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Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies collections containing Graduate Theses and Practica. The content will include textual material with images of data when available.
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University of Manitoba Researchers 2598
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Recent Submissions

Access status: Open Access ,
Effects of transtheoretical model of change-based interventions on physical activity among older adults: a systematic review of randomised controlled and non-randomised controlled trials
(BMC, 2025-12-02) Fawole, Henrietta O.; Itua, Serena A.; Idowu, Opeyemi A.; Adandom, Israel I.; Kolawole, Francis O.; Adeniji, Tolulope; Obaseki, Chigozie O.; Oni, Olusola M.; Akinrolie, Olayinka
Background: Physical inactivity in older adults is a major public health concern associated with numerous non-communicable chronic conditions. Several behaviour theories have been advanced to address the issue of physical inactivity including Transtheoretical Model (TTM) of Change among older adults. The study aimed to primarily assess the cumulative effect of TTM-based interventions on physical activity and secondarily on self-efficacy among older adults. Methods: A systematic search of electronic databases (including Cochrane Library, AgeLine, Medline, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Web of Science Core Collections) was searched from inception to August 2024. Inclusion criteria comprised studies investigating TTM-based interventions on PA in individuals aged 60 and above, randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs. Risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane Collaboration’s tool for RCTs while ROBIN-I was used for non-RCTs. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation was used to evaluate the certainty of the evidence. Study findings were narratively synthesised in line with the Synthesis Without Meta-analysis framework. Results: Three studies (two RCTs and one non-RCT) met the inclusion criteria, comprising 1,474 participants (65–89 years; 71% females). TTM interventions showed low certainty of evidence of no significant effects on physical activity or self-efficacy for the RCTs. In contrast, the non-RCT showed very low-certainty evidence for the significant effects of TTM on physical activity among participants in the under-maintenance and maintenance stages, with long-term benefits limited only to those already in the maintenance stage. For self-efficacy, there was very low certainty of evidence for the significant effects of TTM only among participants in the under-maintenance stage. Conclusion: This review highlights the limited, inconsistent and low level of evidence of the effects of TTM-based interventions in promoting physical activity among older adults. Whilst for self-efficacy, there is limited, mixed and low to very low level of evidence for the beneficial effects of TTM interventions. More RCTs are needed to identify the most effective components of the TTM and understand the impact of different intervention delivery methods (e.g., digital versus face-to-face) for physical activity promotion in the older adult population.
Access status: Open Access ,
Toward an effective theory of the volume modulus
(Springer Nature, 2026-01-21) Agarwal, Naman; Frey, Andrew R.; Underwood, Bret
We investigate the 4-dimensional effective theory of the warped volume modulus in the presence of stabilizing effects from gaugino condensation by analyzing the linearized 10-dimensional supergravity equations of motion. Warping is generally expected to scale down the masses of bulk modes to the IR scale at the tip of a throat. We find that the mass of the warped volume modulus evades expectations and is largely insensitive to the effects of warping, even in strongly warped backgrounds. Instead, the mass is parametrically tied to the 4-dimensional AdS curvature scale $${m}^{2}\sim \mathcal{O}\left(1\right)\left|{\widehat{R}}_{\text{AdS}}\right|$$ , presenting a challenge for scale separation in these backgrounds. We trace this effect to a universal contribution arising from the 10-dimensional equations of motion, and comment on the importance of a 10-dimensional treatment of the warped volume modulus for effective field theories and model building.
Access status: Open Access ,
LL-37 and citrullinated-LL-37 enhances oxylipins: citrullination attenuates LL-37-mediated COX-2-dependent chemokine response in human bronchial epithelial cells
(BMC, 2026-01-14) Ramotar, Padmanie; Hemshekhar, Mahadevappa; Altieri, Anthony; M van der Does, Anne; Pascoe, Christopher D.; Mookherjee, Neeloffer
Background: During airway inflammation, chemokines, oxylipins (bioactive lipids) and cationic host defence peptides (CHDP) are enhanced in the lungs. However, the interplay of these molecules in the process of airway inflammation is not fully resolved. The human cathelicidin CHDP, LL-37, can enhance the expression of chemokines which is turn facilitates influx of leukocytes into the lungs. Moreover, LL-37 can be citrullinated during inflammation and the effect of this post-translational modification on LL-37-mediated immunomodulatory functions remains unclear. Therefore, in this study we aimed to define the impact of LL-37 and citrullinated-LL-37 (citLL-37) on oxylipins and its association with downstream chemokine production in human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEC), and its functional impact on leukocyte influx. Methods: We used a lipidomics approach to identify oxylipins that are enhanced in response to LL-37 and citLL-37 in HBEC. We further examined the role of selected oxylipins in LL-37- and citLL-37-mediated chemokine production by ELISA, and related leukocyte migration using a transwell migration assay. Results: We showed that LL-37, but not citLL-37, enhances oxylipins that are known to promote inflammation such as prostaglandins regulated by the cyclooxygenase (COX pathway). LL-37-mediated increase in COX-2 expression was significantly higher than that mediated by citLL-37. We showed that upregulation of COX-2 expression was dependent on the P2X7 purinergic receptor. Our mechanistic studies revealed that LL-37-mediated increase in chemokines, GROα, IL-8 and MIP-3α, was dependent on the COX-2 pathway, and that this was significantly attenuated by citrullination of the peptide. Our results also indicated that COX-2-induced PGE2 may act in an autocrine manner signaling through its EP receptors to facilitate LL-37-induced chemokine production. We functionally confirmed that factors secreted from HBEC in response to LL-37, but not citLL-37, promotes neutrophil migration which is COX-2 dependent. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that pro-inflammatory responses mediated by LL-37 is attenuated by citrullination of the peptide. The findings of this study underscore the role of LL-37 in influencing the enhancement of bioactive lipids and metabolic pathways such as COX-2 and its link to the peptide-mediated immunomodulatory functions in the lungs.
Access status: Open Access ,
EnLeM: ensemble learning-based model to detect phishing websites
(Springer Nature, 2025-12-05) Yeasmin, Most N.; Refat, Md Abu Rumman; Singh, Bikash C.; Alom, Zulfikar; Aung, Zeyar; Azim, Mohammad
Phishing involves manipulating individuals into revealing private data, e.g., user IDs, bank details, and passwords. The observed surge in fraud is related to increased deception, impersonation, and advanced online attacks. Thus, effective phishing detection methods are required to mitigate escalating global phishing threats. Existing methods (e.g., heuristics-based, signature-based, and visual similarity-based methods) attempt to detect phishing sites, and machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) methods are effective in the cybersecurity context in terms of learning from data, offering insights, and forecasting. However, independent ML algorithms are limited when handling complex data, and DL techniques surpass traditional ML methods in terms of performance but require more data and time. To tackle these challenges, we present EnLeM, an ensemble learning model designed specifically for phishing website detection. EnLeM brings together three well-known machine learning classifiers—decision tree, random forest, and k-nearest neighbor—using a hard voting mechanism, and further strengthens efficiency with Mutual Information–based feature selection. When tested on the UCI phishing dataset, EnLeM delivered strong results, reaching 97.21% accuracy and a 97.51% F1-score. Compared to individual ML classifiers, it consistently performed better, and it also proved more efficient than deep learning models such as CNN and LSTM. Notably, EnLeM maintained stable accuracy across different feature subsets while cutting execution time by roughly 13%. By striking a balance between accuracy, speed, and interpretability, EnLeM stands out as a practical and scalable solution for real-time phishing detection without the heavy resource demands of deep learning approaches.
Access status: Open Access ,
Microclimates, land cover, and socioeconomic vulnerability shape Anopheles hotspots in Maryland, USA
(BMC, 2026-01-20) Ibebuchi, Chibuike C.; Onwah, Somtochukwu S.; Abu, Itohan-Osa
Background: Anopheles mosquitoes pose notable public health concerns as competent vectors of malaria and other diseases. Although malaria is no longer endemic in the United States, recent locally acquired cases in states including Maryland highlight the need to better understand Anopheles dynamics in the region. This study aimed to identify geographic hotspots of Anopheles presence in Maryland and evaluate how land cover, microclimatic conditions, and socioeconomic vulnerability shape their spatial and temporal distribution. Methods: Monthly Anopheles occurrence data (1999–2024) from Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) were aggregated at county and Census Block Group (CBG) scales. Counties were ranked by mean annual presence to identify hotspots. Associations with land cover, microclimatic, and socioeconomic conditions were assessed using Spearman’s rank correlation (ρ; P < 0.05). At the CBG scale, significantly correlated variables (|ρ| ≥ 0.25) were used to fit an Extreme Gradient Boosting model to quantify the relative importance of environmental and socioeconomic predictors. Spatial dependence was addressed through blocked cross-validation, and model interpretability was evaluated with SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) values. Results: Prince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties emerged as primary hotspots of presence with highest observer effort during the analysis period. Seasonal analysis revealed an annual cycle, with peak presence from May to September, coinciding with warmer conditions favorable to vector proliferation. SHAP analysis at the CBG-scale identified habitat availability as the most influential predictor (33.1% of total model impact for low impervious surface percentage) with woody wetland emerging as the most preferred habitat; followed by humid conditions (24.6%), and low elevation (18.2%). Notably, cooler and more humid microclimates within the warm season provide optimal habitat, reflecting fine-scale environmental controls on Anopheles distribution. Therefore, CBG-level analysis within Prince George’s County revealed a negative correlation between Area Deprivation Index and Anopheles presence (ρ = –0.35), indicating fine-scale ecological drivers—such as woody wetland habitat, low impervious surface, and humid cooler microclimates—more prevalent in affluent suburban residential neighborhoods. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that fine-scale habitat characteristics and warm-season microclimates structure Anopheles mosquito presence in Maryland. These insights support more spatially targeted vector control and improved public health surveillance strategies.
Access status: Open Access ,
Value of Emerging and Existing Pre-prophylaxis and Therapeutic Options for COVID-19 in Transplant Recipients: A Systematic Review of Economic Evaluations
(Springer Nature, 2026-01-29) Grant, Alyssa; Kabbani, Dima; Vuong, Andrew; Skidmore, Becky; Hsu, Amy T.; Sanmugalingham, Geetha; de Vries, Rienk; Logan, Sherrie; Gongal, Patricia; Piotrowski, Caroline; Thavorn, Kednapa
Background: High-risk populations, including transplant recipients, are at increased risk of severe Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes. Certain treatments and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) have been approved to reduce the risk of severe illness. However, data on the cost effectiveness of currently approved COVID-19 therapeutics and preventative treatments are limited for those at high-risk of severe disease. Objective: The aim of this study was to systematically review the cost effectiveness of COVID-19 treatments and PrEP in high-risk, immunocompromised, and transplant populations. Methods: Electronic databases were searched from inception to September 2025 for studies comparing costs and effectiveness of monoclonal antibodies PrEP or COVID-19 therapeutics in high-risk, immunocompromised or transplant populations. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and critically appraised them using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for economic evaluations. Cost data are presented in 2025 US dollars. Results: Of 8905 studies identified, 60 met inclusion criteria, with seven focused on or including transplant populations. Most studies were cost-utility analyses published between 2020 and 2025. Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir, tixagevimab-cilgavimab, casirivimab-imdevimab, sotrovimab, remdesivir, molnupiravir, and fluvoxamine were compared with no prophylaxis or standard of care. Among transplant populations, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for tixagevimab-cilgavimab PrEP following vaccination was US$76,024 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY), while ICERs for COVID-19 therapeutics ranged from US$440 to US$126,676 per QALY. Conclusion: Cost effectiveness varied widely across studies due to differences in variant periods, population risk profiles, model assumptions, and healthcare systems. Future research should integrate variant-specific effectiveness, real-world vaccine responsiveness, long-term COVID-19 outcomes, and adverse events to better inform resource allocation for transplant and other high-risk populations.
Access status: Open Access ,
Beta-blockers in adults with acute traumatic brain injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
(BMC, 2025-12-02) Bouras, Marwan; Beaulieu, Nicolas; Torkomyan, Tomas H.; O’Connor, Sarah; Costerousse, Olivier; Lauzier, François; Zarychanski, Ryan; Verret, Michael; English, Shane W.; Tillmann, Bourke; Ball, Ian; Slessarev, Marat; Turgeon, Alexis F.
Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Beyond the primary insult, excessive sympathetic activation contributes to secondary brain injury and poor outcomes. Beta-blockers may attenuate this hyperadrenergic surge and provide neuroprotective benefits, but their efficacy in improving long-term functional recovery remains uncertain. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating beta-blockers in adults with acute TBI. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov for RCTs comparing beta-blockers with placebo, usual care, or non-adrenergic comparators. Our primary outcome was long-term functional outcome, assessed with the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) or its Extended version (GOS-E). Secondary outcomes included mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital length of stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, and adverse events. Results: Seven RCTs (n = 559) met inclusion; six (n = 445) contributed data to meta-analyses. Only two trials (n = 259) reported functional outcomes. Beta-blockers did not significantly reduce the risk of unfavorable neurological outcome (RR 0.81; 95% CI 0.57–1.15; very low certainty). In contrast, beta-blocker therapy was associated with a reduction in mortality (RR 0.57; 95% CI 0.39–0.82; 6 trials, n = 440; low certainty) and a shorter duration of mechanical ventilation (–1.58 days; 95% CI –2.91 to –0.26; 2 trials, n = 85; low certainty). No effect was observed on ICU or hospital stay. Adverse event reporting was sparse, but no consistent safety concerns were identified. Conclusions: In adults with acute TBI, beta-blockers did not decrease unfavorable long-term neurological outcomes but were associated with lower mortality and shorter duration of mechanical ventilation. Given the small number of trials and very low certainty of evidence, definitive conclusions cannot be drawn, and routine use cannot be recommended. A large, well-designed RCT is needed to establish the efficacy and safety of beta-blockers in this population. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42024565361.
Access status: Open Access ,
Beyond the Library Walls: This Censorship is Not About the Books
(Library Juice Press, 2025-01) Babb, Maureen
It is critical for librarians to understand recent attempts to censor LGBTQ materials in libraries within the broader context of queer history and political reality. This chapter articulates this broader context in order to ensure that librarians have a fulsome understanding of the threat that these efforts to restrict access to LGBTQ materials present. In particular, it demonstrates that censorship within libraries does not represent an end goal, but rather a starting position in a larger plan that seeks to undermine the rights and freedoms of queer individuals. LGBTQ works have faced a long history of censorship in Western countries, much of which has coexisted with the criminalization of queer lives. It is only in recent decades that the rights, acceptance, and visibility of LGBTQ individuals have become more prevalent. This chapter frames the push against queer content as a hostile reaction to the increased visibility and acceptance of queer lives by those who find such lives to be unacceptable, and demonstrates that such hostile actions have occurred before, to destructive ends. It discusses historic attitudes towards queer individuals and historical restrictions on queer content in North America, and also draws parallels between the modern situation and the increased (if lesser) acceptance that queer individuals saw in Germany during the Weimar Republic prior to Nazi rule and the violent attack against queer rights – an attack that included the famous 1933 book burning which specifically targeted Magnus Hirschfeld’s Institute for the Science of Sexuality (Institut für Sexualwissenschaft). While the comparison might at first seem hyperbolic, this chapter frames current censorship attempts as part of a larger initiative to restrict the visibility and rights of LGBTQ people, to remove their ability to exist safely in public spaces. To do this, censorship attempts are linked to the recent proliferation of legislation in the United States targeting many aspects of queer, particularly transgender, rights and freedoms. Such anti-trans hostility in the United States has been identified as being genocidal in nature in a statement made by the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention in late 2022; the degree of anti-trans legislation being put forward has only multiplied since that statement was made. Finally, this chapter highlights the need for librarians to view these censorship efforts within this broader context. Censorship of LGBTQ materials in libraries cannot be divorced from the broader political situation or from the historically marginalized and criminalized status of queer lives. Librarians must approach these attempts at censorship with the knowledge that the hard-won acceptance that LGBTQ people have earned in recent decades is at risk, and that the potential implications of library censorship extend far beyond the library walls.
Access status: Open Access ,
Planning for green rural tourism in Canada: a case study of Pinawa, Manitoba
(2026-01-16) Jelin, Uriel; Van Winkle, Christine (Kinesiology and Recreation Management); Hudson, Ian (Economics); Thompson, Shirley
This research explores sustainable tourism strategies with the Canadian rural community of Pinawa, Manitoba. In this case study, 15 Pinawa community members of diverse backgrounds were interviewed about how their new reputation as a Manitoba tourist destination could provide community economic development to Pinawa. The themes that emerged from the interviews reveal the need for community-specific, focused consultation to be community economic development for regenerative tourism. The interviewees wanted tourists that cared deeply about community well-being and nature, which aligns with regenerative tourism approaches rather than adventure tourism approaches. The promotion of Pinawa as an adventure and beach town brought problematic party tourists, which interfered with community well-being and protecting the environment. The negative impact of adventure tourism required some controls, which Pinawa implemented. Pinawa has many human, social, physical, natural, and financial assets, which are important aspects of building sustainable livelihoods at the individual, community and regional levels to protect. Building on Pinawa’s assets should be the priority to attract nature-loving tourists that move to Pinawa, considering place-based economics, and regenerative tourism approaches. Pinawa previously developed a community investment and planning model to build and finance senior housing. This community investment model, called the Pinawa model, provides a community engagement and investment process that could be applied to tourism infrastructure investment. Tourist commercial facilities to be considered for community investment need to benefit not only tourists but also the community, such as a fitness centre, outdoor stage, and/or local cafe. Community planning for community economic development requires engaging diverse community members to consider community benefit and well-being in the medium- and long-term. With the town of Pinawa adjacent to the Whiteshell Provincial Park, the local community and Indigenous Peoples’ role in in land and water conservation needs review, considerate of Canada signing onto the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Access status: Open Access ,
Functional improvement of canola protein bioplastic through chemical modification of protein and nanomaterial integration
(2026-01-10) Abeysinghe, Vidheesha; Mekonnen, Tizazu (Food and Human Nutritional Sciences); Erkinbaev, Chyngyz (Biosystems Engineering); Bandara, Nandika
The food packaging industry is now shifting towards biopolymer-based materials from petroleum-based materials due to environmental concerns. Canola meal is the major byproduct of the canola oil milling industry and is limited in reusability. The low cost and the inability to consume it highlighted the vast potential of canola protein (CP) for developing plant protein-based food packaging materials. However, compared with synthetic polymers, plant-based materials exhibited reduced film-forming properties due to their organic nature. Ammonium persulfate (APS) is identified as a promising crosslinking agent for canola protein modification. Nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) and graphite oxide (GO) are nanomaterials that can be incorporated in the protein matrix to enhance the film properties to avoid the above-mentioned limitations in CP films. Polyvinyl acetate (PVA) is a synthetic polymer often incorporated into plant-protein biopolymer systems to improve film-forming properties. Furthermore, solvent casting is a lab-scale method used to assess the preliminary behaviour of biopolymers, which requires longer drying times. In contrast, extrusion moulding is the commercial-scale method used in the manufacture of packaging materials. The extrusion method is preferred due to continuous production, zero waste, improved film properties, and low unit production cost. The objective of the first study was to modify the CP using APS at different addition levels (0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9% w/w of protein) and to develop CP-based films by solvent casting with nanomaterials. The second study aimed to assess the effects of extrusion moulding on CP blends with APS modification, nanomaterial reinforcement, and the compatibility of CP with the PVA polymer. In both studies, the mechanical, barrier, thermal, and structural properties of the developed films were evaluated. The APS 5% addition level was identified as the optimal condition for APS modification of CP-based films using the solvent-casting method. The modification has improved the tensile, water-barrier, and thermal properties of the film by factors of x1.33, x1.2, and x1.5 compared to the neat film, respectively. The highest tensile strength (7.03 MPa) was identified in modified NCC-added films. At the same time, the lowest water vapour permeability (WVP) (0.016 mm/m2 kPa h) was observed in GO-added films, indicating the reinforcement potential of the nanomaterials. The extrusion moulding method improved the tensile properties of the neat film from 1.63 to 2.90 MPa, compared to the solvent casting method. The addition of modified NCC increased tensile properties by 150%, while the addition of GO reduced WVP by 500%. PVA-added films improved light transparency, while GO addition completely blocked it, making them suitable for translucent and opaque food packaging materials, respectively. Overall, APS modification improved the CP-based film properties, and the extrusion-moulding method showed immense potential in CP-based film manufacturing. This research helps to ensure environmental sustainability through a circular economic approach for the byproducts of the canola oil industry.