), and control birds that received no PIT tag (N=86). Our analysis found no evidence for adverse sub-lethal or lethal effects of either PIT tagging method on male or female chickadees. Leg band PIT tags were the preferable tagging method based on field experiences, higher tag retention and RFID detection. For our population of Black-capped Chickadees, PIT tags appear to be an ethical and effective way to uniquely identify individuals.

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Session C3 | 3:30-5:30 PM MOLECULAR DYNAMICS STUDIES ON THE MUTAGENIC EFFECTS OF DIADDUCTS ON DNA Nathania Takyi, Ryan W. Kung, and Stacey D. Wetmore (University of Lethbridge) DNA is critical for life, being transcribed into RNA and the resulting RNA being translated into a protein.

However, when DNA is damaged, this process can be negatively affected. One type of DNA damage is the formation of addition products (adducts). Adducts arise when DNA is exposed to activated functional groups from carcinogens, which covalently bind to one of the four canonical nucleobases. 4-Aminobiphenyl (ABP) is notorious for forming DNA adducts, particularly at guanine positions due to a low oxidation potential.

ABP is found in tobacco smoke, and is a known culprit in the formation of bladder cancer. However, the link between adduct formation and carcinogenesis is currently not clear. As a first step toward understanding the mutagenicity of the ABP adduct, the structure of damaged DNA must be understood. Indeed, related forms of adducted DNA have been characterized to adopt the B, W, and S conformations, which are each associated with different mutagenicities. Specifically, the B conformation exposes the bulky moiety into the DNA major groove and is typically non-mutagenic, the W conformation places the bulky moiety into the DNA minor groove and is associated with point mutations, and the S conformation stacks the bulky moiety inside of the helix and is associated with frameshift mutations. In the present work, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to determine the likelihood that a mutagenic conformation (S or W) is adopted for strands containing one or two lesions present in different sequence contexts. Although a multitude of studies have been conducted on the mutagenic and structural effects of single lesions on the DNA duplex, little is known about the effects of the presence of a second lesion. This project gives the first detailed insight into the structural and mutagenic effects of cluster lesions on DNA.

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF SILVER(I) COMPLEXES SUPPORTED

BY NEN-PINCER LIGANDS (E = S, O) Sam L. Drescher, Dylan J. Webb, Paul G. Hayes* (University of Lethbridge) The development of new C–N bonds has applications for the synthesis of pharmacological drugs including aminoalcohols such as Metoprolol.1 Nitrene transfer reactions involve the formation of a new C–N bond from simple alkenes or C–H bonds via a metal-nitrene intermediate (LnM=NR).2 Select silver complexes have shown literature precedent for catalyzing such nitrene transfer reactions.1 To further the development of metal catalyzed nitrene transfer reactions, an NEN-pincer ligand system (E = S, O) containing two phosphinimine groups (R2P=NAr) was used with two equivalents of silver triflate to form silver complexes. In an attempt to gather structural and solution information, these silver complexes were studied by variable temperature NMR experiments between –80 ºC and 60 ºC. The results of these experiments, the proposed structures, and solution behaviour of these complexes will be discussed in detail.

1.

Minsoo Ju, M. H., Logan E. Vine, Mahzad Dehghany, Jessica M. Roberts & Jennifer M. Schomaker Nature Catalysis. 2019, 2, 899-908 2.

Hayashi, H.; Uchida, T. Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2020, 2020 (8), 909-916.

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ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF MEDICINAL TEA EXTRACTS AND THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH ANTIBIOTICS Sydney Maziarz, Kimberley Harcombe (MacEwan University) The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has greatly increased the need for new drugs to be developed. These drugs may be new antibiotics, or synergists of existing antibiotics. Plants have been identified as a valuable source of new drugs, as plants produce secondary metabolites that have antimicrobial and synergistic activity.

In addition, plants are the basis of many natural health products and dietary supplements, and public interest in these products continues to increase. The increasing popularity of natural health products also increases the possibility for antagonistic interactions to occur when these products are used in conjunction with antibiotics.

The present study investigated the antimicrobial properties of aqueous extracts of three medicinal teas and their interactions with common antibiotics. The antimicrobial properties of the aqueous extracts of Bronchitis tea, Eyebright tea, and Hyssop tea were assessed via disk diffusion. It was found that bot h Eyebright tea and Hyssop tea extracts have antimicrobial properties, likely due to the phenolic acids and flavonoids found in extracts of these plants. Interactions between the tea extracts and antibiotics were assessed using a double disk diffusion method, where it was found that all three tea extracts interact antagonistically with sulfadiazine.

Additionally, Eyebright tea extract was found to interact antagonistically with chloramphenicol. While further research is required to determine the mechanism of this interaction and the specific compounds involved, this research has identified that these teas should potentially be used with caution in combination with antibiotics.

In addition, the antimicrobial properties of both Hyssop and Eyebright tea extracts warrant further research as these extracts may be the basis for new antimicrobial drugs in the future.

MODIFYING THE STERIC AND ELECTRONIC ENVIRONMENT OF CATIONIC ZINC COMPLEXES SUPPORTED BY NEN-PINCER LIGANDS (E = O, S, SE) Daisy Cruz-Milette, Dylan J. Webb, Paul G. Hayes* (University of Lethbridge) Polylactones are an important class of biodegradable materials that can be used as alternatives to conventional olefin-based plastics1 which are not environmentally sustainable. The use of metal containing catalysts for the polymerization of renewable and naturally sourced cyclic esters yields biocompatible polymers suitable for various applications. Implementing a cationic metal center, has been shown to yield highly active catalysts that function via a coordination-insertion mechanism:2 while a tuneable ancillary ligand can allow for control over the physical properties of the polymer (chain length, molecular weight distribution, tacticity).2 Recent work in the Hayes lab has sought to explore the structureâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;activity relationships between NEN pincer ligands (E = O, S, Se) and catalyst performance; using sterically and electronically tunable NEN pincer ligands (E = O, S, Se). By increasing the size of the central donor atom E, altering the phosphine substituents (isopropyl or phenyl), and installing a variety of aromatic groups [meta-dimethylpyrimidine (Pm) or orthodiisopropylphenyl (Dipp)] at the phosphinimine nitrogen atoms of the ligand: the structure and reactivity of the resulting zinc complexes can be fine-tuned for enhanced rates of Îľ-caprolactone polymerization.

1. (a) Arshady, R. In Biodegradable Polymers; Arshady, R., Eds.; PBM Series 2; Citus Books: London, UK, 2003; pp 1-34. (b) Liebmann-Vinson, A.; Timmins, M. In Biodegradable Polymers; Arshady, R., Eds.; PBM Series 2; Citus Books: London, UK, 2003; pp 329-372.

2. (a) Wheaton, C. A.; Hayes, P. G. Comments Inorg. Chem. 2011, 32, 127-162. (b) Sarazin, T.; Carpentier, J.F. Chem. Rev. 2015, 115, 9, 3564-3614.

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PHARM-DRONE: LOCATING SOUTHERN ALBERTA PRAIRIE FLOWERS BY UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES (DRONE) IMAGERY Tanner C. Lockwood1, Quentin A. Golsteyn2, Roy M. Golsteyn1 (1Natural Product Laboratory at the University of Lethbridge, 2University of British Columbia) The Prairie to Pharmacy Program aims to identify natural products (secondary metabolites) in all native plants present in the prairie ecosystem of Alberta and Saskatchewan. A critical first step is to locate the plants of interest in order to harvest them, which can be challenging due to their low distribution. We developed a drone technology to locate flowers native to southern Alberta prairies using consumer drones, which have shown promising use in other remote sensing projects. Drones can be used to photograph large areas at a relatively low cost, allowing researchers to obtain greater quantities of data and make use of research sites that may be too vast or difficult to access via traditional methods. With an image dataset of southern Alberta flowers, we used an unsupervised learning method to extract a list of distinct flower colours. We then developed an algorithm in Python to locate flowers in drone imagery, using edge detection and colour segmentation techniques. In proof-of-concept tests using 7 images, we found that flowers of white, red, yellow, blue and purple colours could be identified. We are currently evaluating its use in larger scale data sets and field images. Our findings suggest that this combination of drone imaging and machine learning could be effective for the location of flowers. Furthermore, this technology will be useful for the collection, conservation, or cultivation of flowers or other flora.

BLACKFOOT NAMES AND EXCHANGE OF SCIENTIFIC AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE TO INVESTIGATE PRAIRIE PLANTS BY CELL-BASED ASSAYS. Haley G. Shade, Roy M. Golsteyn (The Natural Product Laboratory, University of Lethbridge) Some plants in the Prairie to Pharmacy Program are recognized as medicinal plants by First Nation communities. To exchange information about plants between Western scientific and Traditional knowledge holders, it is essential to first know the names. For Niitsitapi (Blackfoot people), the saokiohtsi (prairies) have served as our traditional territory since time immemorial. In this project, we included the Blackfoot name of the plant in the annotated extract library and choose plants for experiments if they are known for healing processes. All experiments were performed by a member of the Blackfoot community. Our research goals were to evaluate knowledge surrounding native prairie plants, learn and incorporate Blackfoot names and perform cell culture experiments with these plants. We conducted a survey of 181 University Biology undergraduates in a course setting to ask if they felt Blackfoot names were important in learning, and then whether they knew Blackfoot names of native prairie plants. 71.8% felt that the Blackfoot name was important, but only 6.6% knew a Blackfoot name of any plant. Plant material used to prepare Sooyaiaiihtsi (PP-1060) and Iksi’tsi’kim’issttan (PP-1000) were provided by my Grandfather, Donald Shade. These extracts demonstrated unique morphological effects on U2OS (human bone osteosarcoma) cells. Plant extracts at concentrations of 15, 50, 150 and 500 µg/mL were applied to U2OS cells and incubated for 24 hours at 37°C and 5% CO2. The extract solvent DMSO and the anti-mitotic small molecule Nocodazole were used as negative and positive controls, respectively. Iksi’tsi’kim’issttan and Sooyaiaiihtsi at a concentrations of 500 µg/mL completely reduced cell viability. At concentrations of 15, 50 and 150 µg/mL of either extract abnormal vacuoles were observed in cells demonstrating a cellular response. This research opens the way for exchange and investigation of Alberta plants by Traditional Blackfoot and western scientific approaches.

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Poster Presentation Abstracts

STUDENTS HAVE UPLOADED THEIR POSTER AND A FIVE MINUTE VIDEO PRESENTATION TO MOODLE. PRIVATE Q&A SESSIONS BELOW.

SESSION P1 Q & A | 1:30-3:10 PM PIN-MEDIATED AUXIN TRANSPORT ALTERS CELL POLARITY IN ARABIDOPSIS LEAVES AND ROOTS Jaxon W. Reiter, Elizabeth A. Schultz (University of Lethbridge) Cell polarity is fundamental to growth and development in animals and plants. In Arabidopsis thaliana, cell polarity is dependent on the polar transport of the phytohormone auxin that is mediated by plant exclusive PIN-FORMED (PIN) protein efflux carriers. Auxin transport controls the polarity of root epidermal cells, defining the position of root hair emergence. In leaves, epidermal cells elongate parallel to the midvein, and it has been suggested that auxin transport may also define the polarity of these cells. Arabidopsis mutants with known PIN localization defects and altered leaf morphology were used to evaluate the prediction that plants with PIN mislocalization would have altered polarity of leaf cells and root hair positioning. Fifth leaves were analysed in NIH ImageJ using the PaCeQuant cell shape parameter plugin and epidermal cell orientation was measured relative to the midvein of the leaf. Relative root hair positioning was determined by dividing the length to the root hair initiation point by the trichoblast cell length. All seven mutants showed a difference in either trichoblast length or root hair positioning compared to wild type plants. In five mutants, leaf epidermal cells were significantly smaller and rounder with fewer lobes. In six mutants, cells were less parallel to the midvein. These alterations to root hair positioning suggest auxin defects due to improper PIN localization and the changes in leaf cell shape and orientation may indicate cell polarity defects.

These findings provide strong evidence that, as in the root, leaf cell polarity is controlled by auxin, and that altered cell polarity has consequences to cell, tissue, and organ morphology. Because the proper development of leaves and roots is essential to photosynthesis and plant nutrient acquisition, understanding how PIN proteins and auxin transport affect cell polarity may provide novel insight into how these processes influence plant development.

METHOD OPTIMIZATION FOR THE ANTIMICROBIAL SCREENING OF PIGMENTED INVASIVE WEED EXTRACTS Brittany Supina1, J. Duncan Giebelhaus1, Tina Bott2, Kimberley Harcombe1 (1Department of Biological Sciences, MacEwan University; 2Department of Physical Sciences, MacEwan University) New antimicrobial sources are required to address the growing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Secondary metabolites produced by plants (phytochemicals) are widely studied for their bacteria-inhibiting activity. Although the antimicrobial activity of medicinal and edible plants is well-known, few studies have examined compounds derived from invasive weeds. Invasive weeds produce large amounts of phytochemicals and can affect the bacterial composition of soils, making them a potential source of new bacteria-inhibiting compounds. Previously, the antimicrobial activity of Albertan invasive weeds was analyzed using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion, broth microdilution, and drop check assays.

Although the results showed promising bioactivity, plant pigment molecule interference at 600 nm prevented the accurate quantification of this antimicrobial activity during spectrophotometric analysis of broth microdilution assays.

These issues highlighted a need for improved antimicrobial screening methods in the presence of pigmented plant extracts. Using ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry, this study identified 750 nm as a wavelength that is minimally absorbed by phytochemicals in Albertan invasive weed extracts. As verified by bacterial growth curve analysis, this wavelength detects bacterial growth and may be used in broth microdilution assays to quantify antimicrobial activity.

These findings offer a method for resolving pigment interference, improving the accuracy of antimicrobial screening of Albertan invasive weed extracts. These findings may also be applicable to the antimicrobial screening of other pigmented plant extracts and compounds. Overall, this method optimization may assist in the identification of new antimicrobial compounds derived from pigmented plant sources.

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RELATING HYDROPHYSICAL PROPERTIES AND SOIL PROFILE LAYERING TO RUNOFF GENERATION POTENTIAL FROM FORESTED HILLSLOPES AND PEATLANDS IN THE WESTERN BOREAL PLAIN, CANADA Lacey Roberts1, Scott Ketcheson2 and Dan Shugar3 (1University of Calgary, 2Athabasca University, 3University of Calgary) Processes that control water release (runoff) from any headwater catchment are vital factors in the function, sensitivity and vulnerability of ecosystems to human and climate-induced environmental change. Different soil hydraulic properties and layering control water storage and runoff potential and strongly affect the volume of runoff generated from forested landforms. In the Boreal Plain, the conventional paradigm is that soil storage reduces the potential to generate lateral flow on hillslopes. However, a soil profile with sharply contrasting soil hydraulic properties between layers will produce conditions favourable for lateral runoff generation at the moss–mineral interface. A key component of interpreting and fully understanding water movement and exchanges among forests and wetlands in the Western Boreal Plain is linking soil profile characteristics to runoff observations. This study presents depth profiles of soil hydraulic properties along soil catenae throughout the Stony Mountain Headwater Catchment Observatory (SMHCO) ~40 km south of Fort McMurray, Alberta.

Soil profiles and configurations were evaluated in the field, and soil cores were extracted for laboratory-based parameterization of hydraulic properties of the dominant soil layers (i.e., soil water storage parameters, porosity, bulk density, particle size distribution and saturated hydraulic conductivity). Laboratory and field measurements identified a distinct change and sharp reduction in hydraulic conductivity at the base of the organic forest floor layer with substantially lower hydraulic conductivity and porosity in the underlying mineral soils. This contrast, along with the low soil water storage potential in the typically thin organic forest floor layer, presents conditions favourable for lateral runoff generation, which is supported by field observations. This information helps to reveal the magnitudes and variabilities of runoff generation potentials at the hillslope scale.

THE SEARCH FOR CLIMATE SIGNATURES IN THE CRETACEOUS OF ALBERTA: CYCLES IN A PROPOSED LAKE BASIN OF THE FOOTHILLS ~75–70 MILLION YEARS AGO Mathieu Boudreau1, Jennifer J. Scott1, Devon Brown1, Aaron van der Reest2 (1Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Mount Royal University, 2Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta) The Upper Cretaceous (Campanian to Maastrichtian) Brazeau Formation of the central Alberta foothills represents a wedge of sediments deposited during the building of the Rocky Mountains. Recent fieldwork observations suggest that the Brazeau Formation outcrops in the Blackstone River study area northwest of Nordegg, AB may represent a temporally persistent lake basin. Cyclic packages of sediment in these outcrops contain evidence of deep lakes, wave-influenced lake margins, and deltaic to riverine environments. To determine if the apparent cyclical changes in environments persist throughout the area, we have investigated well-logs and cuttings from the subsurface. Intervals consisting of dominantly organic-rich black and brown mudstones punctuated with sandstone found in drill cutting samples from near the outcrop area provide evidence for continued subaqueous, and likely, anoxic deposition in wet environments over long time periods (10s to 100s of 1000s of years). Using the available geophysical logs in our area, we have identified repeating packages ~20‒25 m thick in the stratigraphically equivalent subsurface, which correspond well to the sediments and thicknesses observed in outcrop. The gamma-ray log signature of these hypothesized sequences displays repeated dumb-bell patterns, first fining-up from sand at the base, then mud, then coarsening upwards to increasing sand at the top. We interpret this signature as cycles representing fluctuations in sediment supplied from the mountains interacting with fluctuating water levels, potentially controlled by orbital cycles. The hypothesized lake sequences have a very regular pattern. Further study of the interpreted sequences in the field and subsurface may provide evidence for climate cyclicity in the Cretaceous Period of Alberta during an overall Greenhouse climate. Additionally, the lacustrine organic-rich mudstones have the potential to be a source of oil in an unconventional petroleum system.

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PRAIRIE PROTEINS: MEASURING THE PROTEIN CONTENT OF NATIVE PRAIRIE PLANT SAMPLES Rebecca Runions, Roy Golsteyn (The Natural Product Laboratory, University of Lethbridge) In the Prairie to Pharmacy Program we are identifying the chemical components of prairie plants. These chemicals may become important biological tools for research or possibly even valuable products for health and wellness. In addition, by understanding the chemical composition of native plants, we will understand better why these species flourish in the prairie environment. We have undertaken the study of protein content of native prairie plants from the southern Alberta region. Our first step was to set up a procedure with which to measure the crude protein content of dried plants. We used the ninhydrin method, developed by Marks et al. (1985), which involved a 24 hour digestion in 3% sulfuric acid at 95 C followed by a neutralization with 4% sodium hydroxide. Ninhydrin reagent was then added to each sample. After a 20 minute incubation time in a 90 C water bath samples were diluted with a 1:1 solution of distilled water and n-propanol. Absorbance was measured at 570 nm. To quantify the protein content in plants, a standard curve of 100% protein using bovine serum albumin (BSA) was prepared at several concentrations (0.009 – 0.08 mg/mL). Two native plant species, Gaillardia aristata and Symphoricarpos occidentalis, were assessed. Leaves were ground into powder using a mortar and pestle. Five milligram samples were used. Protein was detected at a concentration of 31% in G. aristata, and at a concentration of 35% in S. occidentalis. These concentrations are significantly higher than expected. As societies move towards plant-based protein sources, it may be possible that there are high protein containing plants, which are naturally adapted to the prairie ecosystem. Additionally, knowing the protein content of a particular plant may assist in better understanding their ecological role. We intend to measure the protein content of all plants in the Prairie to Pharmacy Program.

MEASURING THE EDUCATION ATTAINMENT OF DIFFERENT SUBPOPULATIONS OF CANADA USING THE GINI INDEX Tejas Gill1, Peter Zizler2, Maryam Elahi2 (1Department of Biology, Mount Royal University; 2Department of Mathematics and Computing, Mount Royal University) Literature examining educational attainment in Canada focuses generally on the number of Canadians with certain levels of education, but not the education inequality present in subpopulations of varying characteristics. As such, the aim of this study is to determine the education inequality in Canada of different subpopulations based on sex, immigration status, and regional differences using raw data provided by the Government of Alberta. Lorenz curves based on the years of education of certain percentiles of each subpopulation were constructed. These curves were then used to determine the Gini coefficient and the average years of education in various groups such as Canadian born, Landed immigrants, men, and women.

Results showcase minimal variations between the Gini coefficient and average years of education across different subpopulations. The highest Gini coefficient of 0.1150 was for immigrant women, and the lowest was 0.0954 for Albertans. Additionally, immigrant men had the highest average years of education and Canadian born men had the lowest average years of education. Conclusions that can be drawn from the data are that education inequality doesn’t vary significantly due to sex, immigration status or regional differences across Canada. This consistency in education equality across different subpopulations of Canada may play an influential role in Canada’s success as a multicultural nation.

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NUCLEAR DESALINATION Franki Race, Jason M. K. C. Donev (University of Calgary) Fresh water is necessary for survival, thus developing an economical form of production with minimal resulting greenhouse gas emissions is essential to ensure fresh water is provided to water stressed areas. Nuclear electricity generation and water desalination work well together and have for many years. As the climate changes, the global population grows, and resources become scarcer and more difficult to access, society will be required to find alternative sources of water. Nuclear energy allows for the production of fresh water at a competitive cost to fossil fuel powered desalination. The global advancements in Small Modular Reactor (SMR) designs and Canada’s SMR Action Plan set the stage for SMRs to be coupled with desalination systems to provide fresh water for coastal areas without the need of large traditional nuclear reactor facilities.

Keywords: nuclear power, desalination, water stress, climate change, combined cycle, molten salt reactor, pebble bed reactor, MED, MSF, RO

IMPROVEMENT OF POTATO CLONAL MICROPROPAGATION Andrea Gelene Abenoja, Dmytro Yevtushenko (University of Lethbridge) Potato production is distinct from many crops as it relies on vegetative propagation rather than botanical seed. Tubers are used as the primary reproductive organ and are called “seed potatoes”. Production of high quality, disease-free seed potatoes is the first and most important component in maximizing yield potential and quality of potatoes. It is also the most expensive of inputs: it takes up to seven growing seasons to multiply seed tubers to quantities sufficient for planting this crop for the end users. All nuclear stock seed potatoes originate from certified virus-free potato plants that are grown in vitro under sterile conditions in the lab. Hence, the proper composition of culture medium is one of the most important requirements for the efficient growth and large-scale micropropagation of these plants in vitro. Previously, we determined the optimum nutrient requirements for Russet Burbank, the main potato cultivar grown in Alberta. Because the response of plants to the culture medium is often genotype-dependent, the aim of present study was to extend current knowledge of morphogenetic responses and to test these media on another commercially important cultivar, Shepody. Using a factorial approach and combinations of five nutrient factors in commonly used Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium [NH4NO3, KNO3, mesos (CaCl2, KH2PO4 and MgSO4), micronutrients (B, Cu, Co, I, Mn, Mo, Zn, Fe), and sucrose], 25 different medium compositions were tested. The growth morphology of potato plants growing on test media was observed daily. The mesonutrients component and, to a lesser extent, micronutrients were found to be the most important factors affecting overall plant quality, shoot length, leaf color, and multiplication rate of the Shepody cultivar. Among all media tested, the best results were achieved with the medium containing four times the level of mesos than the original MS medium.

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SESSION P2 Q & A | 1:30-3:10 PM EXERCISE-INDUCED MODIFICATION OF GUT MICROBIOTA IN RATS FED A HIGH FAT OR CHOW DIET Valentine Deregnaucourt, Marc Bomhof (Exercise and Nutrition Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Lethbridge) The gastrointestinal tract and gut microbiota play a central role in metabolic regulation and health. Recent research has shown that gut microbiota dysbiosis is associated with various diseases including metabolic syndrome, autoimmune disease, and some cancers. The objective of this research project was to assess the impact of aerobic exercise in combination with a high fat or chow diet on gut microbiota in rats. Forty-one male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: 1) Chow+Sedentary; 2) Chow+Exercise; 3) HFS+Sedentary; and 4) HFS+Exercise. Exercise consisted of a progressive treadmill training program for 12 weeks. Stool samples were taken at baseline and week 12. DNA was extracted and purified from stool and 16S rRNA gene copy number was assessed with qPCR. Exercise and diet interacted to affect the abundance of Clostridium leptum, Lactobacillus, Roseburia, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Methanobacterium smithii, and Total bacteria (p < 0.05). There was a main effect of diet for Bifidobacterium, Collinsella aerofaciens, Enterobacteriaceae, and Akkermansia muciniphila (p < 0.05). Exercise independently increased the abundance of C. aerofaciens, a bacteria that has been demonstrated to increase the production of the short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). These results demonstrate that the impact of exercise on gut microbiota may be influenced by diet. Exercise-induced increases in cecal SCFA concentration may result from exercise-induced increases in C. aerofaciens. The metabolic benefits associated with exercise may be mediated via modification of gut microbiota.

INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF MERLIN PROTEIN IN THE DELVEOPING NERVOUS SYSTEM Vaishvi Patel, Sarah Hughes (University of Alberta) The human body has built-in regulatory mechanisms that help it achieve a steady internal environment.

When homeostasis is not maintained, disorders and diseases arise. Therefore, it has become important to study and better understand the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s homeostatic mechanisms so disorders can be mitigated or prevented altogether. This project aimed to analyze an upstream regulator called Merlin and study its role in neural cell division and differentiation, and the formation of tumors such as schwannomas. Our labâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s preliminary results have shown that ubiquitous Merlin protein knockdown within Drosophila melanogaster resulted in an increase in neuroepithelial cells, a decrease in neuroblasts, and an increase in glia. In this study, we utilized the yeast gal4/UAS system to perform cell-specific and area-specific Merlin knockdown in the developing Drosophila nervous system. Using immunofluorescence, we assessed the impact of Merlin knockdown on various cell types within the larval brain. The results reproduced a component of the previously observed phenotype when Merlin was knocked down ubiquitously, and within glial cells only. Furthermore, our data also provided evidence for crosstalk between distinct parts of the brain specifically between the Optic Lobe and the Central Brain, as Merlin knockdown within one area resulted in change within a different area. Taken together, our data highlights the importance of Merlin in development and tumor formation and has led us to better understand its role in neural cell differentiation. Future experiments can focus on utilizing quantitative methods to further build on our proposed model.

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EXPERIENCE-DEPENDENT CARDIORESPIRATORY EFFECTS RESULTING FROM TWO PATTERNS OF ACUTE INTERMITTENT HYPOXIA IN HEALTHY HUMANS Joanna R. G. Keough1, Michael M. Tymko1,2,3, Lindsey M. Boulet1,2, Alenna N. Jamieson1, Glen E. Foster2, Trevor A. Day1 (1Mount Royal University, 2University of British Columbia, 3University of Alberta) Peripheral respiratory chemoreceptors monitor breath-by-breath changes in arterial CO2 and O2, mediating ventilatory changes through a peripheral chemoreflex. Intermittent bouts of hypoxia (IHx) elicit hypoxic ventilatory responses, with well-described experience-dependent effects (EDEs), mostly from work in animal models using 5-min intermittent bouts. These EDEs include post-hypoxia frequency decline (PHxFD), progressive augmentation (PA), and long-term facilitation (LTF). Comparisons of these EDEs between animal models and humans using similar IHx protocols have not been extensively performed. In addition, whether shorter bouts of IHx elicit EDEs in humans is unknown. Respiratory (frequency, inspiratory tidal volume and minute ventilation; fR, VTI and VĚ&#x2021; I) and cardiovascular (heart rate and mean arterial pressure; HR and MAP) variables were measured during and following two patterns of acute isocapnic IHx in 14 healthy human participants: 5x5-min on/off and 5x90-sec on/off (normoxia vs. hypoxia [45 Torr PETO2]) using steady-state dynamic end-tidal forcing. We found that (a) PHxFD and PA were not present in either pattern of IHx (P>0.14), but that (b) LTF was present in VĚ&#x2021; I following 5-min on/off IHx (P<0.001) and 90-sec on/off IHx (P<0.001) and (c) LTF was present in MAP following 5-min on/off IHx (P<0.001) but not following 90-sec on/off IHx (P=0.058).

Our data suggest that (a) most EDEs characterized in animal models in response to acute IHx are absent in healthy humans and/or absent following shorter IHx bouts and (b) caution should be exercised when using reduced animal models to extrapolate understanding of human responses to blood gas perturbations.

CYTOKINE TRANSPORT IN EOSINOPHILS FOLLOWING VIRUS STIMULATION Ojas Srivastava, Sarah Almas, Nawell Fayad and Paige Lacy (University of Alberta) Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease affecting approximately 350 million people worldwide. Eosinophils are white bloods that are heavily implicated in asthma pathology and contain storage compartments with pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Specifically, eosinophils store and secrete cytokines, including interleukin 9 (IL-9) and chemokine RANTES, that exacerbate the asthmatic phenotype. Eosinophils are elevated in infants infected by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Clinical links have been established between RSV-induced lung problems and asthma development later in life. We hypothesize that eosinophils secrete IL-9 and RANTES using distinct trafficking pathways in response to RSV stimulation. The objective of this study was to determine the localization of IL-9 and CCL5/RANTES in eosinophils to understand the mechanisms involved in their release through stimulation with RSV. We isolated eosinophils from human peripheral venous blood and stimulated them with RSV. Cells were double immunolabelled with antibodies specific to IL-9 or RANTES and colocalized with intracellular membrane markers. Recycling endosomes (RE) are an intracellular marker responsible for trafficking molecules within the cell through vesicles. Cells were imaged using DeltaVision superresolution microscopy. Increased IL-9 colocalization was found with REs markers at 4 hours RSV (p<0.0001). Decreased RANTES intensity and colocalization with REs marker was found between 0 hours to 24 hours of stimulation (p<0.0001). These results indicate that IL-9 and RANTES are trafficked through REs in eosinophils upon RSV infection. These novel findings elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying asthma and provide insights for the development of therapeutic targets.

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DETERMINING THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN NOTCH AND BMP/WNT SIGNALING IN DORSAL SPINAL CORD DEVELOPMENT Nabilah Gulamhusein, Craig Jacobs, Katrinka Kocha, Peng Huang (University of Calgary) The spinal cord is a highly structured organ that must develop correctly for full functionality. Incorrect spinal cord development in humans leads to neural tube defects, which occurs in over 300,000 live births each year.

Many of these defects are caused by mispatterning, thus determining how the spinal cord is patterned can provide insights on how to correct such defects. Patterning of the spinal cord is regulated by the interactions of multiple cell signaling pathways. Notch signaling has been implicated in the maintenance of neural progenitor cells in the spinal cord. Previously, my lab has shown that Notch signaling controls cellular responsiveness to Hedgehog signaling in the ventral spinal cord of zebrafish. The goal of my research is to determine whether Notch signaling also maintains the competence of neural progenitors to respond to BMP and Wnt signaling, two major cell signaling pathways required for patterning the dorsal spinal cord. To achieve this, I inhibited the Notch signaling pathway, and then analyzed BMP/Wnt response through three different readouts. First, I used in situ hybridization to analyze the expression of direct target genes of BMP and Wnt signaling - id1 and axin2, respectively. Next, I analyzed the expression of BMP dependent transcription factors in the dorsal spinal cord, such as dbx2 and msx3. Finally, I examined BMP pathway components using antibody staining for pSmad1/5/8 to elucidate where in the BMP signaling cascade Notch signaling may regulate. Loss-of-function experiments indicate that inhibition of Notch signaling results in a decrease of BMP/Wnt dependent gene expression within the spinal cord. Our research will provide new insights on the interactions between cell signaling pathways during spinal cord patterning.

ROLE OF INNATE IMMUNE CELLS IN THE ASTHMATIC RESPONSE Sarah Almas1, Nawell Fayad1, Ojas Srivastava1, Nicolas Touret2, and Paige Lacy1 (1Alberta Respiratory Centre (ARC) Research, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, 2Membrane Protein Disease Research, Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta) Asthma is a major chronic disease that significantly impacts our livelihood and economic well-being. A prominent inflammatory cell type in asthma is the eosinophil, a highly granulated white blood cell that undergoes activation to release potent signaling factors known as cytokines. These cytokines, including interleukin-9 (IL-9) and interleukin-13 (IL-13), that can worsen the immune response towards an allergic phenotype. The intracellular sites of storage of IL-9 and IL-13 and their trafficking mechanisms are unknown.

We hypothesize that IL-9 and IL-13 are found preformed in eosinophil crystalloid granules and other intracellular organelles. To test this, eosinophils were purified from human peripheral blood, adhered to glass coverslips and stimulated with 5 ÎźM platelet activating factor (PAF), a potent secretagogue. Cells were labelled with specific fluorescent markers specific to IL-9 or IL-13 and secretory organelles (CD63 for crystalloid granules, transferrin receptor [TfnRc] for recycling endosomes). We imaged cells using DeltaVision super resolution microscope and determined whether these cytokines localize to known organelles by calculating the Pearsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s correlation coefficient. Colocalization of IL-9 with recycling endosomes continually increased over the 60 minutes PAF stimulation (0.47 to 0.60, p < 0.0001). In contrast, colocalization of IL-13 and CD63 showed a drop after 5 min of PAF stimulation (0.73 to 0.67, p < 0.0001). These results indicate that both IL-9 and IL-13 are stored in crystalloid granules, while only IL-9 is trafficked through TfnRc+ recycling endosomes.

Understanding mechanisms involved in IL-9 and IL-13 release combined with future studies will provide insight into potential targets for pharmaceutical interventions.

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RESPIRATORY SINUS ARRHYTHMIA REACTIVITY DURING ACUTE EXPOSURE TO NORMOBARIC HYPOXIA AND HYPEROXIA Brendan Lazar, Stephanie Nguyen, Matt Betton, Evan Olar, Trevor Day (Mount Royal University) Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) is the normal fluctuation in heart rate (HR) in phase with the respiratory cycle, increasing during inspiration and decreasing during expiration. The underlying mechanisms and potential physiological utility remain elusive. RSA magnitude is thought to be affected by autonomic balance, with sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation attenuating its magnitude. In addition, RSA is thought to improve ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) matching in the lung, which may protect oxygen saturation in hypoxia. We hypothesized that (a) acute hypoxia would decrease the magnitude of RSA through SNS activation, and (b) those with larger RSA in hypoxia would have improved oxygen saturation. Healthy participants (n=15) were instrumented with a pneumotachometer and instructed to breathe at three percentages (30, 40 and 50%) of their forced vital capacity (FVC) at three levels of randomized inspired gases: (a) room air (21%), (b) hypoxia (~13.5%) and (c) hyperoxia (100%). RSA was quantified via the peak-valley approach, and RSA reactivity (RSAR) was quantified as the slope of increases in RSA across FVC levels. RSA magnitude was not different at each percentage of FVC with each gas (P>0.05), nor were RSAR slopes different between gases (P=0.97).

There was no relationship between RSA magnitude at 50% FVC in hypoxia, and the improvement in oxygen saturation from baseline breathing (r=-0.011, P=0.71). Our data provides evidence that (a) hypoxic stimulation of the carotid bodies elicits activation of both arms of the autonomic nervous system, maintaining autonomic balance and (b) RSA magnitude plays no role in improving V̇ /Q matching in hypoxia.

ELUCIDATING SEX DIFFERENCES IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF DIABETIC CARDIOMYOPATHY Faina Benyaminov, Keshav Gopal, Rami Al Batran, Amanda A. Greenwell, Christina T. Saed, Farah Eaton, John R. Ussher (Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Alberta Diabetes Institute) Purpose: Obesity is a major risk factor for diseases including type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disorders, particularly diabetic cardiomyopathy. Previous studies have indicated that the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), the rate-limiting-enzyme of glucose oxidation, is significantly reduced in diabetes via phosphorylation by PDH kinase 4 (PDHK4). Increased cardiovascular risk associated with diabetes is more noticeable in women, but an understanding of sex differences in augmentation of diabetic cardiomyopathy is lacking. Our aim was to elucidate the sex differences in glucose oxidation and insulin sensitivity in T2D/ diabetic cardiomyopathy mouse model. Methods: To address this, 6-week old C57BL/6J male and female mice were subjected to experimental T2D via high-fat diet (HFD) supplementation for 10-weeks, with a single injection of streptozotocin (75 mg/kg) at 4-weeks of HFD supplementation. Body weight and random blood glucose levels were assessed during diet intervention. At study completion, mice were euthanized, following which the heart and other peripheral tissues were extracted and evaluated for expression of genes/proteins involved in glucose homeostasis. Results: Our data demonstrated that experimental obesity/T2D in male mice causes a greater increase in body weight and similar level of hyperglycemia than that in female mice.

Moreover, gene expression profiling showed an increase in expression of Pdk4 in the cardiac tissue of female mice. Concurrently, the expression of PDHK4 and phosphorylated PDH was increased in the cardiac tissue of female mice. Additionally, in the context of insulin sensitivity, our western blot data showed a reduction in the expression of phosphorylated protein kinase B and glycogen synthase kinase 3α/β in the cardiac tissue of female mice. Conclusions: Our results in an experimental T2D/diabetic cardiomyopathy mouse model suggest that the heart of T2D females might have impaired insulin sensitivity and lower glucose oxidation rates than that in their male counterparts.

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THE EFFECTS OF ACUTE HYPOCAPNIA ON NEUROVASCULAR COUPLING MAGNITUDE Taylor J. Bader1, Anna-Maria Ciorogariu-Ivan1, Joanna Keough1, Josh Donald1, Jack K. Leacy2, Ken D. O’Halloran2, Trevor A. Day1 (1Mount Royal University, 2University College Cork) The brain requires well-regulated cerebrovascular perfusion to match metabolic demand. Regional coupling of perfusion to metabolic rate is termed neurovascular coupling (NVC). NVC remains stable during blood gas perturbations upon ascent to altitude, where individuals are exposed to the antagonistic effects of hypoxia and hypocapnia. Few studies have addressed the effects of acute hypocapnia and respiratory alkalosis independently. We aimed to assess the specific effects of acute steady-state hypocapnia on NVC magnitude in a laboratory setting. We recruited 17 healthy participants and instrumented the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) with a transcranial Doppler ultrasound. NVC was elicited using a standardized strobe light stimulus (6 Hz; 5x30sec on/off), and both peak and mean absolute responses from baseline (BL) were quantified. Participants were coached to hyperventilate to reach steady-state hypocapnic steps of Δ-5 and Δ-10 Torr end-tidal (PET) CO2 from baseline levels. PETCO2 levels were significantly decreased from 36.7±3.2 (baseline) to 31.6±3.9 Torr (∆-5) and 26±4.0 (∆-10) Torr (P<0.001). There was a significant reduction in NVC magnitude (ΔPCAv) from BL during controlled hypocapnia at both Δ-5 and Δ-10 in peak ΔPCAv (P=0.044 and P=0.037, respectively), but no significant decrease in mean ΔPCAv (P=0.193). Our study demonstrates that acute respiratory alkalosis attenuates peak NVC magnitude at Δ-5 Torr PETCO2, without further attenuation at Δ-10. Although peak NVC magnitude was attenuated, our data suggests that NVC is remarkably stable in acute respiratory alkalosis given (a) the magnitude of reduction in peak NVC was small and (b) NVC was unchanged in mean responses to visual stimulation.

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SESSION P3 Q & A | 1:30-3:10 PM COSMIC WATCH MUON DETECTOR ANDROID APPLICATION FOR MUON DETECTOR PERIPHERAL John M. Ngo, Jason M.K.C. Donev (University of Calgary) Often, scientific instruments are difficult to transport or use. By miniaturizing the instrument and streamlining the interface, experiments can be more easily done. The MIT ‘household level’ muon detector is already miniaturized, but it requires a PC to provide power and log detection events, thus it remains difficult to use and transport. By creating an android application to interface with the detector, the PC can be substituted with an android phone, which further presents a streamlined user interface and real-time observation of detection events. As a proof of concept, two experiments were conducted – the first on the impact of time of day on detection counts, the second on varying heights and locations. The application will allow the detector to be deployed anywhere, under varying circumstances, and become easy enough to use, such as under high school experiment conditions.

SHOCK CONDITIONS EXPERIENCED BY HAUGHTON CRYSTALLINE BASEMENT ROCKS: A COMBINED RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY AND ELECTRON BACKSCATTER DIFFRACTION STUDY OF ANOMALY HILL ZIRCONS Haley A.M. Jurak1, Erin L. Walton1, Nick E. Timms2, Gordon R. Osinski3 (1MacEwan University, 2Curtin University, 3University of Western Ontario) Haughton is a 23 million-year-old impact structure, located on Devon Island in the Arctic Archipelago. The 23 km-diameter crater formed in an ~1880 m-thick sequence of Lower Palaeozoic sedimentary rocks, overlying Precambrian metamorphic rocks of the Canadian Shield. Near the centre of the structure, is a location characterized by negative gravimetric and positive magnetic anomalies, known as “Anomaly Hill”. A granitic hand-specimen (~8 cm x 6 cm) cut by veinlets of impact melt was collected from this location, and one polished thin section was prepared. In this study, 20 grains of zircon across the thin section were investigated using a combination of field emission scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) mapping. Earlier work on Haughton zircons did not incorporate EBSD, and so, is missing a wealth of information to facilitate the identification of key microstructures – namely, FRIGN (former reidite in granular neoblasts) zircon. Here, we observe the transformation of zircon to reidite, a high-pressure ZrSiO4 polymorph; grains are shown to preserve reidite or evidence of its former presence (i.e., FRIGN zircon).

Data from shock experiments shows that transformation of zircon to reidite begins at ~30 GPa and is complete by ~53 GPa. Thus, it is reasoned that grains experienced a minimum shock-pressure of ~30 GPa. Reidite is also sensitive to post-shock temperature, and has been documented to revert to zircon at temperatures >1200℃. Therefore, the presence of FRIGN zircon could indicate that grains reached >1200℃, but <1673℃, as decomposition was not observed. The identification of FRIGN zircon at Haughton allows us to constrain the pressure-temperature-time history experienced by basement rocks with more precision than our previous work.

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SPECTRA STUDIES WITH THE RAO ECHELLE SPECTROGRAPH Arianna Mamer, Kyle Goodbrand, Manpreet Kaur, Mubin Manasia (University of Calgary) Away from the city lights, when one looks up at night, one might have a thousand questions about the little twinkling dots spanning across the entire sky. As baffling as it may seem, a great deal of information can be derived just by studying the light from the stars that reaches us. The physical properties of the stars and their surrounding environment can be determined by studying their spectra. The spectrum of two astronomical objects (the Sun and the Orion Nebula) was obtained using the Shelyak Echelle Spectrograph stationed at Rothney Astronomical Observatory (RAO) located near Priddis, Alberta. An ATIK- 460 CCD camera was used to produce 4.54×4.54 pixel2 digital images of the obtained spectra. The tools of digital photometry were employed to reduce the raw data and produce a final spectrum which included files for individual orders as well as one stitched together image of the full spectrum. This was done using three software: Mira Pro to produce median combined images with comparatively higher Signal-to-Noise Ratio, ISIS to flatten and wavelength calibrate the curved spectral lines and finally, VisualSpec to apply heliocentric velocity correction and to analyze the spectrum obtained for the two objects. Solar Spectrum was used to test the credibility and correctness of the software being used. Finally, the spectrum of the Orion Nebula was analysed to determine some interesting characteristics of this object located approximately 1344 light years away from Earth! The light being studied was mostly coming from the brightest star of the trapezium cluster, Theta-1 Orionis C and the surrounding energized nebula. The Hα emission line in order 34 of the spectrum was used to calculate the radial velocity of the cluster in the sky. An analysis of the forbidden lines revealed the temperature of the surrounding nebula.

THE AVERAGE CASE OF THE LLL-ALGORITHM Christopher Everett, Khoa Bui, Nicole Moon-Keca, Ali Boukrich (Concordia University of Edmonton) In cryptography, lattice based cryptosystems are gaining in popularity due to their complex nature and utility in the upcoming age of quantum computers. This presentation aims to discuss one aspect of lattice based cryptosystems through analyzing the average case of a lattice reduction algorithm known as the LLL-Algorithm (Lenstra-Lenstra-Lovasz).

PROPERTIES OF POTENTIAL ASTEROIDS THROUGH PIXELS Amit Kain, Daniela Lapada, Nadeem Latif, Kelly Ma (University of Calgary) Asteroids are rocky objects of diverse size and composition. While most are a large distance away from Earth like in the asteroid belt, many do pass by Earth. Constant observations are needed to track the trajectories of old and newly found asteroids. The RAO Baker-Nunn optical telescope was used to observe a 4.4 × 4.4 square degrees field near the ecliptic for the maximum probability of finding potential main-belt asteroids. With the data collected from the observatory the process of absolute photometry was applied to determine properties of the asteroids.

The digital images collected were rid of instrumental defects, and registered in order to track the motion of celestial objects. Two potential asteroids were spotted both moving in apparent retrograde motion, suggesting that the Earth was passing by them at the closest distance. The CCD camera mimicked the bandpass of an astronomical R-filter.

Using standard photometric techniques of CCD images, the magnitudes and fluxes of the asteroids were calculated.

The solar constant in the R-band was graphically estimated. Using this, estimations of the physical sizes of the asteroids were calculated for albedo values corresponding to three different common asteroid types. Light curves of the sequential images stacks suggested that potential Asteroid 1 changed brightness rather quickly, an indication of a possibly rapidly rotating object of irregular shape and a surface with varying albedo due to varied composition.

Asteroid 2 did not exhibit such behaviour, which suggested a rounder asteroid of a more uniform composition.

The observations made in this project had implications for the usage of wide field telescopes and appropriate data analysis in studying the properties and trajectories of asteroids, both near and far.

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SUNSCREEN SYNTHESIS Zina Basil Alaqabi (Mount Royal University) The skin is the largest organ of the human body. Excessive exposure to UV rays can promote toxic effect on the body. Sunscreens contain chemicals that will absorb the sun’s UV light, and play an important role in the protection of the skin. The purpose of this experiment is to attach the dendrimer Bis-MPA to the sunscreen molecule that will enhance the adherence between the skin and sunscreen dendrimer. A Bis-MPA dendrimer was used in this study due to its low toxicity, and it was called product B throughout the experiment. The Mitsunobu reaction mechanism was used in this study as a method to perform nucleophilic substitutions of alcohols with inversion of configuration. Following the reaction mechanism; the chemicals oxybenzone, DIAD and product B were used in this study. These chemicals were mixed in a flask to make a solvent and TLC plate was used to detect production of the products. Each chemical was dissolved in a dichloromethane solvent in test tubes to apply to the TLC plate to compare the spots to resulted solvent. Different spots on the TLC paper were detected; the solvent was removed by rotary evaporation, and silica gel column chromatography was used to purify the mixture. NMR data was used to detect what the side products are. The peaks were deviating from the expected results. Further experiments should be conducted to get the desired product, such as following the reaction mechanism by adding the triphenyl phosphine, with toluene and DIAD, leaving it overnight and then adding product B and oxybenzone after. This method would be a steppingstone closer to attaching the dendrimer to the sunscreen molecule.

INSIGHT INTO THE POST-IMPACT HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEM AT THE CHICXULUB IMPACT STRUCTURE, MEXICO Tianna Groeneveld, Erin Walton (MacEwan University) Chicxulub is a ~180 km diameter peak ring structure formed by the hypervelocity impact of a 10-km sized asteroid into the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico ~66 million years ago. Chicxulub is the only intact peak-ring structure preserved on Earth, and the preserved impactites provide an important record of the environment after a large hypervelocity impact event. The samples characterized in this study were obtained from drill core M0077A, which intersected Chicxulub’s peak ring impactites. Fourteen thin sections and six tile offcuts from M0077A were investigated with a focus on the occurrence, composition, and morphology of secondary minerals using scanning electron microscopy, an electron microprobe and micro-Raman spectroscopy. The thin sections were sampled from ~750-1300 metres below sea floor (mbsf), while the tiles were constrained to a depth of ~1250-1330 mbsf. Identified secondary minerals include andradite-grossular garnet assemblages, anhydrite, Fe-oxides, calcite, Mg-Al-Ca rich clays, sulfides, sulphates, titanite, albite, fluorite, epidote, quartz and halite. These minerals occur as vein- and vug-filling assemblages in the shocked granite and suevite breccias. The andradite-grossular garnet assemblages are of particular interest as they suggest that hightemperatures (300-400 C⁰) dominated the early stages of the post-impact hydrothermal system. Secondary minerals anhydrite, titanite, epidote and Fe-oxides support the temperature range indicated by the garnets, but do not constrain the temperature as tightly. Calcite, Mg-Al-Ca rich clays, sulfides, and halite formed as the hydrothermal system evolved to lower temperatures, which allowed these minerals to precipitate. The secondary minerals identified as part of this study provide a glimpse into the aftermath of a tumultuous event in Earth’s history. The results testify to the thermal and chemical modification of Earth’s crust caused by impact events, both immediately after and in the ensuing millions of years.

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Lewis-Acid Behaviour of Molybdenum Pentafluoride Toward Pyridine Janelle Bykowski, Douglas Turnbull, Stacey D. Wetmore, René T. Boeré, Michael Gerken (University of Lethbridge) The coordination chemistry of the transition-metal pentafluorides is of interest in view of their fluorine-bridged structures1 and the unique properties conferred on high-oxidation-state metal centres by fluorido ligands.2,3 While the Lewis-acid behaviours of NbF5 and TaF5 have been evaluated in the presence of various maingroup donor ligands leading to auto-ionization products,2,3 that of the molybdenum congener remains poorly understood. Limitations are imposed by the stronger oxidizing ability of MoF5, and at the present, known MoF5 derivatives lack conclusive characterization. 4,5 Herein, we report the preparation of a series of Lewis adducts of MoF5 with pyridine. Specifically, molecular MoF5(NC5H5)2 and [MoF5(NC5H5)]2 were characterized by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography, and complementary theoretical studies were performed to elucidate the distinctive bonding properties of these compounds.

[1] Winfield, J. M. J. Fluorine Chem. 1986, 33, 159-178.

[2] Levason, W.; Monzittu, M.; Reid, G. Coord. Chem. Rev. 2019, 391, 90-130.

[3] Benjamin S. L.; Levason, W.; Reid, G. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2013, 42 (4), 1460-1499.

[4] Mercer, M.; Ouellette, T. J.; Ratcliffe, C. T.; Sharp, D. W. A. J. Chem. Soc. A. 1969, 2532–2534.

[5] Fuggle, J. C.; Sharp, D. W. A.; Winfield, J. M. J. Fluorine Chem. 1972, 1 (4), 427–431.

SYNTHESIS OF CARBON NANOTUBE FROM SUGAR-BASED SOURCES Caroline Basta, Prabhjot Nehal (Mount Royal University) With the ever-increasing use of carbon nanotubes in applications such as sensors and gene therapy, it was important to find an inexpensive method of production. Previous studies successfully produced carbon nanotubes from different materials such as wood, plastic waste, and sugarcane bagasse. The aim of this study is to find a novel way to synthesize carbon nanotubes (CNTs) from sugar sources. This study focused on using sugar cane juice, fructose, and jaggery as precursors for CNT synthesis. The sugars were dehydrated with concentrated sulfuric acid then converted into powder form. Infrared spectroscopy of sugarcane juice, fructose, and jaggery showed O-H and C=O peaks which suggested the product synthesized could be graphene oxide. Raman spectroscopy further confirmed the presence of graphene oxide by showing the indicative D and G peaks at 1250 cm-1 and 1400 cm1, respectively. The sugarcane juice and jaggery samples were visualized under a scanning electron microscope.

The images illustrated what structurally appeared to be graphene oxide and carbon nanostructures. CNTs can be extracted with additional reduction of the obtained graphene oxide. Further characterization techniques, such as transmission electron microscopy, must be done to confirm the presence of carbon nanotubes. The data showed promising results and a stepping stone to the path of synthesizing carbon nanotubes from sugar-based sources.

SIMULTANEOUS DETERMINATION OF CARMOISINE AND SUNSET YELLOW IN LUCOZADE AND IRN BREW BY HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY (HPLC) Amos Tavatya1, Dr. J. Washington2 1 Concordia University of Edmonton, 2Concordia University of Edmonton Carmoisine (azorubine) and Sunset Yellow are synthetic food colorants in the azo dye group (Figure 1). Azo dyes account for about 60-70% of all the dyes that are used in the food sector and textile industry. Sunset Yellow is commonly utilized but carmoisine is not approved for use in Canada, the USA, and large parts of Europe. A published HPLC methodology was modified and used to investigate the presence of these two dyes in selected imported soft drinks (Lucozade and Irn Brew).1 Carmoisine was not found in either drink; Sunset Yellow was both detected and quantified. Research findings with respect to methodology, detection, and quantification will be presented.

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SESSION P4 Q & A | 1:30-3:10 PM BIOCONJUGATION OF NANOBODIES TO MALEIMIDE-FLUOROPHORES AS RECOMBINANT DETECTION REAGENTS Longxiang Wang, Zeyad Elsalhy, Swai Khaing, Nicolas Touret, Olivier Julien (University of Alberta) Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system that recognize and bind specific antigens.

They are often used as biochemical tools in basic research, as well as medical diagnostic assays.

However, industrial scale production of secondary antibodies involves raising, immunizing, and killing substantial numbers of animals to harvest their serum, presenting a costly, laborious and often nonrenewable process. Moreover, the relatively large size of the secondary antibodies confers major limitations for superresolution fluorescence microscopy methods by restricting tissue penetration and presenting significant label displacement of fluorophores from the target. Nanobodies present a sustainable alternative as renewable detection reagents that can be expressed in bacteria as recombinant proteins. Nanobodies are small domain of monoclonal antibodies derived from camelids that lack “light chains” found in conventional antibodies; thus, nanobodies can be advantageous due to their small size, single chain construct, as well as their high specificity. These properties of nanobodies allow them to be designed with protease-cleavable tags for affinity purification in E. coli, and engineered cysteines for quantitative site-specific labeling with fluorophore-maleimides. We expressed, purified, and performed bioconjugation (AF488/547/647, Li-cor IRDye680) on anti-rabbit and anti-mouse nanobodies. Their activity was assessed by Western blotting and immunofluorescence microscopy of mammalian cells. Nanobodies displayed high sensitivity and signal strength at nanomolar concentrations. Our results suggest that nanobodies are a versatile and economical substitute for polyclonal secondary antibodies, presenting a promising toolbox that can be further optimized and tailored for various cellular and biochemical applications.

PREVENTING THE UNWANTED SYSTEMATIC ABSORPTION OF SUNSCREEN USING DENDRIMER CHEMISTRY Jarod Colquhoun, Nathan Ackroyd (Mount Royal University) Oxybenzone, a molecule found in many sunscreens, can be systemically absorbed through one’s skin due to its small size and lipophilic nature. One way to prevent this unwanted absorption from occurring is by anchoring oxybenzone molecules to compounds which are too large to pass through the skin. Dendrimers, a category of molecules that are repetitively branched and relatively easy to customize in terms of size and shape, can serve as this anchor. Here, attaching an oxybenzone substitute (4-allyloxy-2-hydroxybenzophenone) to an azide ending bis-MPA dendrimer using the Azide-Alkyne Huisgen Cycloaddition (AAC) was investigated.

This was done by first generating an alkyne containing 4-allyloxy-2-hydroxybenzophenone analog and followed by the synthesis of butylazide – a relatively inexpensive ingredient used with the 4-allyloxy-2hydroxybenzophenone analog to evaluate the utility of different AAC procedures. The structure of the 4-allyloxy-2-hydroxybenzophenone analog, butylazide, and their product from one AAC procedure were elucidated using 1H-NMR Spectroscopy. No successful AAC procedure was found.

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BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF DNA REPAIR ENZYME INHIBTORS – MOLECULES WITH POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS TO IMPROVING CANCER TREATMENT Jolie Hamel, Nina Bernstein (MacEwan University) Polynucleotide kinase-phosphatase (PNKP) is a critical DNA repair enzyme responsible for processing DNA damage caused by radiation. A loss of function in this enzyme results in increased cell susceptibility to radiation-induced DNA damage and subsequent cell death. As radiation therapy is commonly used in cancer treatment, targeted inhibition of PNKP has been proposed to increase the effectiveness of radiation therapy at lower doses. We characterized two previously identified PNKP inhibitors, Candesartan and S4, by their effects on the kinase activity, kinase substrate binding, and phosphatase substrate binding of Caenorhabditis elegans and mouse PNKP. The binding assays were conducted using electromobility shift assays (EMSA), while in vitro kinase assays were performed to assess kinase activity. Both inhibitors had an effect on both domains of PNKP, but were more effective at displacing the phosphatase substrate than the kinase substrate.

Comparisons of kinase activity inhibition by new and older samples of inhibitors showed that both Candesartan and S4 degrade over a span of 3-4 months and lose their effectiveness. These inhibitors show promise for applications in cancer treatment, but further research is needed.

CHANGES IN LOCALIZATION OF CYTOSKELETAL PROTEINS REFLECTS MORPHOLOGICAL AND FUNCTIONAL CHANGES OBSERVED DURING MYOGENESIS Emma Bogner, Mitchell Demers, Daniel Major, Michael Makhoul, Laura Atkinson (Mount Royal University) In cell culture the aggregation of undifferentiated myoblasts to form myotubes models myogenesis. During myogenesis, the cytoskeleton undergoes dramatic adaptations to perform the highly specialized contractile functions required of a mature muscle cell. In this study, we aimed to characterize the localization of three cytoskeletal components in both myoblasts and myotubes to contrast developmental changes associated with myogenesis. Actin, ɑ-tubulin, vimentin, and cell nuclei were selectively visualized in myoblast and myotube samples from the C2C12 cell line using fluorescent staining and indirect immunofluorescence techniques.

We found actin was distributed mainly around the periphery of myoblasts while more diffusely distributed throughout the cytoplasm of myotubes. ɑ-tubulin was arranged radially within myoblasts and longitudinally along myotubes, accounting for the obvious differences in overall morphology between the two. We observed an attenuated organization of vimentin concentrated around the nuclei in myotubes compared with myoblasts.

This was expected because vimentin is downregulated during myogenesis and is not believed to contribute substantially to differentiation. In addition to changes in cytoskeletal components, we observed multiple nuclei within individual myotubes in contrast to mononucleated myoblasts. Future studies should compare these localization trends with protein expression. Characterizing the changes in cytoskeletal configuration that occur during myogenesis may be useful for further understanding and developing treatments for muscular degenerative diseases and developmental disorders.

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IN SILICO IDENTIFICATION OF INTEGRATIVE AND CONJUGATIVE ELEMENTS IN TRANSCONJUGANTS VIA NANOPORE SEQUENCING Catrione Lee1,2, Matthew Stuart-Edwards1, Rahat Zaheer2, Athanasios Zovoilis1, Tim McAllister2 (1University of Lethbridge, 2Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) Antimicrobial resistance is a growing concern in the public health and agricultural sectors. Multidrug resistant bacteria pose obstacles in their therapeutic treatment in both humans and animals. Concerns have arisen as to the frequency and extent of the transfer of genes encoding antimicrobial resistance among different human and animal bacterial pathogens. One such strategy involves Integrative Conjugative Elements, or ICE, to transfer multidrug resistant cassettes from one donor species to another recipient via conjugation. These elements can excise then replicate themselves and be transferred to other members of a bacterial population where they then integrate into the chromosome of the recipient bacterium. Experimentally generated ICE transconjugants in bovine and human pathogens were sequenced using an Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) PromethION sequencer. The reads were de novo assembled using Flye (https://github.com/fenderglass/Flye) to recreate the bacterial genomes of the population including the integrated ICE locations. Mapping the reads to the Flye de novo assembled genomes provided information such as the species assembled and the locations of the ICE within the genome. In this application, long reads from the ONT sequencer were necessary to obtain reads long enough to cover both the ICE and a portion of the bacterial genome so that during assembly the ICE would be integrated with the host genome. This work suggests that this pipeline using long-read sequencing generates a more comprehensive and predictive understanding of ICE as compared to short-read strategies.

ENGAGING NEURAL STEM CELLS USING HEPATOMA DERIVED GROWTH FACTOR AND IMPLICATIONS FOR DEMYELINATING DISORDERS Yutong Li, Adrianne Watson, Anastassia Voronova (University of Alberta) Oligodendrocytes, the myelinating cells of the central nervous system, perform vital functions in neural protection, communication and efficient information transmission. These cells are produced by neural stem cells (NSCs) in the developing and adult brain. NSCs form oligodendrocytes through a two-step process: 1) NSC to oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC), and 2) OPC to oligodendrocyte. Oligodendrocyte formation in the developing brain is regulated by cell-to-cell communication between neural stem cells (NSCs) and a specific class of neurons, termed interneurons. These interneurons secrete over 50 ligands or signaling molecules that could potentially affect oligodendrocyte formation from NSCs. Identifying which ligands promote oligodendrocyte formation from NSCs is relevant to autoimmune demyelinating disorders of the central nervous system, such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), where oligodendrocytes and white matter are damaged. Canada has one of the highest MS rates in the world and currently lacks therapies that enhance oligodendrocyte regeneration and remyelination (restoration of white matter). Thus, if we can understand how to engage NSCs for oligodendrocyte production, we could promote remyelination and regeneration.

Hepatoma Derived Growth Factor (HDGF) is one of the ligands secreted by interneurons, but its effect on NSCs and oligodendrocyte formation is unknown. To test the effect of HDGF on NSCs, primary mouse NSCs were isolated and grown in the presence or absence of HDGF. My results indicate HDGF increases formation of myelinating oligodendrocytes from NSCs. My further results indicate HDGF may achieve this by increasing proliferation of NSCs. I propose HDGF is a novel pro-oligodendrogenic molecule that could form the basis for future remyelinating therapy in demyelinating disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis.

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A PHYSIOLOGICALLY RELEVANT MODEL OF SKELETAL MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT ON A LASER-ETCHED SUBSTRATE Merry Ghebretatios, Hao Luu, Hannah Krivic (Mount Royal University) Myoblasts are mononucleated progenitors of muscle cells that undergo myogenesis to become multinucleated cells called myotubes. Cells grown under conventional methods (i.e on smooth substrate) appear multidirectional, but a study which cultured cells on micro-patterned glass (called the two-dimensional muscle syncytia technique) produced physiologically representative skeletal muscle cells that grow in parallel. It is unclear whether this constraint placed on C2C12 cells has an impact on sarcomeric development. This study mimicked constraints by culturing C2C12 cells in novel parallel glass-etched substrates (made at the Maker Studio, Mount Royal University). Cells were observed at myoblast, day 0, 4, 7 and 11 stages across myogenesis in etched plates to determine cell arrangement. Relative Actin expression was also studied due to its crucial role in cell structure and fusion. It was found that the laser etching technique produced myotubes organized in parallel in between the etches. Additionally, there appeared to be greater total F-actin density at the myoblast stage on the etched glass compared to the control. Given that the glass-etched substrates seem to produce physiologically and structurally different cells, it has the potential to produce a better model for skeletal muscle development. Considering the protein expression findings were not statistically significant, future studies may be completed to further develop this preliminary finding. Obtaining physiologically representative muscle tissue will be crucial for drug discovery and tissue engineering.

SENSITIZING HNSCC AND GBM TO CANCER THERAPEUTICS THROUGH RNAI-MEDIATED DEPLETION OF EIF5B, EIF3F, AND PDCD4 Kush Patel1, Deesha Apparaju1, Joeseph Ross1, Nehal Thakor1, 2, 3 (1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge, 2Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN), Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge) Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) and Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) are rare but deadly forms of cancer occurring in the human brain, outer skin layer and inner mucous layers of the mouth, nose, and throat, respectively. A high risk of treatment persists in all carcinoma types, yet the HNSCC and GBM groups pose a far greater risk due to their proximity to the brain and other important organs in the head. It has been established in the literature that proliferation of cancer cells can be decreased via depletion of Eukaryotic Initiation Factors (eIFs). TNF Related Apoptosis Inducing Ligand (TRAIL) and temozolomide (TMZ) are therapeutic cancer drugs used to activate cell death pathways. In the present study, we have explored the effect of depleting eIF5B, eIF3F, and PDCD4 via RNAi on sensitivity to both TRAIL and TMZ in HNSCC and GBM cell lines. Upon depletion of eIF5B in HNSCC cell lines, a three-fold increase in sensitivity to TRAIL was observed through AlamarBlue cell viability assays. Additionally, knockdown of eIF3F and PDCD4 in GBM cells lines resulted in an almost two-fold increase in sensitivity to TMZ, also tested through a cell viability assay.

Western blotting was performed to verify knockdown of target proteins, and to measure anti-apoptotic protein levels. Overall, our results indicate that knockdown of these proteins sensitizes cancer cells to the therapeutics tested. Elucidating upon the factors responsible for cell death at the biochemical level, through treatments with caspase inhibitors like zVAD will lead the future of this project.

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QUANTUM MECHANICAL TREATMENT OF POST-TRANSCRIPTIONALLY MODIFIED URACIL BASE PAIRS Bhadra Pandya, Kohl Yee, Preethi Seelam Prabhakar, Stacey D. Wetmore (Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge) The canonical nucleobases in transfer RNA (tRNA) regularly undergo post-transcriptional modifications. To date, over 100 post-transcriptional modifications have been identified, many of which are conserved throughout the three domains of life (Eukarya, Bacteria, and Archaea). As a result, the functionally-relevant implications of these modifications are significant enough to warrant the thorough analysis of their impact on tRNA structure and function, and more broadly, protein translation. In particular, modifications to the base at the 34th position (wobble position) have been proposed to be instrumental in fine-tuning base-pair interactions in the codon–anticodon complex. Certain modifications to the base occupying the wobble position may enhance the decoding capacity of tRNA species, increase translational fidelity, and/or strengthen codon–anticodon interactions in the anticodon stem-loop region (ASL). These potential functions underscore the importance of studying the changes these conformations confer in the context of base-pair interactions. Since modified uracil nucleobases have garnered much interest in recent years due to their ubiquity and functional importance as it relates to various cellular processes, the present work studies the impact of 13 different modifications on the base-pairing properties of uracil with respect to the wobble position in tRNA. Specifically, quantum mechanical (QM) calculations were performed in order to elucidate the characteristics of modified uracil base pairs, both with canonical and non-canonical pairing partners. Insights into the base-pair geometry and thermodynamic properties provided by QM methodology help us understand the overall integrity of the interactions between nucleobases and the potential impact of the modifications on the function of tRNA.

THE EFFECTS OF ACUTE HYPERGLYCEMIA ON CEREBROVASCULAR REACTIVITY TO CO2 IN HEALTHY PARTICIPANTS Anna-Maria Ciorogariu-Ivan, Jordan Bird, Trevor Day (Mount Royal University) Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) is one of three regulatory mechanisms to maintain adequate cerebral blood flow (CBF): autoregulation, neurovascular coupling (NVC) and cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR). Autoregulation and NVC have been implicated in blunted responses following an acute glucose load in the context of both healthy individuals and those with metabolic diseases. However, it has yet to be demonstrated if CVR magnitude changes in response to acute glucose loading in healthy participants. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of acute hyperglycemia on CVR to increases in carbon dioxide (CO2). We hypothesized that acute glucose loading would blunt the magnitude of the cerebrovascular response to increases in CO2 during rebreathing. 23 healthy participants were recruited and subjected to two separate hyperoxic CO2 rebreathing trials: fasted, and 30-min following ingestion of a standard 300 mL, 75g glucose drink. Blood glucose levels were tested before and after glucose loading, and the difference between these was significant (P <0.0001). CVR was quantified via linear regression during CO2 rebreathing, with the average CVR slope decreasing from the fasted state (1.37±0.5 cm/s/mmHg) to glucose loaded state (1.04±0.6 cm/s/mmHg; P=0.005). This data suggests that relative hyperglycemia significantly blunts the regulatory mechanisms underlying CVR to CO2, and these results could have implications for those suffering from metabolic disorders like diabetes and populations who regularly consume high carbohydrates diets.

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SESSION P5 Q & A | 1:30-3:10 PM NEURAL PROCESSING AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTION IN YOUNG CHILDREN USING PORTABLE EEG Jenny Le, Sandra A. Wiebe (University of Alberta) The early years are marked by the most critical and intensive period of brain development throughout the lifespan, laying the foundation for both short- and long-term health and well-being. There is growing evidence that neural processing is affected by factors such as socioeconomic status and cultural background. However, a major limitation of most research on neural processing in children is that it has included only children from high socioeconomic status and Western backgrounds, providing a limited perspective. One reason is that laboratory-based electroencephalography (EEG) equipment, typically used to measure brain activity in children, is not portable and may be intimidating to young children. The Muse device is a consumer EEG product that is portable, inexpensive, and easy to use, but has mainly been used in research with adults. We are conducting this feasibility study to examine whether the Muse can accurately measure cognition-related brain signals of children when modified for smaller head sizes. This study’s results will help determine whether the modified Muse can be used to assess neural processing in young children in follow-up research in lower-socioeconomic populations. The objective of this follow-up project is to investigate how factors such as socioeconomic status and cultural background affect neural processing and executive function in young children. Based on past research, we predict that young children from high socioeconomic status backgrounds will have higher executive function compared to those from low socioeconomic status backgrounds, but their executive function will also be dependent on their cultural background.

THE SEARCH FOR CRITICALITY IN BIOLOGICAL NEURAL NETWORKS Braedyn Au, Daniel Korchinski, Joern Davidsen (Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary) The methods by which information spreads across the brain and its dynamics have been long-standing questions. The criticality hypothesis posits that information processing in the brain operates near a critical point of a continuous phase transition, meaning brain activity is balanced between exponential growth and decay.

Previous studies show that systems at criticality exhibit optimal stimuli encoding and response, suggesting that criticality provides an evolutionary advantage. Evidence of criticality has been observed in cell cultures, brain slices, and full-scale brain functional MRI scans. To model neural activity, neurons are assumed to spread activity like a simple branching process and thus fall into the universality class of directed percolation. The branching process describes activity spreading from a single initiation site, an assumption that can be violated in real neurons where external drivers and spontaneous activity (e.g. minis) can initiate multiple cascades.

By incorporating spontaneous activity into the branching process, criticality has been achieved on various random network types via analytical investigation and numerical simulation with the underlying universality class transitioning from directed to undirected percolation. Directed percolation describes only small-scale distributions of activity, whereas on larger scales cascades can merge together and undirected percolation becomes the appropriate description. However, this behavior has yet to be observed on real brain networks.

Here, we apply the branching process with spontaneous activity on networks reconstructed from diffusion MRI with 1014 and 967 366 nodes corresponding to coarse grained brain regions at different resolutions. We show that the critical exponents of directed and undirected percolation can each be observed independently for cascade size distributions, however a universality class transition has yet to be observed due to finite size effects or the complex network topology. This work provides a natural bridge for future work searching for criticality with spontaneous activity, both experimentally and computationally.

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IMPACT OF ACUTE DEXTRAN SULFATE SODIUM ON RECALL OF CONTEXTUAL FEAR MEMORY Mansi Patel, Chelsea Matisz, Robert McDonald, Aaron Gruber (University of Lethbridge) Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS) is used to model inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. DSS induces inflammation in the colon and has been shown to impair hippocampal dependent memory such as novel object location and contextual fear conditioning. However, there is limited data on how it impacts recall of fear memory. Thus, this study focuses on the effects of DSS on recall of encoded memory in a discriminative fear conditioning paradigm. The paradigm has two phases: a memory encoding training phase, and a memory recall testing phase. Mice were exposed to DSS between these phases, such that peak of disease occurred during testing phase. During encoding, the mice were exposed to both an unpaired context (no footshock) and a paired context (footshock). Fear response was assessed by freezing behaviour in each context, and context preference was measured by determining the amount of time spent in each context, when access to both contexts was provided. During testing, control mice froze more in paired context compared to unpaired context, whereas there was no significant difference in the DSS group (p = .014; p = .072). However, time spent freezing in unpaired and paired contexts between groups was comparable, suggesting that they displayed similar levels of fear response (p = .950; p = .991). During the preference task, both groups had a significant preference for the unpaired context (p < .001), suggesting that they were able to distinguish between the contexts and choose the unpaired context. The data suggests that DSS exposure does not have an impact on recalling encoded memory in this paradigm. Previous studies, with differing paradigms, showed an impact of inflammation on recall. Therefore, future studies can explore changes in protocol such as administering DSS during memory encoding or in a chronic paradigm.

TRAUMA-RELATED STRESS DISORDERS AMONG SYRIAN REFUGEES IN LETHBRIDGE Andrea Slingerland1, 2, 3, Tanzi Hoover1, 2, Yesim Erim4, Nickolej Villiger5, Tony Montina,3, 6, Gerlinde A.S. Metz1, 2, 3 (¹Canadian Centre for Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge; ²Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge; ³Southern Alberta Genome Sciences Centre, University of Lethbridge; 4 Psychosomatic and Psychotherapeutic Department, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg Medical School; 5 Lethbridge Family Services – Immigrant Services Department; 6 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge) Since 2015, Canada has granted residency permits to nearly 60,000 refugees who fled the ongoing conflict in Syria. The city of Lethbridge, Alberta, is currently home to 550 Syrian adults and children. It is expected that past experiences and the necessity to escape present a significant impact on the mental and physical wellbeing of these refugees. In comparison to the general population, it was shown that refugees are at higher risk for post-traumatic stress disorder and other trauma-related disorders. However, little research has explored the relationship between mental distress, adaptations and resiliency among Canadian refugees. Here, we recruited Syrian refugees through the Lethbridge Family Services and asked them to complete questionnaires considering adverse experiences, stress responses, levels of depression, discrimination and resiliency. As biological markers of stress skin antioxidant levels of β-carotene and lycopene were measured, and blood and saliva samples were collected. The latter samples will be analyzed via proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to identify metabolic markers linked to acute and chronic stress associated with adverse health outcomes. Through comprehensive assessment of psychological, physiological, and metabolic markers linked to individual stress, this research is expected to provide an insight into mechanisms that affect long-term health and aging. So far, the results indicate chronic psychological stress and persistent physiological stress responses due to past trauma at individually varying levels. These insights provide an important steppingstone for the improvement of mental and physical wellbeing in refugees. Ultimately, we hope that this knowledge will aid in designing effective social support and intervention strategies for vulnerable populations.

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THINKING OUTSIDE THE BRAIN: ARE MUSCLES A MISSING PIECE IN THE DYSTONIA PUZZLE? Janet Adeoti (Mount Royal University) Dystonia is a movement disorder associated with sustained or intermittent involuntary muscle contractions.

Most often in the neck or hand, it is typical for dystonic contractions to be made worse by voluntary movement.

The pathophysiology of dystonia is poorly understood but is thought to arise from defects in the brain, notably loss of inhibition and abnormal synaptic plasticity within basal ganglia-cerebellar-thalamocortical networks.

In addition to motor abnormalities, dystonia patients have sensory deficits including impaired reflexes and proprioception. To date, the majority of research has focused on understanding the dystonic brain, with little attention paid to sensory feedback originating from the dystonic muscles themselves. This literature review explores the characteristics and consequences of sensory feedback in dystonia, with specific interest in the relationship between muscle spindles and disease, and treatment mechanisms. Muscle spindles are specialized receptors found in skeletal muscles that provide feedback about muscle length and velocity, as well as reflexively modulating motor neuron excitability. The central nervous system controls muscle spindle sensitivity through gamma-motor neurons that innervate intrafusal spindle fibers, keeping them taut during muscle contractions. Could dystonia be a disorder of abnormal muscle spindles? It is possible that dystonic muscle spindles, due to increased stiffness or abnormal gamma-motor neuron drive are overly sensitive, leading to increased reflex gain and dystonic contractions. Botulinum toxin (BTx) injection is the most prevalent treatment for dystonia. BTx affects both skeletal and the intrafusal muscles fibers, weakening contraction and reducing fusimotor control. It is clear that sensory dysfunction plays an important role in dystonia. What remains unclear is whether abnormal muscle spindle properties predispose one to dystonia or if muscle spindle pathology is a secondary consequence of dystonic muscle activity. Further work is needed to determine dystonic muscle spindle properties and the therapeutic impact of BTx on muscle spindles.

STIMULI THAT DICTATE SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR IN ZEBRAFISH Shayna Chaput, Peter Hurd, Warren Burggren, Trevor J. Hamilton (University of Alberta) Unknown is to what extent zebrafish, and most fish in general, use their visual systems or lateral line system during shoaling behaviour. Shoaling behaviours in groups of zebrafish were tested by placing groups of zebrafish into an open field arena. The inter-individual distance and nearest neighbour distance are common measures of shoal dynamics and are a proxy for the tightness of the shoal. We used motion-tracking software under either light or dark illumination (with infrared light) to determine the contribution of visual cues on shoaling. Next we exposed fish to cobalt chloride, which specifically disables the lateral line in zebrafish without causing significant toxicity or other wellbeing concerns and repeated our experiments with light or dark illumination. Illumination significantly affected shoal tightness, suggesting that visual cues are very important for social dynamics in zebrafish. Exposure to cobalt chloride also significantly affected shoaling behaviours in both illumination conditions. The most notable difference was observed of shoals both in the dark and exposed to cobalt chloride.

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IMPROVING SELF-CONTROL WITH THE USE OF “UNBREAKABLE” RESOLUTIONS Jade L. Radke, Russell A. Powell, Rodney Schmaltz (MacEwan University) People often use personal resolutions in an attempt to change their behaviour; unfortunately, this tactic is frequently ineffective. Despite this, there are historically accomplished people who were capable of using personal resolutions, even those that were private, to successfully accomplish very difficult tasks - specifically, Mahatma Gandhi, the famous Indian statesman, and Prince Pückler-Muskau, a 19th century adventurer and celebrated landscape artist. Their writings suggest that these resolutions were regarded as a type of “tool” that could be used to attain a variety of high-valued outcomes, but only if the integrity of these resolutions were maintained. In this study, we developed a set of instructions for making “unbreakable” resolutions based primarily on the writings and suggestions of Mahatma Gandhi. Participants collected baseline data by writing down at least one goal per day and recording if the goal was successfully met. After one week of baseline, they were provided with instructions for making “unbreakable” resolutions and were then asked to record their behaviour for an additional two weeks. A self-promises scale and the Tuckman procrastination scale were used for pre- and post-test assessments along with an analysis of the participants’ logbooks. The preliminary data suggests that this tactic may be beneficial for improving self-control for some individuals.

QUANTIFICATION OF CEREBRAL DEGENERATION IN ALS USING TEXTURE ANALYSIS Andrew Wu1, Daniel Ta1, Muhammad Khan1, Pedram Parnianpour1, Avyarthana Dey1, Peter Seres1, Adam Elamy1, Lawrence Korngut2, Angela Genge3, Nicolas Dupre4, Lorne Zinman5, Sanjay Kalra1 (1University of Alberta, 2University of Calgary, 3McGill University, 4Laval University, 5University of Toronto, Canada) Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that irreversibly affects the motor and frontal regions of the brain, eventually causing death by respiratory failure. Since the disease is very heterogeneous making a diagnosis by routine clinical methods is challenging. Routine structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) does not reliably show evidence of cerebral degeneration. Texture analysis is an advanced image processing method that quantifies patterns between voxels in images, with prior studies revealing texture changes in brain T1-weighted MRIs in ALS not visible to the naked eye. The objective of this study is to evaluate cerebral degeneration in ALS with texture analysis of different MRI sequences. Fifty-one controls and 49 patients recruited in the Canadian ALS Neuroimaging Consortium were included. Volumetric 3D T1, T2, and FLAIR scans acquired at 1.0 mm isotropic resolution underwent whole-brain texture analysis.

Group level comparisons were done between patient and control groups, and for each modality. Regional texture values were correlated with clinical scores. Texture changes were detected in FLAIR and T1 scans in the bottom corticospinal tract (CST), with mid CST changes unique to FLAIR scans. Conversely, T2 scans revealed texture changes in the rostral CST. Significant correlations with finger tapping (a measure of upper motor neuron function) was present with texture changes in the CST. Texture analysis of multimodal MRI data shows promise as a diagnostic biomarker. The differing spatial results between modalities may reflect sensitivity to varying pathology. Future work should explore texture changes in in conjunction with other imaging modalities of white and gray matter to further understand the spatial and pathological specificity of texture analysis in ALS.

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THE EYE’S IMMUNE DEFENSES IN GENE THERAPY Kimberly Papp1, Geoffrey Casey2, Ian M. MacDonald3 (1 Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, 2Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 3Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta) Medicine is at the cusp of implementing effective gene therapies that treat patients with genetic diseases.

Gene therapy aims to provide a wild-type (or normal) copy of a gene that a patient does not have in their own DNA due to mutations. The wild-type gene copy is usually delivered to the patient using viral vectors (engineered viruses). Genetic technology is ready for gene therapy to succeed; however, until recently it has often been overlooked that the patient’s immune system is designed to eliminate foreign agents such as viral vectors. This is holding back the success of gene therapy in curing patients’ genetic diseases. Our laboratory looks at genetic conditions of the eye, with a specific interest in choroideremia. This disease affects the retina and always progresses to blindness, and there are currently no effective treatments available. Choroideremia would be a great candidate for gene therapy. We have grown retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, which are the cells that form the blood-retina barrier and are affected by choroideremia. We have applied immune stimulators to these cells to measure their immune response, and we are using this data to modify our cell model so that they can be the best possible model for measuring retinal cell responses to gene therapy viruses. We are treating our RPE cells with a viral vector containing a modification that should suppress immune responses and are collaborating to test this virus for safety in an animal model before attempting a human clinical trial.

SESSION P6 Q & A | 1:30-3:10 PM THE IMPACT OF DIFFERENT FEEDING SCHEDULES ON MEMORY AND ANXIETYLIKE BEHAVIOUR IN ZEBRAFISH Ethan Hagen, Carolyn E. Boychuck, Russell A. Powell, Melike Schalomon, & Trevor J. Hamilton (MacEwan University) Previous research on diet modification and cognition has demonstrated that intermittent fasting can minimize cognitive deficits in animals and humans. By contrast, overfeeding can worsen cognitive performance. In the current study, we investigated the effect of intermittent fasting and overfeeding in zebrafish (Danio rerio). The control group was fed 0.1 g of food daily, the intermittent-fasting group was fed 0.2 g every two days, and the overfed group was fed 0.2 g daily. After 28 days of this feeding regiment zebrafish where individually tested in three behavioural tests: the light-dark test to test anxiety-like behaviour, the novel object approach test to test boldness, and novel object recognition memory test. Contrary to the hypothesis, there was a significant memory trace in only the overfed group. There was no significant difference in the anxiety levels or boldness between the groups. Overall, this study suggests that schedule and quantity of feeding can have an impact on memory ability in zebrafish, but there were no changes in anxiety levels or boldness.

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MORPHOLOGICAL VARIATION WITH PELVIC STRUCTURE POLYMORPHISM IN CULAEA INCONSTANS Kaitlyn Willerth, Jon Mee (Mount Royal University) Diversity is found throughout all life. Environmental conditions and evolutionary factors can lead to variation in morphology and behaviour. This phenotypic variation can arise from deterministic mechanisms such as selection and phenotypic plasticity. For example, organismsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; body shapes can be considerably influenced by being exposed to different environments. Like other species of stickleback, brook stickleback (Culaea inconstans) exhibits variation in its pelvic skeleton. The complete or partial loss of the pelvic spines and girdle has evolved independently in multiple stickleback populations. The ecological and developmental consequences of pelvic loss in brook stickleback are largely unknown. In this study, I investigated whether complete or partial loss of the pelvic structures is associated with other morphological changes in brook stickleback. In my study, I included individuals that were either pelvic-present, pelvic-absent, or of the vestigial phenotype (n = 105) from two Alberta populations: Shunda Lake and Muir Lake. Using tpsDIG, 27 morphological landmarks were used to examine geometric morphometrics. The varying body shapes were examined using the geomorph package in R. Pelvic spine polymorphism had no significant effect on morphology. Morphology of brook stickleback did, however, differ significantly between lakes and between sexes. The morphological differences between lakes could be associated with behavioural differences and may be due to different environmental pressures in different lakes.

COHO SALMON REARED UNDER VARYING PHOTOPERIODS AND SALINITIES IN RECIRCULATING AQUACULTURE SYSTEMS DEMONSTRATE MINIMAL BEHAVIOURAL EFFECTS Joshua E. Szaszkiewicz1, Trevor J. Hamilton1,2, Jeffrey T. Krook1, Jeffrey G. Richards3, Kevin T. Stiller3,4, Colin J. Brauner3 (1MacEwan University, 2University of Alberta, 3University of British Columbia, 4Nofima AS) Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) provide a sustainable method of fish farming where environmental conditions, including photoperiod and salinity, can be tightly controlled to promote fish growth. However, little is known about how various photoperiods and salinities affect the behaviour of fish reared in RAS. In this study, Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) smolts were reared in RAS for 120 days on either a 12h light: 12h dark or 24h light photoperiod and in salinities of either 2.5, 5, or 10 ppt. An additional group reared in 30 ppt and 24h light was also examined. In order to determine the impact of photoperiod and salinity on fish behaviour, we employed three behavioural tests: an open field test which quantified movement using motion-tracking software, a novel object approach test to assess exploratory behaviour/boldness, and a light/dark test to measure anxiety-like behaviour. We observed no significant differences in locomotion between any of the groups in the open field test. In the light/dark test, the 2.5 (12h/12h) group spent significantly less time in the dark zone. However, no significant differences were observed between any of the treatment groups, suggesting that anxiety-like behaviour was not markedly impacted. In the novel object approach test, the 10 ppt (24h) and 30 ppt (24h) groups demonstrated increased boldness relative to the 2.5 ppt (12h/12h) group. Overall, the photoperiods and salinities tested had minimal behavioural effects on coho salmon reared in RAS. Furthermore, fish reared in continuous light (24h) did not perform drastically different within the chosen behavioural tests than those reared under a 12h/12h photoperiod. This has important implications for aquaculture, in particular rearing practices used in RAS.

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THE EFFECTS OF IVERMECTIN TREATED CATTLE ON AQUATIC COMMUNITIES Donovan J. Makus1, Mariola M. Janowicz1, Rhett J. Clark1 (1Concordia University of Edmonton) Ivermectin is a member of the Avermectin family of anthelmintics, commonly used in agriculture settings.

Despite almost four decades of use, no research into the effect of Ivermectin in a field setting exists. A twenty-two day zooplankton field sampling regime of a pond surrounded by cattle was undertaken, in conjunction with the treatment of cattle with Ivermectin. The total population size decreased, significantly, post-treatment, increasing only on day 22 post-treatment. This pattern was observed in the total community, cyclopoid, cladoceran communities, and Daphnia sp. population, at the sites located adjacent to the cattle.

Sites not located close to cattle did not demonstrate the same pattern. Species richness was fairly constant for the duration of the observation. The pond community was consistent with other Albertan ponds, with a larger cladoceran community than is typically seen. HPLC-UV analysis of sediment samples did not detect Ivermectin. These findings have implications regarding the usage of Ivermectin in cattle located adjacent to small waterbodies.

MAPPING THE DISTRIBUTION OF RETROGRESSIVE THAW SLUMPS ALONG THE OLD CROW RIVER IN THE YUKON Brooklyn Miller (MacEwan University) The Old Crow flats in the northern Yukon are an extremely unique and productive ecoregion, with over a third of the land occupied by rivers, lakes, and wetlands. It exists in a continuous permafrost zone where there is a layer of sediment that remains frozen year-round, containing ice, organics, and metal pollutants. Retrogressive thaw slumps occur when permafrost slopes destabilize and large sheets of thawed sediment detach from the surrounding terrain and slump to the base of the slope, exposing ice-rich sediment to the air where it is likely to melt. When this process occurs on riverbanks, the sediment and meltwater will enter the river and dissolve, resulting in the transport of metal pollutants like mercury that have a severe toxic effect on aquatic organisms.

The factors controlling occurrence, rate, and extent of permafrost thaw have been investigated elsewhere in the Yukon with results varying region-to-region which establishes a need for site-specific studies. The Old Crow ecoregion likely has different controls on permafrost thaw slumping due to the abundance of lakes and wetlands throughout the landscape, but thaw slumps have not yet been mapped in this area as the high cost of transport and field analysis deters the conducting of studies in remote locations such as the Old Crow River.

Thawed ground detachment and slumping leaves an unvegetated scar in the terrain which can be identified with open access high resolution satellite images like QuickBird-2 and used to lay the groundwork in identifying areas where retrogressive thaw slumps are active. It is important to fully explore the effects of climate warming on permafrost along with how permafrost melt feeds back into a changing climate, especially in periglacial regions that are more affected by climate change than lower latitudes.

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Acknowledgements To empower the next generation of researchers, it is essential to provide the opportunity for budding scientists to gain experience in the public dissemination of their work, as they become members of a community of scholars. It bodes well that Alberta universities understand this need and celebrate this form of experiential learning.

It was an honour to be granted the opportunity to host the 6th Annual Undergraduate Research in Science Conference of Alberta (URSCA 2020). We are thrilled to see so many students eager to present their undergraduate research. The quality of submitted abstracts is exceptional, which is a testament to their dedication to scholarship, and to the support, they receive from their faculty supervisors.

We are humbled by the number of our colleagues from across Alberta who stepped forward to volunteer throughout the conference.

Thank you!!

Keynote Speaker Dr. Stacey Wetmore, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry Moderators & Judges Ramses Ilarraza (Concordia University of Edmonton) Yasser Tabana (Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Alberta) Erin Walton (MacEwan University) Hilary Corlett (MacEwan University) Lisa Prichard (MacEwan University) Orla Aaquist (MacEwan University) Tina Bott (MacEwan University) Vahid Rezania (MacEwan University) Ashok Krishnamurthy (Mount Royal University) David Bird (Mount Royal University) Eniko Kapocsi-Kiss (Mount Royal University) Jeella Acedo (Mount Royal University) John Chik (Mount Royal University) Kartika Tjandra (Mount Royal University) Laura Atkinson (Mount Royal University)

Maryam Elahi (Mount Royal University) Mehdi Dehghany (Mount Royal University) Shweta Chugh (Mount Royal University) Trevor Day (Mount Royal University) Annerieke Wolmarans (The Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University) Heather Prior (The Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University) Collin Horn (University of Alberta) Crystal Snyder (University of Alberta) Mahmoud Elghiaty (University of Alberta) Carla Craveiro Salvado (University of Alberta and Concordia University of Edmonton) Phil Langill (University of Calgary) Jon Doan (University of Lethbridge) Julie Lee-Yaw (University of Lethbridge) Matt Letts (University of Lethbridge)

U of L Teaching Centre Brad Reamsbottom & Layla Lahiji Zoom Hosts Tony Montina Trevor Armstrong Brad Reamsbottom

Layla Lahiji Michael Opyr Catharine Reader

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URSCA 2020

University of Lethbridge Organizing Committee Dr. Matthew Letts Catharine Reader Tony Montina Trevor Armstrong Brad Reamsbottom Layla Lahiji

Thank you to all who supported and encouraged us in the planning and delivery of this conference.