title: Cognitive flexibility of single language users and multiple language users in a priming task

contributor:
Wright, Samual (author)
(Bleile, Karmen) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: Recently, it has been suggested that a fast, flexible control process that gets implemented  at the time of the probe display may be a means by which to explain the pattern of  qualitatively different priming effects observed in priming tasks (Milliken, Thompson,  Bleile, MacLellan, & Giammarco, 2012). The present study examined individuals who  are believed to be more cognitively flexible (multiple language users) to see if they  produce patterns of qualitative differences under conditions in which other individuals do  not. It was hypothesized that multiple language users would show qualitatively different  priming effects that depend on the nature of the probe stimuli in the priming task whereas  single language users would fail to show this pattern. The results were not consistent with  the hypothesis as the three-way interaction between language group, selection, and  repetition was not significant. However, the two way interaction between selection and  repetition was significant with both significant positive and significant negative priming  emerging in the same task. These results were observed under conditions in which  Milliken et al. (2012) failed to find this pattern. These results are consistent with the  notion that a fast, flexible control process can be implemented at the time of the probe  display (Crump et al., 2006; Milliken et al., 2012).

abstract: Psychology


title: The acute metabolic and glycemic response of resistance exercise in individuals with type 2 diabetes

type: Text Dissertation/Thesis

contributor:
MacDonald, Sean C. (author)
(Fowles, Jonathon) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

rights: The author grants permission to the University Librarian at Acadia University to reproduce, loan or distribute copies of my thesis in microform, paper or electronic formats on a non-profit basis. The author retains the copyright of the thesis.

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: PURPOSE: This experiment compared the metabolic effects and effects on blood  glucose levels of a single bout of free-weight or resistance band exercise in  individuals with T2DM The metabolic costs of the two exercise modalities were also  compared to young and older non-diabetic samples. METHODS: Young and older  participants completed approximately 30-minutes of resistance exercise using free  weight dumbbells or resistance bands, followed by a 30-minute monitoring period.  The metabolic costs of exercise were recorded with gas analysis (ParvoMedics)  and/or metabolic arm sensors (SenseWear Armband) and were compared to a brisk  walking control condition. Older individuals with T2DM completed both resistance  training modes compared to a sedentary control condition, with the additional  measure of blood glucose taken a total of 5 times (Pre, 15-min, End, 15-min post, and  30-min post). RESULTS: T2DM and older participants achieved similar energy  expenditure from resistance bands when compared to free weight training. Young  participants however achieved a significantly greatly caloric expenditure from  performing free weights compared to resistance bands and in aerobic exercise  compared to resistance exercise. Both methods of resistance exercise resulted in  significant decreases in blood glucose levels when compared to no exercise in  participants with T2DM (P<0.005). CONCLUSION: Resistance band exercise  appears to be an effective tool for aiding in the glycemic control of individuals with  type 2 diabetes; however, more research is needed to examine the long-term health  benefits from using a resistance band training program. Resistance band exercise may  be a more valuable tool in older and diabetic individuals that are new to resistance  training than younger individuals who may require higher intensity exercise.

abstract: Kinesiology


title: Host-specificity, freeze tolerance and infections of Hepatozoon blood parasites in wood frog, Rana sylvatica

contributor:
McGee, Sean M. (author)
(Smith, Todd) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: Hepatozoon catesbianae and Hepatozoon clamatae are apicomplexan blood  parasites of frogs and mosquitoes. These parasites are known to naturally occur in  bullfrogs, Rana catesbiana, and green frogs, Rana clamitans, but only H. catesbianae has  been found to naturally occur in wood frogs, Rana sylvatica. There is also variability in  prevalence and parasitaemia levels for H. catesbianae infections amongst these host  species. To investigate the host-specificity of these two parasites in wood frogs,  mosquitoes were allowed to feed on green frogs infected with both parasites and then fed  to laboratory-raised wood frogs once parasites were mature. Wood frogs are capable of  surviving for long periods of exposure to subzero temperatures, and it is hypothesized  that there may be some interaction between these episodes and parasitaemia levels of  infections with H. catesbianae. A cohort of frogs infected from host-specificity  experiments was acclimated to low temperatures before being frozen at -3 C for 48 hr,  and another cohort remained unfrozen as controls. Samples taken after the frozen frogs  were thawed were used to assess any changes in parasite intensity. Data from this study  was combined with research from previous years to reveal that H. catesbianae occurred  at a significantly higher prevalence (12 of 25 inoculated frogs) compared to H. clamatae  (2 of 25 inoculated frogs). The effects of subzero temperatures on parasitaemia of H.  catesbianae infections are still inconclusive due to low intensity of infections in many of  the infected frogs and to small sample sizes overall. However, there is evidence of a  downward trend in parasitaemia following freezing episodes in experimental groups  compared to unfrozen controls.

abstract: Biology


title: The effect of providing supplemental physical activity & exercise resources in diabetes centers on physical activity and exercise levels of patients with diabetes

contributor:
D'Entremont, Kerri Lisette C. (author)
(Fowles, Jonathon) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: A sedentary lifestyle is thought to be one of the leading causes of type 2 diabetes  and physical activity and exercise have shown to provide physiological benefits in the  treatment and complications of the disease. Unfortunately, participation rates in physical  activity and exercise remain low among people with diabetes. The purpose of this study  was to determine the extent to which providing Diabetes Centers (DC’s) with  supplemental physical activity and exercise resources affects levels of physical activity  and exercise of patients with diabetes. Questionnaires reporting physical activity and  exercise levels, confidence, and clinical values were completed at baseline (N=180) and 6  months (N=118) by patients at eight DC’s across Nova Scotia. DC’s were provided with  physical activity resources such as informational brochures, counseling from a  Kinesiologist, and exercise classes. Paired and mixed method statistical analysis  identified differences in variables between baseline and 6 months, and between those  who did and those who did not make use of the supplemental resources at 6 months.  Results showed increases in reported aerobic exercise and resistance at 6 months. Those  who attended exercise classes reported greater overall health compared to those who did  not. Those who received resistance exercise instruction from a Kinesiologist reported  significantly greater task, self-regulatory, and overall efficacy at 6 months, as well as  significantly lower glycosylated hemoglobin (A1c.) It is concluded that providing DC’s  with supplemental resources increased exercise involvement and clinical outcomes.  Future implications include providing DC’s standard access to these resources on a wider  scale.

abstract: Kinesiology


title: Search for the Higgs boson in the H -> WW(*) -> lvlv channel using multivariate analysis techniques

contributor:
Bluteau, Matthew M. (author)
(Stelzer, Bernd) (Thesis advisor)
(Barkanova, Svetlana) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: A comparison of di erent analysis techniques used in the search for the SM Higgs  boson in the H ! WW( ) ! ` `  + 2-jets channel is conducted using the signal  sensitivity, Ssig = Nsig=  p  Nbg, as the  gure of merit. The two analysis techniques  compared are the cut-based analysis that is currently employed by the ATLAS col-  laboration and the novel application of the Matrix Element Method, a multivariate  analysis (MVA) technique. Although the Matrix Element Method has o ered im-  proved sensitivity in other searches in the past, no improvement in signal sensitivity  is observed in this study over the baseline cut-based analysis. The cut-based analysis  produces a signal sensitivity Ssig = 405:25   4:99%(stat.) while the Matrix Element  Method yields a signal sensitivity Ssig = 402:57 5:00%(stat.). However, it is believed  that this null result is explained by the application of a b-tag veto, and in fact, further  improvements by the HSG3 VBF MVA Group on the Matrix Element Analysis in this  channel have yielded a 286% increase in signal sensitivity, veri ying the ME Method  is capable of improving a search for the Higgs boson.

abstract: Physics


title: Climate change and the United States: A moral responsibility to human rights and policy change

contributor:
Taylor, Sydney N. (author)
(Biro, Andrew) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: Within the realm of contemporary politics, the issue of climate change has  been brought to the forefront of both domestic and international debate. Since the  mid 18th century, humans have industrially produced an abundance of greenhouse  gases, which, in excess concentrations contribute to an unnatural warming pattern  known as ‘global warming’. As industrialization has continued to increase, so too has  average global temperature and today, we are consequently beginning to witness  changing patterns in our climate. Since its discovery, climate change has been  contributed to melting glacial ice caps, rising sea levels, and severe increases in  frequency and strength of weather events. Overall, these events have the potential  to threaten the well being and livelihood of citizens across our globe, as well as their  politically declared human rights; the issue however is while these threats can be  reduced, the United States has chosen a path focused on adapting to the impending  threat of climate change. Drawing on works from Dale Jamieson, Simon Caney, and  Al Gore, this thesis seeks to examine the United States’ actions towards both  international and domestic climate change policies as well as the United States’  moral responsibility and political obligation to acknowledge human rights in the  process. Overall, the argument concludes that in order to secure an environmentally  sustainable future for American and non‐American citizens alike, the United States  needs to approach climate change policies with an aim to mitigate climate change  and adapt to its effects through a collaborative global partnership.

abstract: Politics


title: Peasant resistance to globalizing capitalism and accumulation by dispossession: Comparative case studies of contemporary Brazil and India

contributor:
Ransom, Tanner (author)
(Sacouman, Jim) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: This thesis develops an analysis of resistance movements of landless peasants in Brazil and India to show that these movements are strong cases of progressive struggles to attain land, rights, and dignity despite ongoing globalizing and polarizing capitalist development that actively harms peasant populations. A Marxist framework is employed, especially based on the theory of accumulation by dispossession.  Secondary sources are used to construct a picture of social issues facing peasants in Brazil and India. This method makes both qualitative and quantitative data equally easy to attain. Journal articles, books, and news media are sources drawn upon to gain a broad view of the societies being examined.  Capitalism, particularly in its imperialist forms, has made it extremely difficult for peasants in Brazil and India to transition into the globalized capitalist economy. This difficulty has been shown, in the cases of Brazil and India, to be a result of state collusion with capital built on a history of colonization. Yet, peasant movements continue to struggle against the privatization of lands and dispossession of their ways of life.  An analysis and comparison of capitalistic processes in Brazil and India allows a better understanding of how national differences are transcended by efforts to impose capitalism on subsistence (as opposed to merely market) producers like peasants, and what sort of social problems arise from such imposition.

abstract: Sociology


title: Volunteer motivations as functions of volunteer engagement

contributor:
Winder, Remi I. (author)
(Leiter, Michael) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: Volunteers  from  the  Canadian  Cancer  Society  (CCS)  –  Nova  Scotia  District  were  evaluated  on  their  motivations,  for  and  engagement,  in  their  work  with  the  CCS.  Engagement  was  evaluated  using  the  MBI-‐GS  (Maslach,  Jackson,  &  Leiter,  1996),  and  motivation  was  assessed  using  the  Volunteer  Function  Inventory  (VFI)  (Clary  et  al.,  1998).  The  data  were  divided  across  demographic  variables:  age,  gender,  educational  level,  and  employment  status.  Motivation  and  engagement  were  found  to  be  highly  correlated,  although,  not  in  the  anticipated  patterns.  Variations  across  the  demographic  variables  and  the  expression  of  motivation  and  engagement  provide  information  for  those  interested  in  recruiting  and  retaining  members  of  the  volunteer  labour  force.  This  information  provides  useful  ideas  to  help  non-‐profit  organizations  like  the  Canadian  Cancer  Society  increase  their  short-‐  term  appeal  for  potential  volunteers  and  their  long-‐term  appeal  for  retaining  trained  volunteers.

abstract: Psychology


title: Assessing habitat use by migratory birds using marine radar

contributor:
Comeau, Dominique A. (author)
(Taylor, Phil) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: The importance of non-coastal habitats for migratory passerines is poorly  understood. Counts of birds on the ground are frequently used to measure habitat use by  migrating birds but this is time-consuming. The objective of this study was to develop a  method to assess the use of habitat by migratory passerines during stopover. I used  marine radar to sample the airspace above a site in the Gaspereau Valley with a variety of  different underlying habitats. From data collected between September and November  2011 I extracted data from four nights with intense migration. From each night I then  further extracted 20 minute time periods corresponding to times when passerines were  likely arriving and departing: immediately before and after sunrise, immediately before  and after sunset, and 80 minutes after sunrise. 20 minutes post civil dawn and 20 minutes  post civil twilight had the most intense activity and parameter estimates of fitted models  show that houses and hedgerows were associated with the highest bird densities. I then  selected the lowest altitude targets from multiple detections of individuals and showed  that the relationship between these targets and habitat varied depending on the time  period. Using radar for assessing habitat use by migratory passerines shows promise for  land managers to remotely assess site importance.

abstract: Biology


title: Passive acoustic detection of harbour porpoises in the Minas Passage

contributor:
Porskamp, Peter H. J. (author)
(Redden, Anna) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: Tidal power development sites introduce potential risks to marine mammals. This  project is focused on the acoustic detection of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) at  the FORCE turbine test site in the Minas Passage, using two passive acoustic hydrophone  technologies, the Chelonia Porpoise Detector (C-POD) and the icListenHF. Objectives of  this study are to determine diel, tidal and lunar trends in porpoise activity and to compare  the detection performance of the two hydrophone technologies under high flow  conditions. Determining activity will help assess the potential risks of turbine interaction  with porpoises. Comparing the performance of the two hydrophones in a high flow  environment will help inform the design of marine mammal impact assessment studies.  Range detection tests conducted in July 2012, using VEMCO acoustic transmitters,  showed the icListenHF to have greater detection range than the C-POD. Two C-PODs  and one icListenHF hydrophone were bottom moored at the same site in the Minas  Passage for the entire month of August 2012. Detection positive minutes (DPMs) were  used to indicate porpoise activity. There were more DPMs at night than during the day,  and more DPMs on neap tides than spring tides. Ambient noise levels were highest during  spring tidal cycles, and also higher during flood tides compared to ebb tides, causing  interference with porpoise detection by both the icListenHF and C-PODs. On average, the  icListenHF recorded nearly 10x more DPMs than the C-PODs. This aligns well with a  listening volume that is 11x that of a C-POD. At very high current speeds the  performance of both hydrophone types was limited by noise interference, most likely  bedload transport. Improvements to the hydrophone technologies and how they are  moored are recommended for more effective use in high flow environments.

abstract: Biology


title: Acoustic communication and the role of antennae as putative acoustic sensory organs in pine engraver beetles, Ips pini

contributor:
O'Connor, E. Colleen (author)
(Smith, Todd) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: Pine engraver beetles, Ips pini Say, 1826 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), are widely  distributed across Canada, and invade several species of Pinus Linnaeus (Pinaceae),  where they complete their life cycle under the outer bark, in the phloem. Acoustic  communication confers many advantages to insects, and is used in avoiding predation,  courtship and mating, marking territory, and facilitating social interactions. It has long  been known that female pine engraver beetles produce signals using a vertex-pronotum  stridulatory mechanism, but the mechanism by which these signals are received has not  yet been described. The first objective of this study was to examine the potential role of  the antennal pedicel as an acoustic receptor in pine engraver beetles. The second  objective was to describe how stridulation varied over the course of a male-female  interaction, by comparing interpulse intervals of signals recorded from a microphone and  accelerometer-based sensor. Significant differences were not found in any of eight  parameters of antennal size among 10 males and 10 females. The pedicel of the antenna  does not appear to be enlarged to contain chordotonal organs for acoustic reception.  Interpulse intervals prior to female entry into the nuptial chamber were most commonly  between 0.4-0.7 ms, whereas post-entry interpulse intervals were 0.1 ms. Over a six-week  period, interpulse intervals were most commonly 0.1 ms. These data suggest that  although interpulse intervals may not vary much within the introduction of a female, they  do differ between the introduction and post-entry. The accelerometer-based sensor is a  useful tool for detecting beetle activity as these insects burrow beneath the phloem into  the nuptial chamber and egg gallery, and can be used in further long term analysis of  male-female interactions in the phloem.

abstract: Biology


title: From hobbit holes to the Halls of Héorot: The evolution of heroic culture in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings

contributor:
Muschler, Marc R. (author)
(Whetter, Kevin) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: This thesis is an examination of the different forms of heroism found throughout  J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and the ways in which these forms interact with  concepts such as gender and race. The analysis is divided into three chapters: the first  chapter focuses on the theory of heroism and they ways in which different aspects of the  narrative epitomize the mediaeval, modern, and Tolkienian heroic format. The second  chapter analyzes race and race relations in Middle-earth and how they operate as vehicles  of heroism by which the heroic natures of characters such as Sam, Frodo, and Aragorn are  reinforced. The third and final chapter provides an interpretation of sex and gender in the  heroic ethos of Tolkien’s Middle-earth, discussing the heroic role of women in The Lord  of the Rings. The chapter also discusses the emergence of Queer Theory in Tolkien  criticism and how through a heroic lens the supposedly homosexual relationship between  Frodo and Sam is a misconception The ultimate goal of this thesis is to demonstrate how  the heroic culture of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings fundamentally shapes and dominates  the overarching narrative.

abstract: English & Theatre Studies


title: Development of a PM IRRAS device for the detection of persistent chemical warfare agents

contributor:
Ezekiel, Keegan A. (author)
(Zamlynny, Vlad) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: Polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM IRRAS) was evaluated as a method for detection of the persistent chemical warfare agent (CWA) simulant, 11-mercaptoundecyl phosphoric acid (phosphothiol) deposited via self-assembly on gold. Targeted CWAs (G and V- series nerve agents) are characterized by phosphoric group vibrations present in the 1000 cm-1 – 1200 cm-1 region. The phosphothiol displays a characteristic peak at 1030 cm-1 which was used to determine the limit of detection (LoD) of this CWA simulant with a modified Lambert’s Law plot.  First, the PM IRRAS spectra were simulated using the determined optical constants of phosphothiol and Fresnel equations. The predicted LoD was 16 ng. Next, the PM IRRAS experiments were done using an improved method. The main developments made to the method were: (a) the use of a single Photoelastic Modulator setting of 1400 cm-1; (b) the use of gold slides in place of expensive BaF2 prisms for collection of the calibration spectra; (c) and a simplified method for data processing. The experimental LoD was 21 ng.  Both the simulated and experimental values for the LoD of phosphothiol on gold were lower than the median lethal dose and lowest observable adverse effect level for VX, demonstrating an excellent potential of PM IRRAS for non-contact detection of CWAs.  The agreement between the simulated and experimental LoD demonstrates the utility of simulations in experimental planning and prediction of LoD for CWAs. This is of particular importance for this work because it avoids unnecessary exposure to dangerous CWAs during experiments.

abstract: Chemistry


title: New U: A new path for the university in the 21st century

contributor:
Power, Kyle (author)
(Brickner, Rachel) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: The  purpose  of  this  thesis  is  to  understand  the  contemporary  challenges  facing  the  university,  and  its  role  in  shaping  communities  and  the  production  of  culture.  The  history  of  the  university,  from  the  creation  of  the  institution  in  the  12th  century  until  the  present,  is  reviewed  with  an  emphasis  on  the  evolution  of  pedagogy  and  the  relationship  of  the  university  to  broader  society.  Focusing  on  the  university  of  today,  this  work  examines  the  university’s  changing  priorities,  the  idea  of  “excellence”  as  a  guiding  principle,  and  the  experience  of  students,  all  relating  to  the  university’s  role  in  the  creation  and  dissemination  of  culture.  It  concludes  with  a  discussion  of  critical  pedagogy  and  the  potential  for  its  application  in  the  university,  arguing  that  building  critical  consciousness  is  vital  in  order  for  the  university  to  fulfill  its  academic  and  social  mission.

abstract: Politics


title: Structure and biomass of small-bodied fish populations in Oakland Lake, Nova Scotia

contributor:
Ross, William J. (author)
(Avery, Trevor) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: From 2009 to 2012, American eel (Anguilla rostrata) population dynamics and habitat use has been studied within Oakland Lake – a municipal water supply – as part of the American Eel Habitat Assessment Project. Habitat use was determined using baited eel traps. In 2012, minnow traps were added to catch smaller eels. Eel traps were set at fixed stations and minnow traps were periodically moved. Both eel and minnow traps also caught small-bodied fishes affording the opportunity to: 1) determine the population structure and biomass of small-bodied fishes, and 2) relate these to biomass of bait added to traps. Of 1,359 small-bodied fishes captured, four species were caught regularly: white perch (Morone americana), yellow perch (Perca flavescens), banded killifish (Fundulus diaphanus), and golden shiners (Notemigonus crysoleucas), along with many tadpoles. Fishes were sampled for total length and fin clipped to estimate population sizes. Fish weights were estimated using known weight-length relationships. A total of three mean weight estimates were found for each of the four fish species based on calculated weight-length coefficients ± confidence limits. Population estimates were variable and low recaptures infers low confidence in these estimates. Across the four species, there were 12,011 (95% CI: 3954 to 25,165) fishes. Population estimates and mean weights were then used to estimate the biomass of each fish species. Of nine biomass estimates for each species, total biomass of all fishes was estimated to be between 131 and 295 kg whereas biomass of bait added to the lake was 174 kg. This result suggests that bait loading in Oakland Lake is greater than the naturally available food biomass which may have consequences on small-bodied fishes population dynamics within this system.

abstract: Biology


title: Habitat use by the American Eel (Anguilla rostrata) in relation to substrate and vegetation in Oakland Lake

contributor:
Cottreau, Jonathan R. (author)
(Avery, Trevor) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: Little is known about the habitat use of the American Eel, Anguilla rostrata, which poses a serious problem when looking at ways to protect these fish because habitat loss is linked to most identified threats to this species. The aim of this study is to identify and characterize the types of habitat used most frequently by American Eels in a freshwater environment, and whether habitat use changes throughout a season as vegetation grows and becomes more prevalent. Habitats within Oakland Lake were characterized according to vegetation type and presence, substrate composition, dissolved oxygen levels, pH, temperature, and depth. These characteristics were then compared to eel captures obtained by a capture-mark-recapture survey conducted each summer over a four-year period. Visualizations and analyses determine the frequency of use of habitats defined by habitat zones. It was determined that eel catches changed throughout the course of the summer, and this change was dependent on habitat elements. Eel catches were highest in zones with a substrate composition containing sand, boulders, and lily pads in moderate percentages. Habitats containing little sand and algae yielded very low numbers of eel catches. Homogenous habitats, regardless of substrate or vegetation type, yielded low numbers of eel catches.

abstract: Biology


title: Windows of opportunity: Womens political participation and civil society in the Islamic Middle East. Three case studies: Egypt, Iran, and Turkey

contributor:
Kennell, Sarah A. (author)
(Brickner, Rachel) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2008

abstract: Women’s political participation in the Islamic Middle East is considerably  lower than any in other region of the world. One of the main challenges facing  women’s entry into the political realm is the interpretation of religious texts which  has established a degree of institutional sexism. Such interpretation has had a  significant impact on the lives of women within both the public and private  spheres. In order to increase their levels of political participation, women are  seeking alternative means of gaining entry into the realm of politics.  Specifically, women in the Islamic Middle East are engaging in the realm  of civil society. Given the rise of civil society organizations as a whole throughout  the region, this thesis argues that women are creating windows of opportunity in  order to increase their levels of political participation. In addition to using civil  society as a springboard into the political sphere, women’s engagement in  religious forms of civil society has allowed women to reconnect with Islam and to  challenge the state interpretation of religious traditions.

abstract: Politics


title: Rappin' rurality: an investigation into white rural rap production

contributor:
Gerhardt, Alyssa (author)
(Horgan, Mervyn) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: This thesis examines rural white rap production as an investigation of whether or not social inequalities in a rural community are expressed within the music of local rap artists. There is little scholarly research examining rap production in rural areas, especially in Atlantic Canada.  The sample population for this research consisted of three participants, all of whom are both rap music fans and artists and had spent a significant amount of their lives in rural communities in Nova Scotia. This research utilizes primary data from three qualitative semi-structured interviews. Interview transcripts were open-coded and focus-coded for recurring themes within the responses. The interview results were analyzed drawing on subcultural theory and previous scholarly literature on both rap music and rural culture.  The findings of this study indicate that the participants viewed rap music as a way to express personal narratives and experiences, which were shaped in someway by their community. They also indicated rap as an outlet, either as an escape from everyday life realities or as a way to release frustrations. Race was not noted as significant when discussing their participation in the genre of rap music.  This study provided a basis in which to build further research on rural rap production. Although different patterns and themes can be drawn from the primary data of this study, a larger sample of participants is needed in order to make conclusions on a larger societal level.

abstract: Sociology


title: Employing contact metamorphism to assess the conditions of pluton emplacement in southwestern Kellys Mountain, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia

contributor:
Shawwa, Nabil A. (author)
(Raeside, Robert) (Thesis advisor)
(McMullin, D.W.A.) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: At Kellys Mountain, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, the Neoproterozoic meta-quartz  wacke of the Glen Tosh formation (a low-grade component of the Barachois River  Metamorphic Suite) has been intruded by diorite, granodiorite and granite plutons, and  hosts a narrow metamorphic contact aureole. New mapping and collection of samples in  the contact aureole has shown that the metasedimentary rocks are biotite and cordierite-bearing,  and have reached amphibolite-facies metamorphism. Minor actinolite-bearing  meta-tuff and meta-andesite pods are also found throughout the unit. The conditions of  metamorphism of the aureole have been determined to have resulted in the development  of neoformed biotite, muscovite, cordierite, ilmenite, garnet, andalusite, and sillimanite  within the meta-quartz wacke, a mineral assemblage also found in the Kellys Mountain  Gneiss as a result of low-pressure regional metamorphism. The mineral assemblages in  the Precambrian meta-quartz wacke are sufficiently developed to determine the depths of  intrusion of the plutons, which were the agents of metamorphism of the contact aureole.  Based on similarities in lithology, composition and metamorphic history, the Glen Tosh  formation is proposed to be a correlative to the Kellys Mountain Gneiss.  Petrographic and microprobe analysis have been performed in order to determine  the temperature and pressure conditions of metamorphism of the meta-quartz wacke in the  Glen Tosh formation. Conditions have been determined to be 2.5 to 4.6 kbar at 365 to  745°C, implying intrusion at depths of down to 14 km, although earlier formed andalusite  and garnet indicates the rocks may have initially undergone a low-pressure regional  metamorphic event prior to this deeper high-pressure contact metamorphic event.

abstract: Earth & Environmental Sciences


title: Recently-masculinized and standard male mitotypes of Mytilus edulis in natural mussel beds of Nova Scotia

contributor:
Sinclair-Waters, Marion (author)
(Stewart, Donald) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: Mytilus edulis, the Atlantic blue mussel, has an unusual system of mitochondrial  DNA (mtDNA) inheritance. In most animals, mtDNA inheritance is exclusively  maternal, but in M. edulis, males also inherit paternal mtDNA. Sometimes, pieces of the  maternal and paternal mtDNA will recombine and create a “recently-masculinized” or  RM mitotype. Studies show that sperm with RM mtDNA swim faster than sperm with  standard mitotype (SM) mtDNA. It is hypothesized that faster sperm are at an advantage  in dense mussel beds whereas slower but longer-lived sperm are advantageous in sparse  mussel beds. Because of this advantage we would expect to see higher RM to SM ratios  in dense beds compared to sparse beds. Using primers specific for standard males,  polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing, the ratio of RM to SM mitotypes in  dense versus sparsely distributed beds was examined. Two densely distributed sites in  Digby County (N.S.) showed the presence of only SM males. Ocean currents and larvae  distribution may explain the absence of RM individuals in Digby County. Therefore,  additional sampling was done on the southern and eastern shore of Nova Scotia where  two densely populated sites were studied. At Site 3 in Ship Harbour, the frequency of RM  males was 24.1% and 75.9% for standard males. At Site 4 in the Halifax area, the  frequency of RM males was 13.0% and 87.0% for standard males. This confirms the  presence of RM males in these regions of Nova Scotia. To compare this ratio versus  sparsely distributed beds, additional sampling is needed. Furthermore, sampling from  sites on the southwest coast of Nova Scotia will help determine the geographic  distribution of RM mitotype individuals around Nova Scotia

abstract: Biology


title: Association of Escherichia coli with insect species emerging from the Thomas Brook Watershed

contributor:
Gillis, Jaimee E. (author)
(Smith, Todd) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: The waters and stream sediments of Thomas Brook, a sub-catchment of the  Cornwallis River Watershed, are chronically contaminated with Escherichia coli. Various  sources for this indicator bacterium have been suggested and assessed. However, the role  of insects in introducing and maintaining populations within the brook and the  surrounding environment has not yet been evaluated. The objective of this study was to  determine whether insects emerging from Thomas Brook water carry generic E. coli.  Intercept insect traps were used to collect species emerging from the brook. Weekly  water and insect samples were collected at three separate sites along the brook and  screened for their carriage of culturable E. coli or its DNA. Specific PCR primers were  used to amplify a DNA fragment unique to E. coli. Confirmed E. coli colonies were  further characterized using primers for three marker genes, the presence or absence of  which enabled their placement in specific phylogenetic groups. Escherichia coli DNA  was confirmed in 12 of 49 (24.5%) composite insect samples. Of the positive samples,  the most prevalent insects were true flies and beetles. The majority, 73/138 (52.9%), of E.  coli colonies recovered from water samples belonged to the B1 phylogenetic group, while  62/90 (68.9%) of those from insect samples were of the Group D. Members of groups A  and B1 were not detected among insect isolates. DNA fingerprinting of the common  phylogenetic groups allowed testing of the degree of genetic similarity between insect  and water isolates. In one case, a similar banding pattern (89% similarity coefficient) was  found between a water and three insect isolates, indicating a strong relationship between  the four strains. More intensive sampling of insect species and surrounding areas would  provide greater insight into their potential role in E. coli dissemination.

abstract: Biology


title: When I think about you: Do adult attachment styles predict memory phenomenology and well-being?

contributor:
Stewart, Jessica K. (author)
(Holmberg, Diane) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: The current study investigated whether adult attachment styles predict the  phenomenological characteristics of relationship memories, and whether these  characteristics in turn predict well-being. In addition, the current study investigated the  potential moderating effect of adult attachment styles on the association between memory  phenomenology and well-being. Participants, in a relationship at the time of the study,  completed an online survey asking them to recall and rate a positive and negative  relationship memory, and to rate their state psychological and relational well-being  following each recall. The present findings suggest that, while attachment styles may not  predict memory intensity directly, they can significantly moderate the association  between memory characteristics and well-being. Further research is required to gain a  complete understanding of these issues.

abstract: Psychology


title: Use of restriction fragment length polymorphisms to determine the presence of Sorex maritimensis and Sorex albibarbis DNA from fecal samples across Nova Scotia and parts of New Brunswick

contributor:
Mitchell, Alyssa K. (author)
(Stewart, Donald) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: Non-invasive fecal sampling is emerging as a feasible technique for tracking and determining the distribution of elusive species. Prior studies have generated a field protocol for collecting fecal samples from shrews using baited tubes. However, Nova Scotia’s seven species of shrews have similar diets and similarly sized feces, and so species identification based on fecal morphology has proven to be a challenge. Instead, amplification of a small section of the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene and the use of restriction endonucleases was used to generate species-specific restriction fragment length polymorphisms to identify the white-bearded water shrew, Sorex albibarbis and the Maritime shrew, Sorex maritimensis. One hundred two schools were contacted, with six teachers volunteering their classes to collect samples in fall 2012. Other volunteers recruited by a poster campaign and direct contact with schools and research groups collected samples at five further locations. DNA extracted from ninety-nine fecal samples had concentrations ranging from 2.5-170 mg/mL and A260/A280 values between 0.986-8.000. Positive controls have been used to develop a working protocol for species identification, however no fecal samples have been tested due to difficulties amplifying fecal DNA.

abstract: Biology


title: Socialism in the 21st century?: A case study of the People's War in Nepal

contributor:
den Hollander, Darlene (author)
(Sacouman, Jim) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: This thesis is an exploration of the ways in which the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) has moved Nepal closer to realising a truly socialist state as defined by Michael A. Lebowitz. This work includes an analysis of the practices of the CPN-M throughout the period of the People’s War in Nepal (1996-2006), with a focus on how these practices have moved the people in Nepal to greater representation. The three elements of the socialist triangle, as outlined by Michael A. Lebowitz: social ownership, social production, and the fulfilment of human needs, are defined and held as three measures of creating an ideal socialist society by which the practices of the CPN-M are juxtaposed. While it cannot be understated that the Nepal People’s War has not created this ideal socialist society, this thesis focuses on the ways that the CPN-M has, in some concrete ways, moved towards creating people who, through their own actions, have greater ability to move towards a socialist system then was perceived as possible before the beginning of the Maoist insurgency.

abstract: Sociology


title: The relationships between self-efficacy, multidimensional perfectionism, passion and burnout among varsity athletes: A preliminary analysis

contributor:
Weldrick, Rachel (author)
(Shields, Chris) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: In sport there exists the perfectionism paradox in which the notion of achieving  perfection helps to drive goal-oriented behaviour, but perfectionism is also thought to  lead to dissatisfaction and burnout. Parallel work exists on passion in sport with passion  being conceptualized as harmonious (adaptive) or obsessive (maladaptive). There is  much less literature examining the relationships between these and other social-cognitions  such as self-efficacy or relational perceptions (e.g., how confident athletes feel  their coaches are). The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships  between perfectionism, passion, and burnout among athletes. In addition, the relationship  between athletes’ self-efficacy and relational perceptions of their coach (RISE) and  perfectionism were examined. Using a cross-sectional design, varsity athletes (N = 31)  completed an online questionnaire assessing perfectionism, passion, burnout, self-efficacy  and RISE. Bivariate correlations revealed a number of significant relationships;  of note, burnout was negatively related to harmonious passion, self-efficacy, and RISE  (all rs > 0.42, ps < 0.01). MANOVA revealed that those with lower burnout had higher  levels of harmonious passion (M = 6.37) compared to those with higher burnout scores  (M = 4.98, p < 0.001). Regression analysis revealed that both perfectionism cognitions (β  = 0.35, p = 0.006) and harmonious passion (β = -0.67, p < 0.001) were significant  predictors of athlete burnout, accounting for an overall 59% of the variance. These  preliminary findings provide insight into the relationships between these key constructs  in sport and suggest potential implications for coaching tactics to prevent burnout while  simultaneously fostering adaptive forms of perfectionism.  Keywords: perfectionism, burnout, passion, self-efficacy, athletes

abstract: Psychology


title: The effect of food conditioning films on the attachment of Listeria monocytogenes to food contact surfaces

contributor:
Morash, Jordan B. (author)
(d'Entremont, Hélène) (Thesis advisor)
(Ells, Tim) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive bacterium that is one of the most  commonly detected foodborne pathogens resulting in food recalls. Listeriae are  problematic for the food processing industry as they can survive harsh environmental  conditions through the formation of biofilms. Since L. monocytogenes is capable of  growing at refrigeration temperatures, surviving cells of this pathogen residing in biofilms  can reach dangerous levels on foods or food contact surfaces. I investigated the effects  different food-conditioning films have on the attachment of L. monocytogenes 568 (Lm  568; serotype 1/2a) and L. monocytogenes 21F10 (Mutant) to several surfaces relevant to  those found in dairy processing environments (polycarbonate, Buna-N rubber, silicone  rubber, stainless steel). The attachment trials were conducted under static conditions using  CDC biofilm reactors containing small circular coupons (standardized dimensions)  consisting of the test materials. In order to coat the surfaces with dairy-related food films,  the coupons were first submerged in different dairy-related solution/suspensions for 20-24  hours. The reactors were drained and the coupons gently washed with sterile water. The  bioreactors were then refilled with a suspension of Lm 568 cells and incubated at room  temperature for two hours to allow for attachment. After the bioreactors were emptied, the  coupons were washed with water and the bacteria from each coupon were enumerated.  My results showed that not only does the type of surface affect attachment, but also  certain food coatings can either reduce or promote attachment. By understanding how  certain food film coatings inhibit bacterial attachment to surfaces found in a food  processing plant environment, it may be possible to treat or design food contact surfaces  that deter biofilm and/or make sanitization procedures more efficient.

abstract: Biology


title: Critical value computations for multiple comparisons of three means of unbalanced normal models

contributor:
Robichaud, Megan (author)
(Peng, Jianan) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: This thesis considers the problem of critical value calculations for multiple compar-  isons of three normal means based on Lee et al.'s (2005) one-sided multiple comparison  test (OMCT) procedure. Lee et al. (2005) provided critical values for the balanced  cases only. The OMCT procedure is a generalization of Hayter's (1990) one-sided  studentized range test (OSRT) procedure. The computation of critical values for the  OMCT procedure is much more complicated than that in Hayer et al. (2008) for the  OSRT procedure. R programs that use one-dimensional numerical integration have  been developed which will allow experimenters to easily obtain the required critical  values and p-values.

abstract: Mathematics & Statistics


title: Isomorphism of spreads and stars

contributor:
Spencer, Neil (author)
(Ranjan, Pritam) (Thesis advisor)
(Mendivil, Franklin) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: Full factorial and fractional factorial designs with randomization restrictions are often  used for designing industrial experiments when complete randomization of the trials  is impractical. Ranjan, Bingham and Dean (2009) and Ranjan, Bingham and Muk-  erjee (2010) developed a uni ed theory for the construction of these designs using a  projective geometric formulation. They established that the existence of 2p factorial  designs with randomization restrictions correspond to the existence of partial spreads  and stars of the projective space PG(p 􀀀 1; 2). The designs obtained can be ranked  using criteria like maximum resolution, minimum aberration, number of clear e ects,  and so on. In order to  nd the best design under a speci ed ranking criterion, it  is critical to  rst check if two designs are isomorphic (i.e., essentially the same) or  not. In this thesis, we  rst propose a de nition of the isomorphism of two spreads,  and then we develop several algorithms for checking isomorphism of spread and star  based designs. These algorithms are e cient because they employ fast techniques for  checking equivalence of spreads and reducing the search space of possible relabellings.

abstract: Mathematics & Statistics


title: The relationship of components of experiential and behavioral self-regulation to psychological well-being for long-term and short-term goal pursuits

contributor:
Bauer, Rebecca (author)
(Horvath, Peter) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: The purpose of this longitudinal study was to determine what relationship experiential and behavioral self-regulations may have with psychological well-being with regard to different goal pursuits. University students listed goals, either short-term or long-term, completed measures of regulatory styles, and rated their experiential and behavioral self-regulations of goal pursuits. These ratings were used to predict changes in measured well-being over a period of time. It was hypothesized that for the promotion of well-being, behavioral self-regulation would be appropriate for short-term goals, while experiential self-regulation would be appropriate when applied to long-term goals. These hypotheses were modestly supported; experiential self-regulation predicted well-being for both long-term and short-term goals, while behavioral self-regulation predicted well-being for short-term goals. The findings imply that as far as the promotion of well-being is concerned, different situations and goal conditions might require different types of self-regulation.  Keywords: behavioral self-regulation, experiential self-regulation, goal content, goal progress ratings, well-being

abstract: Psychology


title: The sustainable self: A gateway to a greener future

contributor:
Loik, Logan (author)
(Horgan, Mervyn) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: The purpose of this study is to highlight the ability of individual efforts to alter  consumption practices in light of a changing climate. In this thesis I argue that in order to  realize a sustainable future, one which values the relationships between the environment  and society, a movement must first occur within the individual that balances the  consumption processes of modern life in a more environmentally-conscious manner. First,  the history of consumption is discussed as a means of showing how capitalism has  provided the conditions for consumer culture and over-consumption. Then, work by  Klaus Eder (1996) and Karl Marx (1974) are used to portray the social construction of  nature and commodity fetishism, respectively, which explains the idea and motivation for  capitalist society’s commodification of nature. The motivation for altering individual  consumption practices is explained through a discussion of Ulrich Beck’s (1992; 1999)  work on risk society and society’s need to collectively manage the risks of a changing  climate. The primary research in this study uses a mixed-method approach to portray my  consumption practices using self-reflexive autoethnographic vignettes on my practices of  water, electricity, and food consumption. Each vignette is followed by a quantitative  analysis of the practice being discussed, followed again by my attempts to lessen the  impact of each practice. The result of this research shows that individual efforts to affect  sustainable consumer practices, though minimal in my experience, are in fact achievable.  However, it is important to note that individual consumer practices alone will not mitigate  the impacts of climate change; therefore, a further discussion of alternative models to  consumer society is needed.

abstract: Sociology


title: Examining the male coach-male athlete relationship involving starting and non-starting athletes

contributor: (Kruisselbrink, Darren) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the nature of the male coach-male athlete relationship involving starting and non-starting athletes. METHODS: Four male coach-male athlete dyads were interviewed; two dyads involved starting athletes and two involved non-starting athletes. Each participant was interviewed individually. The interviews addressed the thoughts, feelings, and behaviours of each dyad member with regards to their relationship. RESULTS: The major themes that emerged from grounded theory were: coach as authority figure, mutual understanding, team first, and character. The coach-athlete relationship is influenced by the coach being an authority figure. Additionally, the coach-athlete relationship is impacted by dyad members’ mutual understanding and how they care about the team. Finally, the character of coaches and athletes plays a role in the relationship they have. Subtle differences between the starting and non-starting relationships were present for lower level themes. IMPLICATIONS: Communication that is open, frequent, and about non-sport related topics encourages a successful coach-athlete relationship. As well, it is important for both dyad members to demonstrate that they care for the team. Finally, the coach-athlete relationship benefits from both dyad members being consistent in their behaviours.

abstract: Kinesiology


title: Youth offender legislation and social change in Canada since 1908

contributor:
Smith, Kaleigh (author)
(Thomson, Tony) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2012

abstract: This thesis examines changes in youth legislation in Canada from the implementation of the Juvenile Delinquents Act in 1908 to the Youth Criminal Justice Act in 2003. The thesis discusses the social context within which the legislation was enacted, the philosophy underlying the Acts, and specific details of the Acts. Secondary research is used as the method of data collection. The research highlights criticism of each Act and, up to 2003, the solutions to those criticisms that become embodied in the newer Act. The thesis provides an overview of different perspectives on the issue of youth legislation in Canada.

abstract: Sociology


title: Ocean acidification effects on the mollusk industry in Atlantic Canada: A first look into the economic costs of the ocean's changing chemical balance in Atlantic Canada

contributor:
Mahoney, Megan M. (author)
(Skjei, Scott) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: This thesis examines how ocean acidification will impact the mollusk industry of Atlantic Canada. Analysis of the industry over a fifteen-year period is averaged and then assessed using a net present value approach. Predicted impacts of ocean acidification are then combined with revenues in the mollusk industry. Different environmental scenarios and discount rates are also considered. The information is then combined and equated with a net present value approach to estimate the possible direct economic losses to the industry. At a 3.5% discount rate, results show that the economic losses expected for the mollusk industry in Atlantic Canada range between $600 thousand and $2.5 million 2010 constant Canadian dollars for the year 2060. For 2100, the expected economic loss for Atlantic Canada’s mollusk industry ranges between $350 thousand and $1.5 million 2010 constant Canadian dollars. This represents potential decreases of 5-22% in the Atlantic Canada mollusk industry, and implies that mitigation processes on carbon emissions should be introduced as soon as possible.

abstract: Economics


title: Recruitment and retention: Canadian Pony Club

contributor:
Bowlby, Jessica (author)
(Sears, Donna) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: Canadian Pony Club (CPC) is a not-for-profit organization that educates and  provides competition for young riders. It has been experiencing a steady decay in  membership and has not yet found a way to reverse this decline. This research  investigates ways CPC can increase its recruitment and retention by learning how horse  enthusiasts perceive them. Once CPC understands the ways that current and former  members perceive the organization, it can proceed with improving its offerings. In turn,  these efforts should help CPC to reverse membership decline.  Twenty-four horse enthusiasts participated in personal interviews; an additional  two hundred completed an online survey. Overall, participants had a very high brand  awareness and recognition but lacked loyalty to the organization. Research participants  felt CPC had benefits in regards to the quality of education and international horse-related  opportunities, but lacked in overall marketing efforts and relationship-building among  members. Respondents also made recommendations on how to better promote CPC  program and educate the public, so the public understands all the benefits of being a  member, as well as how to get involved. Some participants suggested expanding the  target market by including Western disciplines, as well as providing programs and  opportunities for individuals over the age of twenty-five.

abstract: Business


title: Influence of ankle taping and spatting on range of motion, perceived stability, perceived comfort, and performance in male varsity football athletes

contributor:
Cullen, Hilary Marie (author)
(King, Colin) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: Ankle sprains are the most prevalent athletic injury sustained by collegiate  American football players. Of these sprains, 85% occur when an athlete’s ankle is  unexpectantly forced into an inverted and plantarflexed position. This causes the foot to  roll onto its lateral border, putting excessive strain on the lateral ligamentous complex. Of  this complex, the anterior talofibular ligament (ATF) is the most likely to be injured in the  inverted position. Athletic taping has been proven to be effective in ankle sprain injury  prevention, treatment and rehabilitation by mechanically restricting joint range of motion  (ROM). However, perspiration and skin mobility are known to negatively affect the  adhesive qualities of athletic tape and therefore limit its ability to restrict ankle joint ROM.  An alternative method of ankle taping involves tape application to the exterior portion of  an athlete’s cleat so that the tape adhesive cannot be affected by perspiration or skin  mobility. This technique is referred to as spatting.  The present study proposes to determine the best method for athletic taping and  spatting to support the ankle joint. The study focused on four taping conditions 1) non-treatment  control condition, 2) taping alone, 3) spatting alone, and 4) taping and spatting  combined. These conditions were investigated with respect to their ability to restrict ankle  ROM, influence perceptions of stability and comfort as well as their effect on vertical  jump and agility performance.  Overall, the taping and spatting combination was found to be the best combination.  This combination was able to best restrict ankle joint ROM and was perceived to be the  most stable by participants. No statistically significant differences were found between  groups with respect to perceived comfort, vertical jump performance or agility  performance.

abstract: Kinesiology


title: Electrophysiological assessment of aspects of language in a child with Congenital Disorder of Glycosylation: A case study

contributor:
Webster, Rebecca E. (author)
(Newman, Randy Lynn) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: The current study examined the language abilities of a child, RS, who has Congenital  Disorder of Glycosylation (CDG). Due to severe verbal and motor impairments, event-related  potentials provide the only suitable means to assess her cognitive functioning.  Typically developing children served as a comparison group in two experiments. In the  first, participants heard their own names interspersed with seven others. Both RS and the  comparison group displayed a larger negativity to their own names compared to other  names. The second experiment had two conditions. In the word condition, a standard  word was replaced on some trials by a second word, the deviant. In the pseudoword  condition, a standard word was replaced by a pseudoword deviant. While the comparison  group elicited a mismatch negativity (MMN) to word and pseudoword deviants, RS  elicited an MMN-like response to pseudoword deviants only. Overall, RS appears to  recognize her own name and distinguish words from pseudowords.  Keywords: language, children, Congenital Disorder of Glycosylation (CDG),  event-related potentials (ERP), mismatch negativity (MMN), P300, name recognition,  auditory.

abstract: Psychology


title: The impact of salt marsh restoration on mercury fate and biogeochemistry

contributor:
Godfrey, J. Adam D. (author)
(O'Driscoll, Nelson) (Thesis advisor)
(Silmur, Tom) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: The Bay of Fundy is an area of concern for mercury (Hg) contamination because it is a  staging point for migratory shorebirds. Coastal salt marsh restoration on dyked farmland  is being explored along the bay's coast, however little is known about the effects of  reclamation on mercury concentration and speciation in sediments. In this study,  sediment cores were sampled (0-15 cm) before and after a dyke was breached in 2011  and compared to cores sampled from the neighbouring mudflat, salt marsh, and field.  Three cores were sampled from each of the post-breach reclaimed area, salt marsh,  mudflat, and field, and two from the reclaimed area pre-breach. Sediment cores were  sectioned and solids analyzed for total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) , as  well as electrical conductivity (EC), pH, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), water-extractable  organic carbon (WEOC), organic matter (%OM), and clay content (%Clay).  All parameters were significantly altered by tidal inundation. From pre- to post-breach  THg doubled, EC increased 240%, pH increased from 5.25 to 7.40, %OM increased 64%,  %Clay increased 74%, and WEOC increased 98%, whereas ORP decreased 104% and  MeHg decreased 23%. Increases in pH, EC, WEOC, %OM, and %Clay are known to  decrease the bioavailability of MeHg through several processes including: (i) increased  particle binding and sedimentation; (ii) formation of dissolved gaseous mercury and  volatilisation to the atmosphere; and (iii) demethylation of MeHg. This research suggests  that methylmercury does not increase in restored salt marshes in the short-term (< 1  year), however more research is required to confirm these results.

abstract: Environmental & Sustainability Studies


title: System of violence: Drug trafficking, illusion, and the failures of the War on Drugs

contributor:
Kareemi, Qasim Ali Khaliq (author)
(Brickner, Rachel) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: The War on Drugs as a whole has been an astounding failure. Despite millions of dollars  invested every year, the war has done little to curb the spread of drug use. This thesis  aims to first show how the war has failed and then to illuminate the reasons for this  failure. It argues that poor policy choices made by states in combatting drug trafficking  stem from a misguided analysis of the illicit drug trade. A deeper analysis looks at the  historical realities that gave birth to the drug trade and the socio-economic motivations of  those who actively take part in the trade. In this vein the thesis explores the cases of drug  trafficking in Colombia and Mexico. Through these cases it is argued that better policy  measures will look toward increasing social welfare and economic opportunities at the  local level in order to undermine the drug industry.

abstract: Politics


title: Mercury bioaccumulation in dragonflies (Odonata: Anisoptera) from Two Lakes in Kejimkujik National Park, Nova Scotia.

contributor:
Buckland-Nicks, Amy H. (author)
(O'Driscoll, Nelson) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2011

abstract: Mercury biomagnification is a concern due to neurotoxic effects in higher trophic organisms. Dragonflies (Odonata: Anisoptera) are vectors for MeHg in aquatic and terrestrial food chains. Dragonfly naiads, adults, and exuviae were collected from two lakes in Kejimkujik National Park, Nova Scotia. Samples were dried, digested, and analyzed for methylmercury (MeHg), divalent mercury (Hg(II)), and total mercury (THg) using gas chromatography-atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (AFS).  Big Dam West lake dragonfly samples had greater MeHg, Hg(II), and THg than Big Dam East; reflecting higher water mercury concentrations and indicating potential as biomonitors. MeHg concentrations in naiads (n=64) ranged widely (mean: 0.2337 ± 0.1129 μg g-1) and %MeHg was high (mean: 92% ± 4%). Adults (n=28) had similar dry weight MeHg but higher wet weight MeHg and THg, and lower %MeHg than naiads. Exuviae (n=32) had 50-fold lower MeHg than naiads and adults but nearly equal Hg(II). Emerging adults had similar MeHg to naiads and mature adults; however, they had between 1.5 and 3-fold higher Hg(II). Bioaccumulation patterns of Hg(II) in dragonfly life stages may provide information on MeHg detoxification. MeHg and THg increased with naiad age and weight, with a large increase in variation. Oldest and heaviest naiads had both the lowest and highest MeHg. Hg(II) had an opposite pattern to MeHg, with concentrations and variation decreasing with age and weight. Results indicate that dragonflies may have mechanisms of MeHg detoxification; however, they still have a high potential for transferring substantial amounts of MeHg to aquatic and terrestrial food chains.1

abstract: Earth & Environmental Sciences


title: Sanskrit and Sunder

contributor:
Huizen, Jennifer K (author)
(Campbell, Wanda) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2011

abstract: “Sanskrit and Sunder” is a collection of forty free verse poems arranged into  two sections juxtaposed to underline the major purpose in the collection which is to  explore the relationship between togetherness and separation. The first section,  entitled “Sanskrit,” based upon travels in India and Nepal bears witness to an  intense cultural togetherness and movement away from traditional North American  concepts of individualism. These poems work both on a visual and conceptual level  to further ideas of connectedness and unison in both culture and nature. The second  section of the collection, entitled “Sunder,” consists of poems expressing how issues  of separation permeate perceptions and reflections on life in Canada. Both the form  and subject matter of the poems in the second section reflect patterns of isolation  found in North American culture, and how these manifest in the way individuals  think about their relationships with others and with nature.

abstract: English & Theatre Studies


title: Wikileaks as new media: An analysis of the press, democracy and the future of journalism in a Wikileaks world

contributor:
Johnston, Angela N. (author)
(Pyrcz, Greg) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2011

abstract: Democratic standards of the press - accountability, objective information, and  participation and deliberation - have not maintained their expected status in recent years.  Technology, especially the Internet, has shaken journalism and the traditions embedded  within it. Newspapers are sacrificing quality content for entertainment or other trivial  stories that sell, and journalists are defaulting on their watchdog duties by regurgitating  stories that governments hand out in press release form. Although journalism may be  shifting and evolving, it does not mean its duty to democracy has disappeared. The  advent of the Internet-based news platform Wikileaks has provided citizens with a new  means to receive information on a controversial war. It has also fostered discussion and  debate on the Afghan and Iraq “war logs,” and the most recent “Cablegate” releases.  This thesis compares Wikileaks, and other similar open-source leaking websites,  to their traditional journalistic counterparts in a study of whether or not Wikileaks, and  consequently the Internet, can successfully fulfill the democratic roles of the traditional  press: its accountability function, informational role, and deliberative purpose.  I conclude that regardless of Wikileaks’ effects in the long run, sites like  Wikileaks are important at this time, as a reminder of the importance of the press for  democracy, as a catalyst for increased accountability and transparency in government,  and for increased democratization. In order to further capitalize on the benefits of  Wikileaks, a more synergistic collaboration between the mainstream press and smaller,  independent, and non-institutional, new media news efforts should be fostered. My  observations and conclusions are important and timely in an age where the way media  and the Internet shapes our lives is becoming increasingly significant.

abstract: Politics


title: Breaking down barriers: Living with a physical disability on the Acadia campus

contributor:
Duffett, Emily M. (author)
(Rippeyoung, Phyllis) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2011

abstract: This thesis explores the physical, attitudinal, support services, personal and institutional barriers that are present for students with physical disabilities at Acadia University. In this research, I carry out an institutional ethnography through the use of a thorough review of national, provincial, and university policy; an autoethnography to explore my own experiences as a student with a physical disability; and interviews with the President of the University and with staff from the Student Resource Centre. From this, I am able to provide insight into the points of view of both those who experience barriers due to a disability and those who are in a position to help these students. I found that students with disabilities do face many more barriers within a post secondary education setting than average students. There is also no central legislation that helps to protect the rights of students with disabilities. I conclude with recommendations for how to improve accessibility on the Acadia campus, including the need for increased accessibility of buildings, rewriting the Senate Policy on Students with Disabilities that Affect Learning, and hiring an equity officer to ensure that issues of accessibility do not go unfixed.

abstract: Sociology


title: Development of an analytical method for the measurement of copper isotope ratios in mineral exploration

contributor:
Hollingdale, Christie Rose (author)
(Murimboh, John) (Thesis advisor)
(Stanley, Cliff) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2011

abstract: A method was developed for measuring copper isotope ratios with a quadrupole inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). The optimization process targeted the instrument timings, peristaltic pump, spray chamber, and minimizing the effect of fluctuations in the plasma through collisional damping. The optimized setup involved the implementation of a self-aspirating sample probe and a Peltier-cooled dual component chamber spray chamber. However, collisional damping with an inert gas using neon and with a reactive gas using methane were not effective in improving isotope ratio precision. Copper isotope ratios were measured with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 0.038 ± 0.001 % using the optimized method. To the best of my knowledge, this is the highest precision that has been attained for the measurement of copper isotope ratios by quadrupole ICP-MS, which could have very favourable applications for geochemical exploration as well as source apportionment, tracking the history of contaminants, and studying pathways and processes by which contaminants are distributed within the environment.

abstract: Chemistry


title: The implementation and evaluation of the S.M.I.L.E. Snack Program for children of varying abilities: A case study

contributor:
Milan, Amber M. (author)
(Mihalynuk, Tanis) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2011

abstract: Nutrition and food programs have evidenced positive impacts on improved nutrition, performance, and wellbeing for children. A Snack Program was proposed for the S.M.I.L.E. Program at Acadia University, which develops physically active lifestyles in children with varying abilities. The Snack Program aimed to influence children‘s snacking knowledge, attitude and behaviours via nutritious snack provision and nutrition education. It was designed and its concepts tested; following implementation in September 2010, a case study approach evaluated its impacts on participants. The Snack Program evidenced potential for promoting healthy food choices and food creativity. Although children reported basic healthy eating knowledge, it was insufficient to influence behaviours. Further education should focus on portion control and sensory analysis of novel foods—a positive influence on children‘s liking and trying of foods, important for developing healthy eating habits. Findings may be applied broadly to childhood programs, additionally to those focusing on children with varying abilities.

abstract: Nutrition & Dietetics


title: Justice Frank Iacobucci on principles of fairness in employment law

contributor:
Desjardins, Elizabeth (author)
(Grant, James) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: The purpose of this research is to identify themes in Supreme Court of Canada Justice Frank Iacobucci relating to employment law. Previous research on Justice Iacobucci did not focus specifically on employment law or did not attempt to identify his decision-making criteria (Langille & Macklem, 2007). Since there is much scholarly and public debate about whether the Supreme Court of Canada came to the right decision on a particularly decisive issue, it is important to understand any principles the justices may follow (Roach, 2007).  The chosen cases reflect those that scholars consider watershed cases in their respective fields (Roach, 2007). Through the grounded theory approach to analysis, themes within the cases became prominent (Kelle, 2005). These themes related to or contrasted with what appeared in the existing literature (Langille & Macklem, 2007).  The results show different influences of Justice Iacobucci’s approach to law, including: the power of judicial review, the dialogue metaphor, his time as an academic, existing employment jurisprudence, and political leanings. Most notably, the research showed that, although justices often claim that they do not use ethical theories, Justice Iacobucci in particular valued the principles of justice. A principled decision usually meant a fairer outcome for both parties than if the justice did not rely on such principles. He also tended to produce consistent outcomes among similar cases. Future lawyers can learn from Justice Iacobucci’s method in order to understand how to create the best possible outcome.

abstract: Business


title: Understanding The Basics Of Decision Making

contributor:
Thomasdottir, Hrefna A. (author)
(Mehta, Rick) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: The goal of the current study was to examine which predictors could best explain performance on a battery of decision making tasks designed to assess whether people would exhibit heuristics and biases. Specifically, three predictors were of interest: information processing styles, numeracy, and cognitive reflection. The data were collected through questionnaires from 120 university students. The results demonstrated that both cognitive reflection and numeracy were significant predictors of performance on the decision making battery, while information processing styles could not predict anything over and above what cognitive reflection and numeracy could. The results also suggest that both cognitive reflection rates and numeracy rates are relatively low in the general population, which can have negative implications for people’s finances, health and more.

abstract: Psychology


title: The issue of suicide in contemporary Canadian society: A discourse analysis

contributor:
Knickle, Stacey (author)
(Kitchin, Heather) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: This thesis examines bodies of discourse that shape our understanding of suicide, revealing ways by which notions of “truth” emerge through the various ways of knowledge construction. For centuries, suicide, as a contested act, has drawn the attention in part, of academics, Biblical scholars, legal analysts and the lay public. All of this attention has given rise to various discourses that seek to understand and regulate suicide; some of these discourses have proven over time to have greater power and longevity. Using secondary materials, this thesis deconstructs traditional discourses (e.g., Christian doctrine) that have influenced notions of suicide through condemnation. At a further level, I comparatively examine the complementary discourses that have supported traditional discourses, serving to sustain their power vis-à-vis those discourses that have appeared in contest to the more traditional, stringently proscriptive views toward suicide. In examining the missions of more contemporary competing discourses that have surfaced within Western society and which declare suicide as a human right, I propose that ultimately a person should enjoy the right to have control over one’s own body. Suicide should be regarded as a human choice.

abstract: Sociology


title: Rehabilitation programs in Canadian prisons and films: Reality and representation

contributor:
Dearman, Hayley (author)
(Thomson, Tony) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: This thesis examines whether selected films showing rehabilitation of prisoners  depict the rehabilitation process realistically. The thesis analyzes four American films  that have rehabilitation as a predominant theme and compares the representation of  reform in prison to the actual practice of rehabilitation in the Canadian prison system.  Media analysis is concerned with decoding the often hidden messages in films that may  reflect the dominant or hegemonic ideology. While media effects are controversial in  cultural studies, it is important to analyze the messages before you can ask whether they  have any effects. The thesis provides a detailed look at the storyline, themes and  representation of rehabilitation in the four films. Rehabilitation in Canada is a complex  process that includes the accreditation of specific programs and risk/need assessment,  which matches inmate needs to specific program opportunities. Using interpretative  analysis, I have found that there are more differences than similarities between the  Canadian system and rehabilitation shown in films. The Canadian system puts an  emphasis on group sessions and education whereas the fictional stories of the films put an  emphasis on personal relationships. Films show a glamorized version of rehabilitation  that emphasizes the ideology of individual responsibility for personal change.

abstract: Sociology


title: Instruments of civilization: British economic imperialism in India during the nineteenth century

contributor:
Wadden, Paul (author)
(Whidden, James) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: On 10 May 1857 a group of Indian soldiers known as Sepoys took up arms against the British in India. The revolt was immense, but the British were ultimately able to suppress the mutiny and retain control over India. However, the Sepoy Mutiny showed the British government that its involvement in India would have to change if it wanted to maintain control of the subcontinent. Indeed, the British government needed to keep India under its thumb in order to make up for the massive debts that the colony had incurred. By examining the Sepoy Mutiny, one can see the original purpose of the British in India was economic, and by exploring the nearly half century after the event, it is obvious that their purpose for keeping India as a colony did not change.  The societal and infrastructural changes made in India by the East India Company and the British government were made with the desire to extract revenue from the colony. Land and tax reforms forced the peasantry to alter their lifestyles, which culminated in 1857 with the Sepoy Mutiny, and in 1876 with the Great Famine. While the British government attempted to prevent scenarios like these from happening, the discourses and projects that the British government engaged in made these situations almost impossible to avoid. Railway networks, irrigation canals, and a shift to a market-based economy were all detrimental to rural India, despite the fact that they were all implemented by the British government to help ‗improve‘ the colony.  This thesis examines the impact of British economic imperialism on India during the nineteenth century. It uses contemporary British parliamentary documents, including an 1856 text which discusses whether or not India, or any colony, was worth maintaining.

abstract: History & Classics


title: Breeding density and breeding phenology of Nelson's Sparrows (Ammodramus nelson) in saltmarsh and inland habitats

contributor:
Rose, Julia M. (author)
(Mallory, Mark) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: The Nelson’s Sparrow (Ammodramus nelsoni) is a small, secretive songbird that breeds in  marsh habitats along the coast of Atlantic North America, and is strongly associated with  saltmarshes in the Maritime Provinces. In 2012, I studied the breeding density and  breeding season duration of Nelson’s Sparrows in both saltmarsh and inland wetland  habitats at the Beaubassin Research Station near Aulac, New Brunswick. A total of 20  point count stations were selected, 10 stations within the boundaries of the saltmarsh  habitat and 10 stations within inland habitats among freshwater marshes. Point counts  were conducted beginning in mid-June, when it became apparent that the sparrows had  returned to the property, through to late July (15 days over this period). During the initial  10 sampling days in June, there were consistently higher numbers of male sparrows  singing (an indication of breeding) in the saltmarsh habitat than in inland habitats.  However, no significant difference in breeding activity existed for the habitats during the  weekly July counts. Although Nelson’s Sparrows at the Beaubassin Research Station will  breed primarily in the saltmarsh, results suggested that they will also breed in suboptimal  habitats located inland. Nonetheless, its apparent preference for the saltmarsh may allow  the species to serve as a suitable bioindicator of saltmarsh quality across parts of  Canadian Maritime coasts.

abstract: Biology


title: The Manchurian incident, the League of Nations, and the road to the Pacific War

contributor:
Yuan, Tao (author)
(Perrins, Robert John) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: On the night of 18 September 1931, Japanese soldiers from the Kwantung Army stationed in northeast China (‘Manchuria’) detonated a bomb on the railway tracks in the southern outskirts of the city of Shenyang (Mukden). Blaming the explosion on Chinese saboteurs, the Kwantung Army used the incident as the pretext for launching an invasion of the entire region. Within a few weeks, the Kwantung Army had seized most of northeast China, and began to establish a puppet-government in the region. The Manchurian Incident of 1931 was the most significant diplomatic and military crisis in East Asia prior to the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937.  In the days, weeks, and months, following the explosion on the railway tracks in Mukden both the Chinese and Japanese governments sought to make their respective cases in the international diplomatic venue for settling disputes—the League of Nations. After weeks of inaction, the Executive Committee of the League established a five-member commission of inquiry to investigate the Manchurian Incident and the conflicting Chinese and Japanese claims. Under the chairmanship of Lord Lytton of the United Kingdom, the League’s commission traveled to many locations in East Asia gathering evidence and interviewing both witnesses and interested parties, before it drafted its report in the summer of 1932.  While the League sought to use diplomacy to diffuse the situation, and await Lord Lytton’s report, Japanese militarists sought to consolidate their hold over northeast China by establishing the puppet-state under the symbolic headship of Aisin-Gioro Pu Yi, the last emperor of the Qing dynasty who had relinquished the throne in ix  1911, and who was now to be established as the Emperor Gang De, the first emperor of the new ‘independent’ nation of Manzhouguo.  When the Lytton Commission’s report was finally released in 1932, it not only failed to resolve the crisis in Manchuria and the growing tension between China and Japan, but also led to the Japanese government’s decision to quit the League later that year. This thesis examines the history of the Manchurian Incident and the broader Sino-Japanese crisis of 1931-1932. In addition to reviewing a wide variety of secondary literature on the topic, I have also examined some of the key primary sources from the period, including the Lytton Commission’s full report to the League of Nations, and British diplomatic letters. By examining the history of the Manchurian Incident this thesis illuminates part of the path that led to the Pacific War. 1

abstract: History & Classics


title: Rewriting the past, reshaping the place: The impact of tourism on Canadian landscape, history and national identity in Thomas Wharton's Icefields and Suzette Mayr's The Widows

contributor:
MacDonald, Erin (author)
(Wyile, Herb) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: Both Thomas Wharton’s depiction of the Columbia Icefields in Icefields and Suzette  Mayr’s portrayal of Niagara Falls in The Widows confront the impact of tourism on the  Canadian landscape and the influence it has had on history and national identity. By  engaging with the history of tourism, Wharton and Mayr show how, under the influence of  tourism, the identity of a locale becomes a patchwork of fiction and fact.  At the center of Wharton’s novel—which tracks the development of tourism in the Rockies  from the discovery of the icefields in the late nineteenth century to the interwar years—is a  clash between the impurities of tourism and the integrity of the environment. Mayr’s novel,  which is a more contemporary novel than a history novel per se, follows three elderly  German immigrants in their quest to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. Mayr grapples with  tourism’s framing of Niagara Falls through their obsession with adventurer Anna Taylor,  whose story of going over the Falls has been rewritten to make it more enticing to tourists.  Both Wharton and Mayr rework the histories of tourism in Jasper and Niagara Falls to  emphasize how the narratives of tourism have come to reconfigure and define these two  iconic landscapes. Despite the invasive force of tourism and the way that it reworks the idea  of a nation and environment, the final images of the natural setting in Icefields and The  Widows show nature transcending the designs of tourism. Ultimately, as the icefields  continue to shift and the Falls relentlessly flow, the landscape triumphs over human  intervention and exploitation.

abstract: English & Theatre Studies


title: The maturation of neural systems supporting reading development in children

contributor:
Yaworski, Amanda M. (author)
(Newman, Randy Lynn) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: Event-related potentials (ERP) were used to investigate the development of phonological  awareness in emergent (5-6 yrs) and early fluent readers (7-8 yrs). Children were  presented with a picture followed by a spoken word that matched (e.g., CONE, cone) or  mismatched the picture. Mismatch trials included a rhyme (e.g., CONE, bone) and an  unrelated condition (e.g., CONE, fox). Exploratory analyses suggested that early fluent  readers elicited a PMN in both mismatch conditions, while emergent readers elicited a  PMN in the rhyme condition only. Both groups elicited an N400 in the rhyme condition,  but only early fluent readers showed an N400 in the unrelated condition. The omnibus  analysis found evidence for a reduced late N400 in rhyming in early fluent readers, but  not the emergent readers. It appears that reading level influences the pattern of ERP  responses; however, further work is needed as results were primarily based on an  exploratory analysis.  Keywords: Event-Related Brain Potentials (ERP), PMN, N400, segmental,  suprasegmental, children, emergent and early fluent readers

abstract: Psychology


title: The neuroprotective effects of relaxin-3 during ischemia and the role of nitric oxide: A study using organotypic brain slice cultures

contributor:
DeAdder, Nicholas P. (author)
(Wilson, Brian) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: In humans, relaxins are a group of 3 peptide hormones within the insulin peptide  superfamily. The main circulating form of relaxin (H2 relaxin) has been shown to reduce  the cellular damage associated with ischemia – a lack of oxygen resulting from decreased  perfusion – in tissues of organs including the heart, intestine and pancreas. Previous  results from our lab have shown that H2 relaxin protects brain tissue from ischemic  damage. This study investigated the effects of relaxin-3 (H3 relaxin), a relaxin  neuropeptide, on damage to the brain during ischemia and reperfusion as well as an  examination of the role of nitric oxide (NO) as a mediator. The study was performed in  vitro using brain slices from the brains of 10-11 day old neonatal rats. Slices were  exposed to one of seven possible treatments: baseline, control, oxygen and glucose  deprived (OGD), OGD with H2 relaxin, OGD with H2 relaxin and a blocker of inducible  nitric oxide Synthase (iNOS), OGD with H3 relaxin and OGD with H3 relaxin and an  blocker of iNOS. Propidium iodide (PI) fluorescence was used to quantify the number of  dead cells in the slices. H2 relaxin and H3 relaxin-treated slices had significantly reduced  numbers of PI positive, cells compared to untreated slices. Blockade of iNOS  significantly attenuated the effect of both relaxins. These data suggest that both H2 and  H3 are neuroprotective and that NO mediates this effect, at least in part. Overall, these  findings show that H3 relaxin is neuroprotective in rat brain tissue under ischemic stress.  These findings are the first to demonstrate this. Ultimately, the application of these data  may lead to a better understanding of relaxin physiology in the brain and point towards  clinical use of these peptides in patients who suffer strokes.

abstract: Biology


title: A test of concerted evolution models using ribosomal RNA genes from the Caenorhabditis elegans genome

contributor:
Robicheau, Brent M. (author)
(Snyder, Marlene) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: The eukaryotic genome exhibits extensive evidence of gene duplication events. Typically  these duplicated genes share similarity in sequence but have different functions. Being  made up of hundreds of identical, tandemly arranged copies, the ribosomal RNA (rRNA)  genes are a rare contradiction to the classical model of ‘gene duplication followed by  divergence in function’. The maintenance in function and copy number of rRNA genes  indicates a type of dependent evolution that is referred to as ‘concerted evolution’.  Unequal crossing-over and gene conversion are two known genetic mechanisms that  could explain this type of evolution, however, most of the support for these mechanisms  is still theoretical. Our hypothesis is that if these mechanisms are operating, the central  regions of clusters are more likely to remain identical than cluster edges; therefore  sequence degradation near edges should be present. We use the genome of the nematode  worm Caenorhabditis elegans as a study tool as its genome sequence is complete and  well annotated. Our objectives were to: (1) locate sequence that is adjacent to rRNA gene  clusters in the genome using a genome search strategy, (2) find ribosomal DNA-like  regions (RDLR) and (3) analyze the positioning, percentage of base-pair matches, and  frequencies of RDLR. The program BLAST was used to align published rRNA gene  sequence first to the C. elegans genome (in order to find a cluster of rDNA units) then to  published genomic sequence adjacent to the cluster (to locate RDLRs). Results indicate  that RDLR showing sequence degradation are present next to the cluster, and occur in  diminishing frequency and size with distance away from the cluster. This observed gene  degradation branching out from the rRNA gene clusters supports the role of unequal  crossing-over in rRNA gene evolution and fewer homogenizing events at cluster edges.

abstract: Biology


title: Exploring the discrepancies and relationship between parent/guardian and child perceptions in the context of an intervention for childhood obesity

contributor:
Brown, Sarah J.W. (author)
(Shields, Chris) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: Research in childhood obesity emphasizes the role of parents in helping  children establish healthy lifestyle behaviours, and thus highlights the importance of  instilling positive attitudes and health perceptions in both parents and children. Purpose:  The purpose of the present study was to explore discrepancies between parent and child  perceptions of dietary and physical activity behaviours, social support, efficacy, and  overall health before and after the 8-week family-based multi-dimensional BeME  intervention. Methods: Eleven parent/guardian-child dyads of overweight or obese  children aged 5-12 participated in the BeME program and completed pre- and post- self-report  measures of the study constructs. Results: Parents’ confidence in their children’s  ability to make healthy dietary choices (i.e., other-efficacy) and their perceptions of their  social support towards their children in the dietary domain were both shown to  significantly increase following participation in the BeME program. As hypothesized,  there was a general upward trend in child reported body-esteem, however this increase  was not statistically significant. Parent perceptions taken pre- and post- BeME of the  social support they provided, self-efficacy, and other-efficacy in both the dietary and  physical activity domains were significantly correlated. Conclusion: These findings  suggest that a collaborative, community based, low-intensity family-focused intervention  can improve the perceptions of both children and their parents, thus building a foundation  for behaviour change.  Keywords: childhood obesity, perceptions, social support, self- and other-efficacy.

abstract: Psychology


title: Concealed victims: Analyzing the exclusion of men and boys from sexual violence policy

contributor:
Cochrane, Emma (author)
(Brickner, Rachel) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2013

abstract: This  thesis  seeks  to  explore  the  implications  of  Judith  Butler’s  theory  of  gender  performativity  on  sexual  violence  policy.  Given  our  preconceived  notions  of  who  can  be  a  victim  of  sexual  violence,  policies  have  been  created  that  target  solely  women  and  girls  as  victims.  This  is  evident  in  United  Nations  Resolution  1325,  policy  drafted  by  the  Committee  on  the  Elimination  of  Discrimination  Against  Women,  as  well  as  literature  produced  by  leading  Non-‐Governmental  Organizations.  The  exclusion  of  men  and  boys  from  sexual  violence  policy,  speaks  broadly  to  the  projected  invulnerability  of  men  associated  with  hegemonic  masculinity.  Despite  the  fact  that  male  victims  of  sexual  violence  are  rarely  recognized,  this  thesis  demonstrates  that  male  sexual  violence  is  occurring  in  a  variety  of  different  contexts  and  at  rates  higher  than  many  are  led  to  believe.  As  this  thesis  seeks  to  prove,  men  and  boys  are  being  excluded  from  the  discourse  and  subsequent  policy  on  sexual  violence  because  male  sexual  violence  is  not  performative  of  their  gender.  The  goal  of  this  analysis  is  not  to  deny  that  women  are  still  the  most  common  victims  of  sexual  violence.  However,  drawing  attention  to  male  victims,  will  help  produce  policy  that  benefits  victims  of  all  genders  and  works  to  break  down  traditional  gender  stereotypes  that  see  women  and  girls  as  perpetual  victims  and  men  and  boys  solely  as  aggressors.

abstract: Politics