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The devastating COVID-19 pandemic caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 continues to be prolonged by the ability of the virus to evolve into more transmissible and vaccine-resistant variants of concern (VOC). These fast-evolving VOC demonstrate the need for broad-acting antivirals against coronaviruses. As with several other human-infecting viruses, SARS-CoV-2 initiates attachment to host cells by binding to complex cell-surface carbohydrates known as glycans. These glycans are used by the virus to recognize and concentrate virions on the host cell surface and facilitate binding to less abundant entry receptors, like ACE2 for SARS-CoV-2. Due to most viruses using glycans to initiate infection, we therefore hypothesize that glycans are a worthy target for broad-acting antivirals. While monovalent carbohydrate-protein interactions are weak and have a low affinity, virions exploit multivalent interactions and the attachment of viruses to the cell is relatively strong. Therefore, one strategy in building a broad-based antiviral is to develop multivalent prophylactic antivirals that blocks this initial attachment of SARS-CoV-2 to glycans in the upper respiratory tract by targeting these carbohydrate-protein interactions. This thesis will describe an approach we are developing to synthesize multivalent carbohydrate-based antivirals for SARS-CoV-2 by targeting initial glycan-mediated interactions involved in viral attachment. Four preliminary targets for SARS-CoV-2 have been identified: mannose, galactose, N-acetylneuraminic acid, and gallic acid. These targets are functionalized with linkers bearing an azide functionality to facilitate conjugation to multivalent dendrimers scaffolds comprised of 3-24 alkyne moieties. The azide and alkyne functionalities allow for quick conjugation of the glycan mimetic derivatives through copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC), creating multivalent glycan-based dendrimers. The efficacy of these dendrimers as inhibitors will be tested using a SARS-CoV-2 viral entry assay using A549 epithelial cells with and without overexpression of the ACE2 receptor protein and lentivirus pseudo-typed with spike protein, with viral entry being measured by luciferase reporter activity.

When Dr. Harold Riemer, Professor and Dean with the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies (KHS), was looking at what the upcoming semesters in KHS would look like, he knew that he wanted to find a way to offer a classroom experience to students, while adhering to all COVID-19 restrictions. The faculty worked together and came up with creative solutions to have small, in-person classes in addition to an extensive amount of remote courses. Staff no

Introduction Food allergy affects approximately 7.0% of children worldwide. Children spend most of their waking hours at school, yet, teachers, who have the majority of contact with children during all school day, have variable food allergy-related knowledge. Objective We aimed to identify how Winnipeg-based elementary school teachers manage food allergic reactions in their classrooms and schools. Methods Winnipeg-based public and private school teachers who taught Kindergarten to Grade 6 were recruited via social media and word-of-mouth, and were interviewed virtually consent. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The study followed a pragmatic framework. Data were analysed via thematic analysis. Member checking was done to enhance study rigour. Results We interviewed 16 teachers, who taught primarily public school and between Kindergarten Grade 3. The manuscript presents four identified themes. Theme 1 (“Each classroom is a case-by-case basis”) describes the minimal standardization and inconsistent policies and education between and within schools. Theme 2 (Food allergy-related knowledge, experience and supports shape teachers’ confidence) reflected teachers’ variable confidence/perceived food allergy knowledge. Theme 3 (Food allergy could be a more prominent conversation for teachers to “debunk the myths”) captured the lack of standardized food allergy education for teachers. Theme 4 (Communication between all parties is essential) described how teachers’ reliance on school staff, families and students to effectively communicate. The published paper presents two identified themes. Theme 1 (COVID-19 restrictions made mealtimes more manageable) depicted how pandemic-related restrictions, such as enhanced cleaning, handwashing, and emphasis on no food sharing, were deemed positively influencing food allergy management. Theme 2 (Food allergy management was indirectly adapted to fit changing COVID-19 restrictions) captured how food allergy management had to be adapted to pandemic restrictions. Teachers also had less nursing supports and virtual training. Conclusions Teachers’ food allergy management was informed by their knowledge and lived experience, guided by school policies, and students’ needs. Continuation of pandemic-related restrictions may enhance food allergy management in the classroom. Teachers unanimously wanted further food allergy education and training, and resources to improve communication gaps and language barriers. More training throughout the school year and multimedia resources may be beneficial.

The University of Manitoba’s science librarians developed a three-credit, second-year course entitled “Information Skills for the Sciences” that was delivered for the first time in the fall of 2020. The culminating project of the course was a scientific poster session where students shared their research project as a poster presentation with their instructors and classmates. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the course was moved to online synchronous delivery and all assignments needed to be adapted for the online format. We designed a virtual poster session simulating an in-person event, hosting the poster session on Zoom for a class of twenty students using breakout rooms to separate presentations. Our poster details the methods used to deliver an online in-class poster session in an undergraduate setting with visualizations to illustrate the experience. Despite the conditions of remote learning, the poster presentation session allowed students to engage meaningfully with the research of their classmates demonstrating that an exciting end-of-semester event like an in-person poster session was possible in an online environment. We discuss the challenges we encountered creating the poster session as well as our reflections on what worked and what might be improved in the future.

La pandemia en el contexto de una crisis cultural ¿que reto teológico?. Panel"Theology and the global crisis caused by COVID-19": Forum mondial théologie et libération. Evénement sur Zoom, Montréal, Canada

Despite ongoing relationship building efforts at the community level, Indigenous and immigrant and refugee newcomer communities in Canada continue to experience a fractured relationship characterized by misperceptions, misunderstandings and tension. One of the predominant reasons for this ongoing fractured relationship is the lack of community-driven, decolonial information that each community receives about the other. This project sought to respond to this reality, by exploring the experience of an online relationship building Talking Circle and video-making process, where Indigenous and newcomer youth reflected on their identities as newcomer or Indigenous peoples and the possibilities for transformed relationships between both communities. The video that was created then went on to be shared with Indigenous and newcomer serving organizations within Winnipeg and was posted free online, becoming a potential community-driven, decolonial relationship building resource for community members to access. This project was guided by an Indigenous research paradigm, as well as the visiting way, storytelling and arts-based methodologies. Overall, this project found an imbalance in perceptions between both communities, alongside relationship building possibilities within increasing opportunities for community-driven, decolonial information to be transferred, shared minority experiences and cultural strengths, and the need for both formal and informal relationship building opportunities. Several key implications for social work practice are discussed and recommendations for bridging relations between Indigenous and newcomer communities are proposed.

INTRODUCTION: Physical activity (PA) is key to children's health, but nearly half of Canadian children do not meet the recommended levels, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Identifying correlates and mechanisms influencing PA can inform public health policies and interventions, especially during health crises. This thesis examined the relationships between parental sociodemographic characteristics, parental concerns, and children's PA, and to determine if parental concerns mediated the relationship between parental sociodemographic characteristics and children's PA during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: The study utilized the 2020 Statistics Canada survey, Impacts of COVID-19 on Canadians - Parenting during the Pandemic, proxy-reported data from 5863 parents of children aged 6-14 years. Multiple logistic regression, Spearman correlations, and mediation analyses were conducted to address the objectives. RESULTS: Of 5863 parents 91.2% were women, 53.4% were working from home, 15.7% were working outside the home, and 30.9% were working both from home and outside the home during the pandemic. Three quarters (74.3%) of the parents had a university education, 91.9% were a non-visible minority, and 89.3% were born in Canada. Almost half (47.7%) of the parents reported concerns for the amount of PA among their children and 46.7% reported that their children engage in low moderate levels of PA. Parents without a university education (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.18,1.62) and with high concerns for the amount of PA among their children (OR 3.91, 95% CI 3.44, 4.46) were associated with low to moderate PA among their children compared to their university educated and less concerned counterparts. Parental concerns for the amount of PA among their children partially mediated the relationship between parental visible minority status and children’s PA (47%) and the relationship between parental immigration status and children's PA (33%). CONCLUSIONS: Parents, particularly their concerns and education levels, may play an important role in shaping children’s PA. Also, parents and children from marginalized groups including visible minority and immigrants, may require more support and resources to increase their opportunities and access to PA participation. Future intervention strategies for PA promotion efforts should focus on children within these communities as we recover from the pandemic.

Strength, resilience, adaptability, and compassion - these are the building blocks of the Regina COVID-19 Volunteer Community Response Team, a community support network initiated by Dr. JoLee Sasakamoose, Associate Professor in Educational Psychology and Counselling at the University of Regina. Since a state of emergency was announced by the Government of Saskatchewan in March 2020, the Regina COVID Response team of five core members and numerous volunteers has been working day and night to support Elders and other vulnerable Indigenous people in Regina, who do not have a network of family or caregivers. Staff no

By May 2021, millions of people from around the world had already endured some 15 months of living with COVID-19. Like elsewhere, in Saskatchewan the effects of the pandemic were felt by everyone, everywhere. Friends, family and colleagues talked of amplified levels of anxiety, stress and depression. Some individuals upped their alcohol and drug use to cope with the pressures of isolation. But to what extent did COVID-19 play havoc on Saskatchewan residents’ mental well-being during the pandemic? Staff no

The Covid-19 Pandemic has highlighted how important the healthcare sector is as critical infrastructure. It has also revealed how vulnerable the healthcare critical infrastructure is to malicious cyber operations. The number of cyber operations against the healthcare sector has increased substantially since the onset of the pandemic, seemingly unregulated by international law, particularly jus ad bellum. This paper argues that cyber operations that target or intend to target healthcare critical infrastructure should be treated as a use of force and armed attack because any intentional disruption to business continuity can and will cause physical harm and potential loss of life. Using the 2017 WannaCry Ransomware attack on the United Kingdom as a case study, this paper analyzes four approaches to classifying a cyber operation as a use of force and armed attack. The first approach is the Instrument Based Approach, which emphasizes a textual reading of the United Nations Charter. The second approach is the Strict Liability Approach, which treats all cyber operations against critical infrastructure as an armed attack. Third, the Effects Based Approach endorsed by the Tallinn Manual 2.0 on the International Law Applicable to Cyberspace, which emphasizes the scale and effect of a cyber operation. Fourth, the Cyber Physical System Approach, which emphasizes the intent of the attack. Finding these approaches insufficient, this paper advocates for a Healthcare Based Approach which would consider any cyber operation rising above the level of espionage on healthcare critical infrastructure as an armed attack.