Innovative Projects Realized

Early nutritional programming to enhance the gut health of chickens raised without antibiotics

One of the ways to reduce the use of antibiotics in the poultry industry is to produce healthier and stronger chicks right from the hatch. In traditional practice, newly hatched chicks are not fed until they are transported to the production units. The hatching widows and transportation lead to delays in feeding and starvation of chicks. Providing bioactive nutrients to chicken embryos before the hatch could help chicks sustain the starvation at the hatch and stimulate gastrointestinal development, resulting in healthier chicks raised without antibiotics. This research will investigate the effects of supplementing two marine bioactive ingredients, seaweed polyphenol and a fish peptide to the chicken embryos.

Performance based design of sound wall foundation under freeze-thaw cycle effects

Presently, sound wall foundation design for steel piles is being governed by the effects of the freeze-thaw cycles. The deformations produced by the freeze-thaw cycles cause structural damage and can be seen as an important index to judge the stabilities of structures in cold regions. A very limited number of studies investigated pile design within the context of sound wall foundation, as the behavior of these foundation under the cumulative freeze-thaw deformations is yet to be characterized. Atlantic Industries Limited (AIL) is looking to improve the understanding on the effects of freeze-thaw deformations on the sound wall foundation and develop a performance-based design that deliver measurable outcomes. This will help in creating structures that are aesthetically pleasing and functional, as well as energy efficient and environmentally sustainable.

Efficient Design Tool for Innovative Post

Sound walls are a common solution used to minimize irritating sounds in buildings and sensitive areas. Instead of using drilled shafts. An innovative foundation system for sound walls termed innovative post (steel foundation) has been developed by Atlantic Industries Limited (AIL). Steel piles can be rapidly deployed and put to use swiftly. The purpose of this research program is to establish an efficient design tool for the Innovative Post. Advanced numerical models will be developed to simulate the innovative post under wind loads. The numerical models will be calibrated utilizing the results from experimental tests conducted by AIL and Western University. The numerical models will then be employed to conduct a parametric study to evaluate the performance of the Innovative Post with different configurations and installed in different ground conditions. In addition, a simplified, yet reliable, design methodology will be developed using the commercial program L-Pile.

Application of renewable natural gas for ammonia stripping from anaerobic digestate to enhance biogas production

Promoting the use of renewable energy such as biogas produced from organic waste is one of the main alternatives to achieve more sustainable development strategies. Anaerobic Digestion (AD) is an efficient and proven technology, which can be employed to convert Organic Waste to Biogas, and to reduce global methane emissions. The main objective of this research is to determine the feasibility and optimize the performance of the application of renewable natural gas as an alternative stripping medium to alleviate the technical issues due to ammonia toxicity in AD of poultry manure. Overall, the results of this study will address some of the main constraints in biogas market growth, help optimize the design and operation of AD plants, promotes clean natural energy, and improves public health.

Control of point source low volume methane emission using methanobiofilterationtechnology Year Two

Methanobiofiltration (MBF) is a new technology for the treatment of waste methane gas using a biological process, thus contributing to the reduction of the environmental impacts of current energy technologies. The lack of a complete technology package needed for various industry sectors has hindered its large-scale application in Alberta. With the fundamental knowledge and extensive research experience generated by Dr Hettiaratchi’s research group in recent years (Hettiaratchi et al., 2011; Chandrakanthi and Hettiaratchi, 2005; Stein and Hettiaratchi, 2001), the team is now ready to develop a full MBF technology package and initiate several full-scale field demonstration projects. The key objectives of the proposed project are: 1. Assessment of the commercial feasibility (CF) of MBF technology by undertaking a market analysis to identify the opportunities for the application of this technology in various industrial sectors. Economic feasibility and carbon offset analyses will be conducted using a life cycle approach. 2. Evaluation of the technical feasibility (TF) of the MBF technology under various field conditions, including the implementation of several full-scale methanobiofilters associated with landfills and the oil and gas sector.

Utilizing Canadian digital technology to prevent and manage diabetes, obesity, and heart disease in patients living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) – A pilot study

50% of patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are at risk for having Metabolic Syndrome (Mets). While COPD is incurable, MetS can be reduced by diet and exercise. Yet, the evidence shows that lifestyle interventions with the self-management of health at home are low. Thus, The CHANGE program and My Viva Plan® (MVP) were created. CHANGE Protocol is a personalized approach to nutrition and exercise modification supported by an inter-professional team. My MVP is a digital Canadian self-care treatment program encompassing nutrition, fitness, and mindfulness. We propose a 12-month digital Metabolic Rehab program using CHANGE protocol + MPV to guide diet and self-awareness in a sample of 50 individuals diagnosed with COPD and Mets. Assessments and measurements will be completed at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months. We aim to determine the impact of The CHANGE protocol + MVP on reducing or reversing MetS for individuals living with COPD.

Characterization and Mitigation of Trace Gas Release and Odour from the Tipping Area of Municipal Solid Waste Landfills

City landfills release odourous gases from their daily operations which can impact the quality of life for near-by residences. The proposed research will determine how much odourous gas a typical landfill emits from its daily operations and whether odour absorbing materials or changes in in the types of wastes added to a landfill can be effective methods for reducing odour emission.

Developing 3D Wind Speed Database for Major Canadian Cities: Application for UAV Operation

This project aims at developing detailed 3D wind speed databases for the major Canadian Cities. The databases will be accessible online through an online user interface and will offer real time localized wind speeds and directions in the urban city canopy. Those wind speeds are invaluable to many applications including UAV (or drone) operation. For instance, a drone operator will be able to obtain the real-time wind speeds along the path of the drone before and while flying. Any sudden change in terms of the wind speeds will be communicated with the operator and an alternative path can be suggested. Other examples, include activities related to pedestrian level winds, urban farms, urban wind turbines. Moreover, detailed historical wind records will be also made available upon request which will be invaluable to forensic studies(eg. insurance industry). The project will not only enable Canada to
lead in the area of drone transportation and delivery, but also in the area of micro urban climate in general.

THYKIOM : Thykamine anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms

The inflammation triggered by oxidative stress is the cause of many diseases, including atherosclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Alzheimer disease and cancer. Although numerous molecules evaluated as antioxidants have exhibited therapeutic potential in preclinical studies, clinical trial results have been mixed. A greater understanding of the mechanisms through which antioxidants act and where and when they are effective will provide a rational approach that leads to greater pharmacological success.

The Devonian health group (http://groupedevonian.com) is a late stage botanical pharmaceutical corporation with novel approaches to target unmet medical needs. Devonian’s strategy is to develop botanical drugs and novel pharmaceutical products from plant materials according to the Food Drugs Administration (FDA) set of regulatory guidelines to favor a more efficient drug development pathway. Among Devonian’s products, ThykamineTM is an active lead drug candidate with excellent safety and efficacy profiles towards inflammation. The molecular targets of Thykamine are currently unknown. Uncovering its mechanism of action would unravel Thykamine’s full potential, leading to its usage as treatment for several inflammatory-related diseases.

The project aims to identify the molecular targets of Thykamine specifically related to antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties to broaden its field of applications.

OLabERATE: OLab Education Research Analytics Toolset Expansion

Virtual scenarios, which are similar to choose-your-own-adventure stories, in online format, are a powerful way to assess how well a young professional can make decisions and solve problems. This is different from most learning software that tests how well they remember factoids and tidbits. OLab is a tool for playing and creating virtual scenarios. It tracks everything that the learner does: what they do, how long they take to decide etc. Teachers can write strong stories but the process has been time consuming and frustrating. This research will allow OLab to make it easier for teachers to write good stories that test the thinking of young professionals. They make writing more efficient by giving them access to building blocks that can be shared. They make it easier for teachers to see which students really use the cases and how to improve them. Additionally, it has been difficult to study the complex processes of decision-making. This project plans to make the analysis of the more complex aspects of such problem-solving easier to do. Better infographics and displays of this complex data will make it easier to understand.

Data-driven food recommendations for reducing physiological dysregulation

Personalized nutrition and dietary recommendation products claiming to improve health are moving faster than the underlying science. Existing tools for communicating healthy foods are available, but they are designed for public (not individual) health, can not incorporate diet history, and can not adapt to the user’s preferred health outcomes. We propose to implement and fine-tune our previously developed system for creating personalized food recommendations to increase health using cross-sectional dietary recall and blood biomarker data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The partner organization and the academic institution will provide ease-of-access to and previous experience with these data, and the intern will be performing the analyses. The partner organization will benefit by being able to include these data driven food recommendations on their health platform.

Product Innovation Marketing Specialist

Enginuity’s Product Innovation division assists and partners with entrepreneurs and organizations launching new products to bring ideas to market. Atlantic Canada has a strong network of Funders, Crown Corporations, Federal agencies, NGO’s and associations; collectively the ‘Innovation Ecosystem’. Enginuity’s Product Innovation Program seeks to strengthen the connection between startups, academia, and technical expertise to drive innovation by solving technologically challenging problems. Understanding the role, suitability, and ‘playbook’ of the ecosystem for individual start-ups is key to driving innovation in Atlantic Canada. By amplifying interactions between these key actors, Enginuity is fostering innovation by supporting the four stages of the innovation life cycle: ideation, project selection, product development, and commercialization. The project will enable Enginuity to identify and pursue new opportunities for marketing innovation to enhance the partner organization’s visibility throughout and beyond Canada. This will be done by identifying and establishing long-term relationships with ecosystem partners, coaching and mentoring entrepreneurs, creating new opportunities for fostering innovation, and connecting stakeholders to essential resources, all while building upon internal experience to ensure a higher chance of success. Not only will this project seek to expand the company’s scope it will aim to secure Enginuity’s position as Atlantic Canada’s Engine for Innovation, but also to lay the groundwork for expansion to the rest of the continent.