title: The effect of nitrogen depletion on the α-tubulin promoter in Thraustochytrid onc-T18

contributor: (Merkx-Jacques, Alexandra) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2017

abstract:
Single celled eukaryotes such as Thraustochytrid T18 may be a more economic and environmentally friendly source of omega-3 fatty acids. To decrease fermentation costs, genes involved in the digestion of hemicellulosic waste derived carbohydrates has been added to T18, to produce several strains, including 7-7 and 51-7. Observations of 51-7 and 7-7 have previously shown to have reduced growth during the later stages of fermentation presumably related to nitrogen depletion. As the α-tubulin promoter controls the expression of the transgenes, reduced promoter activity in the low nitrogen conditions present late in the fermentation could explain the reduced growth. To measure α-tubulin expression, xylose depletion assays were run on strains with two nitrogen concentration groups, with the understanding that if α-tubulin was downregulated the xylose isomerase (XI) and xylulose kinase (XK) transgene expression would be decreased resulting in reduced xylose consumption, enzyme activity of XI and XK was also measured via whole cell extract. Additionally, strains encoding luciferase genes were grown in different nitrogen conditions and the luciferase expression was measured. Contrary to expectation, the consumption of xylose in the low nitrogen media initially increased, as did the
expression of the α-tubulin controlled transgenes, there was a build up of xylitol however. The low nitrogen conditions appeared to cause the oxidoreductive xylose metabolism pathway to be unable to dehydrate xylitol into xylulose, arresting the culture’s growth, providing an explanation for 7-7 and 51-7’s reduced growth during the late stages of fermentations.

abstract: Biology


title: Parental knowledge of and attitudes towards concussion management and the return-to-play protocols in youth minor hockey

type: Text Dissertation/Thesis

contributor:
Aucoin, Janet F. (author)
(King, Colin) (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 2018

abstract:
Hockey is the leading cause of sport-related concussions (SRC) in Canadian youth. With over half a million youth registered with Hockey Canada, it is important to consider proper SRC management in this population due to the ongoing neurocognitive development in children. Parents play a key role in ensuring that youth receive proper SRC management, adhere to the Return-to-Play (RTP) protocols, and by supporting their child through the entire recovery process. The objective of this study was to explore the parental knowledge of, and attitudes towards concussion, its management, and RTP in minor hockey parents in Nova Scotia to allow for a better understanding of how educational tools may be further developed to meet the specific needs of this population. This cross-sectional mixed methods study involved 67 parents from three minor hockey leagues throughout Nova Scotia who completed a standardized questionnaire, while 10 parents participated in follow up semi-structured interviews further deconstructing emerging themes. Parents demonstrated good knowledge of common symptoms associated with concussion, however, struggled with recognizing distractor symptom
items not associated with concussion. Despite observing a foundational base of general concussion knowledge, participants
demonstrated a lack of knowledge surrounding proper management and the RTP protocols. Most parents shared positive attitudes towards concussions, however negative attitudes surrounding SRC management and injury reporting emerged during interviews. These negative attitudes were found to be influenced by various internal and external pressures and were considered as a cause for concern as they were found to impact concussion reporting behaviours in parents. These
pressures were also identified as potential barriers to proper concussion management.

abstract: Kinesiology


title: Host-parasite associations in coyotes (Canis latrans)

contributor:
Priest, Jenna (author)
(Shutler, Dave) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
Fat and other nutrient reserves can have profound influences on an individual’s fitness. An organism’s condition is defined as its surplus of fat relative to body size. The kidney-femur fat index (KFFI) is often used for measuring condition in mammals. Variables that can influence condition include age, sex, food availability, and parasites. Parasites impose costs on hosts, negatively impacting a host’s condition. I quantified condition in coyotes (Canis latrans), a carnivore widely distributed across North America. Coyotes are vulnerable to a variety of endoparasites, but whether this translates into measurable reductions in condition is unknown. I quantified parasite intensity (number of parasites/host) by collecting
endoparasites from the lungs, tracheae, and small intestines of 70 coyotes from Nova Scotia. Parasite intensity for each individual species of parasite was not significantly associated with host condition. However, trachea nodule (Oslerus osleri) intensity was positively correlated with condition, which is contrary to expectation. Few studies have observed this relationship. Intensity of O. osleri infections was greater is males consistent with other studies finding male-biased parasitism. Tapeworm (Taenia spp.) intensity was greater in hosts infected with both Taenia spp. and Crenosoma vulpis than in individuals infected with Taenia alone, which could be due to a number of factors, including weakening of host by an initial infection.  Finally, hosts infected with O. osleri were more likely to also be infected with C. vulpis than expected by
chance. These results suggest numerous host-parasite associations in this system

abstract: Biology


title: The effect of sex and age on lower extremity muscle co-contraction during walking and running

contributor:
Lohnes, Jessica D. J. (author)
(Landry, Scott) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is the leading cause of walking disability in the elderly population. Early-onset of knee OA is becoming increasingly more prevalent as acute knee injuries such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears have the potential to influence the onset and progression of the disease. Females are at 2-8 times greater risk of sustaining an ACL tear and roughly 50% of those who do will develop knee OA within 10-20 years. Co-contraction has been identified as a critical factor to reduce or prevent excessive joint movement and loads that may increase one’s risk of sustaining an ACL
injury. While ACL injuries do not normally occur during mundane forms of locomotion, individuals who demonstrate neuromuscular patterns suggestive of potential harm during these activities are likely to reproduce them during athletic maneuvers. Analyzing the co-contraction of the lower-extremity muscles during walking and running may help to identify those at increased risk of sustaining an ACL injury and consequently, developing OA. This knowledge may be valuable in
facilitating and enhancing OA and injury prevention programs. The study was designed to investigate differences in
dominant leg co-contraction indexes (CCIs) of quadriceps, hamstrings and gastrocnemius muscle pairings during walking and running in pre- and post-pubescent male and female athletes. Participants (male=65, female=67) were recruited from
Acadia University varsity programs and local youth sport organizations.  Of the females, 28 were categorized as pre-pubescent (age = 10.93yr±1.53) and 39 categorized as post- pubescent (age = 18.69 yr±2.49). Of the males, 32 were categorized as pre-pubescent (age = 10.41 yr±1.90) and 33 were categorized as post-pubescent (age = 18.73 yr±3.56). Muscle activation patterns were analyzed using 16 wireless EMG electrodes, a 13-camera motion capture system, and 3
force plates. Two-way between subjects ANOVAs (p ≤ 0.05) were used to compare the effect of sex (males versus female) and age (pre-versus post-pubescent) on group average CCIs during the first and second halves of stance phase for walking and running trials. Results showed the pre-pubescent male and female participant groups had significantly higher average CCIs for all four muscle pairings studied (medial hamstring (MH)/vastus medialis (VM), lateral hamstring (LH)/vastus lateralis (VL), lateral gastrocnemius (LG)/vastus lateralis (VL), and medial gastrocnemius (MG)/vastus medialis (VM)) during the first half of walking stance and for the LH/VL muscle pairing during the second half of walking stance. As co-contraction of the lower-extremity muscles is suggested to increase stability of the knee joint, these findings may provide insight into why individuals of the pre-pubescent age appear to be at lower risk of injury. The results also found female participants to have higher group average CCIs for five of the six significant sex effects. The female participants of this study showed higher co-
contraction of the thigh musculature compared to the male participants, indicating that the well-documented quadriceps: hamstring deficiently was not present in the female athletes of this study. However, female participants did show higher co-contraction of the MG/VM muscle pairing during the first and second halves of running stance when compared to the male participants, which is suggested to place higher strain through the ACL. These findings provide some insight into the influence that co-contraction may have as a prevention and risk factor for non-contact ACL injuries in athletes.

abstract: Kinesiology


title: Fungal diversity of a Nova Scotia site contaminated by a pulp mill: documenting target species for mycoremediation

contributor:
Tweedie, John (author)
(Walker, Allison) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
Mycoremediation is the use of fungi for bioremediation of environmental contaminants, and is a promising method of repairing anthropogenic environmental damage. Fungi possessing lignocellulose degrading enzymes are of interest for the remediation of waste requiring hydrocarbon degradation, such as pulp mill waste. The purpose of this research was to provide insight into the fungal diversity present at several sites with relation to their proximity to a pulp mill, and to identify target species for remediation research. Fungi from these sites were cultured from decaying wood, water, and sediment. DNA barcoding and phylogenetics were used to identify the fungal species collected. Over 70 different fungal species were
 found, including a number of species that appear to be previously unidentified. Differences in fungal communities are discussed with relation to sites and substrates sampled, and culture media used. Species profiles for each site and links to
 toxin and contaminant degradation from literature were used to identify target species for further research regarding their remediation capabilities.

abstract: Biology


title: The effect of sigB on the ability of Listeria monocytogenes to form biofilm under various stressful conditions relevant to food processing environments

contributor:
Kruisselbrink, Jordan (author)
(Smith, Todd) (Thesis advisor)
(Ells, Tim) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive facultative anaerobe and is the causative agent of listeriosis.  Listeria monocytogenes is able to survive in stressful conditions extremely well, in part due to its ability to form a biofilm.  Sigma factor B (sigB) has been shown to help modulate the ability of L. monocytogenes to survive in stressful conditions and has been implicated in the ability to form a biofilm.  To test this, mutants devoid of sigB (ΔsigB) were created in strains Lm568 and M100, and biofilms were grown on borosilicate glass cover slips in several stressful media types, including low pH, high
concentrations of sodium chloride (salt), and a combination of low pH and high salt.  These tests were also performed in a
naerobic conditions.  The resulting biofilms were then compared against biofilms grown using the wildtype (WT) of these
two strains.  Images of the cover slips were taken using SEM and cover slips were stained in crystal violet.  Cells were also
removed from the biofilm and viable cell numbers were determined.  The percentage of live cells within biofilms grown in BHI pH 6 was determined and compared between Lm568WT and Lm568:ΔsigB. Protein profiles of Lm568WT biofilm cells grown in BHI pH 6 were compared with their ΔsigB counterparts to determine if the deletion had effects on protein expression.  Significant differences in viable cell numbers were found between wild-types, and M100WT and M100:ΔsigB, but not between Lm568 WT and Lm568:ΔsigB.  Differences were also found between WT and ΔsigB protein profiles.  Similar results to the crystal violet stain were observed in percentage of live cells in the biofilms.  It appears that sigB does have an effect on the ability of L. monocytogenes strain M100, but not strain Lm586, to form a biofilm in stressful conditions.

abstract: Biology


title: Fiction versus fact: the life of  C. S. Lewis in the Chronicles of Narnia

contributor:
Nichols, Elizabeth (author)
(Whetter, Kevin) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
This thesis will examine experiences of C. S. Lewis’ life, as Lewis himself penned in Surprised by Joy, that are evident throughout The Chronicles of Narnia. This thesis will argue that elements of Lewis such as: his approach to women, education, childhood and Christianity are inevitably present in Narnia as a result of his conversion to Christianity late in his life, which ultimately impacted his writing and character. The framework of his conversion in the thesis largely follows
Lewis’ structure in Surprised by Joy, which is an autobiographical retelling of his coming to faith. Although the thesis
argues the importance of this moment, it is not the sole important element of Lewis that translates into Narnia. Although Roland Barthes argues for a separation of the author and text, this thesis suggests that that separation may not be so distinct. Instead, the author plays an important role in telling the story, if for nothing else, to provide context.

abstract: English & Theatre Studies


title: The role of EGFR signalling in heart cell specification in the Drosophila melanogaster embryo.

contributor:
Vargatoth, Emi (author)
(Gibson, Glenys) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
The Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) signalling pathway is of interest to studies of cardiac development and disease due to its integral role in the cell life cycle. The Drosophila melanogaster heart is a good model for studying cell specification as its structure is similar to the early embryonic vertebrate heart at the functional and molecular level. This study investigated factors of the EGFR signalling pathway and the downstream Ras-Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (RAS/MAPK) signalling pathway to better understand their roles in heart cell specification. One objective was to generate
DNA constructs of a dominant negative allele of the RAS/MAPK factor, Son of sevenless (Sos), and a control. The other objectives of this study were to investigate the role of the EGFR ligand Vein and to test the hypothesis that apoptosis played a role in the loss of a specific subset of cardioblasts, termed generic cardioblasts, in EGFR mutants. DNA was extracted from
embryos with the Sos dominant negative mutation and control adult flies. The control sequence was PCR amplified and cloned. However, amplification of the mutant sequence was unsuccessful. Vein mutants and flies harbouring a deficiency that includes the vein gene were crossed and the progeny visualized using immunofluorescent antibody staining and the
confocal microscope. An in situ hybridization against vein mRNA was attempted but unsuccessful. Apoptosis was inhibited in the mesoderm of EGFR mutants of the protein Star through overexpression of the apoptosis-inhibitor p35 using the UAS/GAL4 system. The number of cardioblasts in Star mutants with and without apoptosis inhibition was compared using
immunofluorescent antibody staining, the confocal microscope and statistical analysis. Major findings were that a significant rescue of generic cardioblasts was observed in Star mutants with apoptosis inhibited and that vein mutants possessed the wild type phenotype. These results indicated that apoptosis has a role in the loss of generic cardioblasts in
Star mutants and that vein does not have a major role in heart cell specification. These findings help to further elucidate the
role of EGFR signalling in heart cell specification.

abstract: Biology


title: Incivility, burnout, and depression: the protective effects of reactive approach motivation

contributor:
Damecour, Eric (author)
(Hayes, Joseph) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
Despite the extensive body of research in the area of burnout, many modern-day workplaces continue to place excessive stressors on workers without providing the necessary resources to combat them. Regardless, there appears to be individuals who can thrive in such stressful workplace settings, whereas others cannot. With the primary goal of understanding burnout as a withdrawal response, and a secondary goal of providing insight into these individuals that appear to be more resilient than others, the present study applies social psychological processes to the burnout literature.
In this capacity, two separate studies were created and analyzed. In both studies an incivility (vs. civility) was modelled as a predictor of burnout and depression through the serial path of reactive approach motivation. Study 1 addressed a university student sample, whereas, Study 2 generalized the results found in Study 1 to more traditional workplace roles and supervisor-subordinate relationships. Using conditional process modelling, a statistical analysis technique that tests various mediation and moderation models, an initial and revised hypothesis were tested and replicated. Results
suggest that engaging in approach-oriented resolutions functions to buffer against the development of burnout and
depression. In other words, reactively engaging towards goals (central or peripheral) serves to prevent feelings of depression associated with withdrawal responses to organizational stressors.

abstract: Psychology


title: Tough on remand: a content analysis of the evolving political discourse of youth custodial remand in the Canadian House of Commons

contributor:
Bunkis, Evan (author)
(Crandall, Erin) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
Following the implementation of the Youth Criminal Justice Act in 2003, youth correctional facilities in Canada began to see a rise in the proportional use of custodial remand in comparison to sentenced custody. This thesis investigates the Canadian political climate over the past decade, while examining how the evolving political discourse in the Canadian House of Commons is intertwined with the use of youth remand. In order to do so this thesis undertakes a content analysis of the political discourse that took place in the House of Commons, analyzing the debates and discussion around four key
bills which are tied to custodial remand and youth justice. By analyzing these evolving political frameworks, an understanding of the relationship between the Canadian political climate and the proportional rise of remand use is provided. The results of the content analysis show a rise in the political discourse of remand over the examined time period, with a specific increase observed in support of remand use by the Conservative party, while over time the Bloc
Quebecois and Liberal party’s opposition to remand use became more apparent. This analysis of youth remand provides context to critically examine the penal populist “Tough on Crime” discourse that occurred under the Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper from 2006 to 2015, showing how political frames and discourses can negatively affect youth-related policy. Throughout this thesis, one will come to understand the concerns of developing and
implementing legislation based around disconnected political rhetoric, as becomes visible when looking into Canadian youth justice legislation and its connection to youth remand.

abstract: Politics


title: What the eyes tell us about the impact of orthographic knowledge on spoken word recognition

contributor:
LeBlanc, Gemma (author)
(Newman, Randy Lynn) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
The present study used eye tracking to assess the degree to which orthography influences spoken word recognition (SWR)
in the context of an implicit measure of orthographic processing. Participants were presented with four images surrounding a fixation cross. The duration of fixation on the target image was measured in each of the four competitor sets: the full competitor set (i.e., TRRU) consisting of a target image (e.g. ball), an image matching in phonology and
orthography (e.g., wall), an image matching in phonology but not orthography (e.g., doll), and an unrelated image ( e.g., fox);
a matching orthography competitor set (i.e., TRUU) consisting of a target image, an image matching in phonology and orthography, and two unrelated images ; a mismatching orthography competitor set (i.e., TURU); consisting of a target image, an image matching in phonology but not orthography and two unrelated images;and an unrelated set (i.e., TUUU)
consisting of a target image and three unrelated images. While none of the effects reached significance, the trends in the data indicate that participants showed an increased proportion of fixations to the target in the TRRU and TRUU conditions, and the least in the TURU and TUUU conditions. Further analyses of fixation in the full competitor set suggest there was no rhyme competition, which conflicts with past research. Future research should address possible reasons as to why the results conflicted with expectations such as the timing of the delay between visual presentation and auditory word onset, and whether or not participants were naïve to the task expectations.

abstract: Psychology


title: Climate change adaptation and mitigation in Nova Scotia: from planning to action

contributor:
Philp, George (author)
(Cohen, Alice) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract: This thesis provides an analysis of the Municipal Climate Change Action Plan (MCCAP) process in Nova Scotia. In 2011, the Nova Scotia government became the first, and remains the only, Canadian province or territory to mandate municipal climate change adaptation planning. As a result, Nova Scotia is home to dozens of MCCAPs –far more than much larger jurisdictions and over two million dollars has been devoted to their development and implementation since 2011 (Vogel, 2015). The research methods of this thesis include a collation and analysis of the MCCAPs in Nova Scotia and follow up interviews with municipal and provincial planners across the province. The argument of this thesis is two-fold. First, based on the findings of the interviews, this thesis argues that, although not flawless, the MCCAP process was a net positive exercise for Nova Scotia municipalities as it has improved most municipalities’ knowledge and awareness of local climate hazards and accelerated many municipalities actions in adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change. Second, this thesis reasons that, based on the overall effectiveness of the MCCAP process in Nova Scotia, municipalities occupy an important political niche in addressing climate change and enhancing the social and ecological resiliency of communities across Canada. This thesis expands the`understanding of the impacts of the MCCAP process in the four years since they were completed and explores the important role Canadian municipalities occupy in addressing one of the most challenging political issue in the country, climate change.

abstract: Environmental & Sustainability Studies


title: Behind closed doors: the expansion of female and male sexuality during the Second World War in Canada

contributor:
Owens, Calla M. (author)
(Henderson, Stephen) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
Gerald L. Porter devoted his life to volunteering for the community around him. After graduating from Acadia University in 1940, he joined the Canadian Military as part of the Young Men’s Christian Association (Y.M.C.A). The Y.M.C.A was one of many organizations that provided comfort and entertainment for service personnel. Upon his return, he rekindled his drive for volunteering at Acadia University, the Rotary Club, and other establishments.
This archival thesis project entailed revising and reconstructing the finding aid for Gerald L. Porter’s fond. A brief finding aid had been compiled by Jeremy DeLeon and Bethany Jost in 2010 ; however, the bulk of Porter’s files were only briefly described. The majority of his files contained material that was not explained in depth or was simply overlooked. Thus, the entire finding aid was redesigned by outlining in depth exactly what was in each file, the files were reorganized in a compensable order, and his biographical sketch was rewritten.
The formal paper explores how Canadian social values during the Second World War altered the perceptions of the younger generation and enabled novel expressions of sexuality. Both men and women challenged the prevailing social norms to achieve greater sexual freedom and/or less conventional gender roles. This was achieved through social functions organized by institutions such as the Y.M.C.A,
sexual interactions (both heterosexual and homosexual), hasty marriages, and other means. Porter’s work with the Y.M. C.A led me to consider how entertainment and socializing helped maintain morale. The perceived notion of limiting sexuality is not necessarily the reality. Young men and women in the Second World War achieved sexual freedom through discrete means.

abstract: History & Classics


title: You live and you learn: when fostering a learning perspective reduces depression

contributor:
Hubley, Candice (author)
(Hayes, Joseph) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
Recent research suggests that depression may be caused by a withdrawal from the goal to continue living. Moreover, depressed individuals are resistant to reactivating this goal due to the inescapable anxiety it causes them. However, this resistance also maintains depression. Building from existing literature on goal perspective, the current study was designed to test whether altering depressed people’s perspective on life will make them more willing to reactivate the goal to live, and thereby, reduce their depression. To do this, participants were randomly assigned to either write about life from a performance perspective (the goals they hope to achieve in life) or from a learning perspective (the growth they hope to achieve in life), and then all participants answered four questions to measure life reactivation. Results did not reveal any significant effects of goal perspective on life reactivation. However, those in the learning condition did experience a
significant reduction in state depression, and this effect was especially strong for depressed individuals with a low desire for life. Implications for treating depression are discussed.

abstract: Psychology


title: Putative freshwater mussel species Pyganodon cataracta and Pyganodon fragilis: open reading frames and their significance to conservation, phylogenetics and hermaphroditism

contributor:
Stephenson, Chloe (author)
(Stewart, Donald) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract: Freshwater mussels, or unionids, are declining at a catastrophic rate. As keystone species, they make up as much as 95% of the benthic biomass, and their decline could radically alter benthic ecosystems. Here the use of the rapidly mutating, novel open reading frame on the female-type mitochondrial genomes (f-orf) of these unionids is investigated in comparison to the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (cox1) as a means to differentiate between closely related freshwater mussel species and to detect evidence of hermaphroditism. The eastern floater, Pyganodon cataracta (Say, 1817) and the Newfoundland floater, P. fragilis (Lamarck, 1819), are two putative freshwater mussel species. Previous morphological and molecular attempts at differentiating them have indicated they are the same species. Species-specific primers were designed, and target f-orf sequences were PCR amplified and sequenced via Sanger sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis of both F f-orf and previously sequenced cox1 sequences indicated the samples were of the same species, and no identifiable evolutionary significant units (ESUs) and/or management units (MUs) were observed. There was not any evidence of hermaphroditism based on these f-orf sequences. These f-orf sequences may still be useful in other species of unionids to distinguish among closely related species, to assign conservation status in imperilled mussel taxa to help identify and protect populations that are genetically distinct, and to maximize adaptive potential of unionids species as a whole, or to detect evidence of selection for hermaphroditism as a reproductive strategy.

abstract: Biology


title: The role of the skin microbiome in the attraction of mosquitoes (Culex territans) to green frogs (Rana clamitans) infected with hepatozoon blood parasites

contributor:
Bullock, Claire H. (author)
(Smith, Todd) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
Previous research in our laboratory revealed that wild-caught green frogs heavily infected with intraerythrocytic Hepatozoon species are more attractive to mosquito vectors, Culex territans, than uninfected frogs. Although green frogs appear to tolerate these protozoan parasites, they may experience a stress response to infection, potentially suppressing
the immune system. In particular, stress may affect production of epidermal antimicrobial peptides, which could lead to alterations in the microbiome. The objective of this study was to examine potential changes in the epidermal microbiome of green frogs infected with Hepatozoon species as a possible cause for the increased attraction of C. territans to heavily infected frogs. The first strategy involved sampling the epidermal microbiomes of 38 frogs that were collected from two ponds near Wolfville, NS. Analysis of the DNA sequence data from these samples revealed that the microbiome of green frogs varies among collection sites and dates, and that there were many changes among the microbiomes of frogs with different intensities of Hepatozoon species. The second strategy involved assessing the relative attraction of C. territans
to bacteria plated from epidermal swabs from uninfected and infected green frogs. Analysis of these data revealed that
C. territans prefers the plated bacteria isolated from the epidermis of heavily infected frogs. The third strategy involved
performing leukocyte counts from blood films made from the 38 frogs. Heavily infected frogs were found to have higher
neutrophil: lymphocyte ratios relative to lightly infected and uninfected frogs, suggesting that the corticosterone levels in
heavily infected frogs are also elevated. These results suggest that Hepatozoon species may generate a stress response in green frogs that results in changes to the epidermal microbiome, facilitating transmission to its mosquito vectors.

abstract: Biology


title: Prevention of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity (ACT) using RARγ-agonists in a zebrafish (Danio rerio) model

contributor:
Coats, John Cooper A. (author)
(Easy, Russell) (Thesis advisor)
(Berman, Jason N.) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
Anthracyclines are potent anticancer drugs that play a prominent role in the modern era of chemotherapy. Unfortunately, the utility of these drugs, like doxorubicin, is limited by anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity (ACT). Our collaborators have
previously determined that a genetic mutation resulting in decreased activity of the retinoic acid receptor-γ (RARγ) leads to increased susceptibility to ACT; thus, the current study aims to investigate whether all-transretinoic acid (ATRA) and CD1530, known RARγ-agonists, can prevent ACT in zebrafish, whilst maintaining the chemotherapeutic effects of doxorubicin. The previously established zebrafish larval doxorubicin-induced pericardial edema phenotype was employed as a preclinical model using 125μM doxorubicin. These larvae were then co-treated for 72 hours with ATRA and CD1530.
CD1530 was not lethal at low doses (0.1-1nM) but induced pericardial edema, while low doses (4-5nM) of ATRA protected against the pericardial phenotype, with significantly (p<0.001) reduced pericardial edema at 3 days post treatment (dpt). To determine expression patterns of both zebrafish RARγ gene homologs (RARγ-a and RARγ-b), whole-mount and fluorescence
in situ hybridization (WISH and FISH) was completed at 24,48 and 72 hours post-fertilization (hpf) zebrafish using RNA probes. WISH and FISH were inconclusive based on their qualitative nature but there appeared to be low RARγ-b expression levels near the heart and publicly available databases suggest low expression levels of RARγ-a in developing zebrafish hearts (Chen et al., 2008). Current efforts include using the zebrafish xenotransplantation model, with K562 chronic myeloid
leukemia cell line, to determine if ATRA impedes the anticancer effects of doxorubicin. Future studies will employ RISPR/Cas9 technology to create a RARγ-mutant zebrafish line for both pharmacogenomic and drug screening studies, with the ultimate goal of clinical translation and personalized medicine.

abstract: Biology


title: Honouring indigenous sovereignties: envisioning a reconcilatory framework of development

contributor:
Spafford, Douglas (author)
(Brickner, Rachel) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
This thesis explores contemporary Indigenous development in Canada to determine if the lessons of both reconciliation and the history of development are meaningfully addressed in contemporary policy approaches and practices. Adopting a
critical development framework, I dissect international development theory and practice in the last half century to establish the need for a new vision of development, a reconciliatory framework of development. Creating this framework requires a close reading of the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (2015) to propose how reconciliation can be brought into development. The reconciliatory framework of development is then applied to two regulatory frameworks which are today used as development agreements in the Canadian natural resource sector: the environmental assessment; and the impact and benefit agreement. While natural resource development in Canada features certain practices that meet the standards of reconciliatory development, persistent colonial structures, practices and attitudes must be changed.

abstract: Politics


title: Exploring consumers’ perception of Nova Scotia white wine

contributor:
Smith, Amy (author)
(McSweeney, Matthew) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
Wine is a result of the fermentation of grape juice. Along with the many processes involved in wine production, the geographical climate and region in which the grapes are grown is very important. The upcoming and impressively growing wine industry in Nova Scotia (NS) is of great interest today for both consumers and wine industry personnel. The purpose of this study is to carry out the second stage for the development of a consumer wine wheel specific to the NS region through determining consumers’ descriptors of selected NS single gape varietal white wine. Furthermore, this anticipated
outcome of this research is to determine whether consumers rely on the colour of the wine when completing a projective
mapping task. Currently descriptors of NS wines are provided by the winemakers and a wide variety of terms are used to describe the different flavours. The anticipated outcome of this research is to allow the wine industry to convey the flavours present in their wine to consumers. Additionally, it will allow consumers of varying degrees of wine knowledge to comprehend and discuss NS wines. Two trials were conducted: in the first trial wines were evaluated under white light,
however, in the second trial red light was used. The same six NS single grape varietal white wines were assessed in each
trial, comprising of three Riesling, two Chardonnay, and one L’Acadie. Partial projective mapping paired with ultra-flash profiling, a rapid sensory analysis method, was utilized in both trials. All results were analyzed using Multiple Factor Analysis performed using XLSTAT software. Results from the initial evaluation distinguished two types of wine based on level of dryness. Those that are sweet, fruity, and caramel as opposed to dry, acidic, chemical and woody. The second trial didn’t show a consistent trend in terms of flavour but emphasized acidity, fermentative characteristics and mouthfeel. Comparing both PCA plots showed no significant correlation between the two trials, indicating the importance of appearance in the perception of NS white wines.

abstract: Nutrition & Dietetics


title: The complete mitochondrial genome of Geukensia demissa, and the analysis of its unique mode of interitance: doubly uniparental inheritance

contributor:
Albert, Andrée (author)
(Stewart, Donald) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
Doubly uniparental inheritance (DUI) is an unusual system of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) inheritance in bivalves that allows for both a maternal and a paternal mtDNA lineage to be transmitted to the next generation. Unlike other metazoans that possess strictly maternal inheritance (SMI), in bivalves with DUI, females inherit F-type (female-transmitted) mtDNA, while males inherit both F-type and M-type (male-transmitted) mtDNA. Occasionally, marine bivalves experience a "recombination event,” in which a fragment of the M-type mtDNA gets incorporated into or near the control region of the F-type mtDNA. This creates a newly masculinized mtDNA, which “invades” the male route of transmission. The female
mitochondrial genome of Geukensia demissa, a mussel in the family Mytilidae, was aimed to be amplified in two separate fragments; between the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene, and the large subunit ribosomal rRNA gene. The amplification of the genome was conducted by long-range polymerase chain reaction (LR-PCR) and sequenced by Pacific Biosciences Sequencing (Génome Québec, McGill). Sequences were annotated using computer programs Mitos and Geneious. Here, the
objective to completely sequence the female mt genome of the marine mussel G. demissa was achieved. This sequence was annotated with uncertainty in the region between the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 gene and the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene. The ultimate goal of this project was to identify features of the control region that could play a
role in the mechanisms of doubly uniparental inheritance in bivalves

abstract: Biology


title: Relaxin-induced neuroprotection in ischemic stroke: Investigating the effects of relaxin peptides on TNF-a and HIF-1a expression

contributor:
Kaiser, Angela Marie (author)
(Wilson, Brian) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
Stroke accounts for over six million deaths per year. The inflammatory response to ischemic stroke exacerbates brain damage, and the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-a is a mediator of cell death in the ischemic brain. The transcription factor HIF-1a can ameliorate ischemic injury by inducing the expression of cytoprotective genes. Relaxin peptides are known to exhibit neuroprotective effects and have been shown to reduce cell death in rat brain tissue under hypoxic conditions. We hypothesized that relaxins may reduce cell death in the ischemic brain by reducing expression of TNF-a and increasing
expression of HIF-1a. Organotypic neonatal rat brain cultures were prepared and cultured for two weeks. Brain slices received one of five treatments: oxygenated balanced salt solution (normoxic control; NC), oxygen glucose deprived salt solution (OGD control), and OGD media with either H2 relaxin, H3 relaxin, or H3 relaxin and the H3 relaxin receptor (RXFP3) antagonist R3 B1-22R. Proteins were extracted from the brain tissue and western blots were performed to quantify the amount of β-actin, HIF1-a, and TNF-a in each brain slice. Mean blot volumes and densities for each group were compared using a one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post-hoc test. HIF-1a was not detected in any protein samples. TNF-a was detected in all samples at 26 kDa, and was likely glycosylated. Density and volume analyses revealed that the H3 relaxin with R3 B1-22R group contained significantly more TNF-a than other treatment groups. Blot volume, but not density showed that the H3 relaxin group contained significantly more TNF-a than the control groups or the H2 relaxin group. Further research is needed to determine the time course of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in organotypic culture and to further understand the role of TNF-a in the ischemic brain.

abstract: Biology


title: “#Iftheygunnedmedown”: how twitter activists sought justice for Michael Brown

contributor:
de Ste Croix, Ann (author)
(Biro, Andrew) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract: This thesis argues that social media has become an effective tool that can be mobilized by social movements to express discontent with the status quo and ultimately to change this status quo. As such, the main objective of this thesis is to understand the role that social media platforms such as Twitter have had in challenging hegemonic discourses within society, as well as in producing counter-hegemonic discourses.  In order to explore this phenomenon, this thesis examines the case of Michael Brown and the subsequent Ferguson protests as they were presented within traditional media messages. This is done to discover whether or not users on social media were able to influence the narrative surrounding these events. A Critical Discourse Analysis conducted of traditional media articles written at the time of the incident points to a shift in the way the events were framed.

abstract: Politics


title: Steal

contributor:
Grantwell, Athena (author)
(Campbell, Wanda) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
This novella explores the relationship between a middle-aged son named John and his father Walt who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease against the backdrop of winter in a small Nova Scotia fishing community called Hubbards. The novella also features John’s five-year-old son, Dennis, who serves as a foil to John’s character by reflecting the relationship that John had as a child with his father, and the reversal of their roles as father and son since John is now the primary caregiver for both. The novella is entitled “Steal,” which suggests both the robbery of memories and time. Walt has his memories stolen from him throughout his battle with Alzheimer’s and, in turn, John is being robbed of his father’s recognition of him as his son. Time is stolen from them both as Alzheimer’s is a degenerative disease, limiting their years together as father and son.
The title also suggests “steel” since both Walt and John have to be strong in their battle against Alzheimer’s.  The elements of the novella which build on research of both factual and fictional accounts of the disease are unified with an underlying quest for hope through struggle, as the characters must deal with changes that come with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and with the skeletons that surface from the past.

abstract: English & Theatre Studies


title: The Species at Risk Act: the allowance of economic and socio-economic prioriziation above scientific assessment

contributor:
Hamilton-Burge, Grace (author)
(Cohen, Alice) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

abstract: Earth & Environmental Sciences


title: Early digital media exposure and response inhibition in children

contributor:
Sullivan, Hayley R. (author)
(Brodeur, Darlene) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
The  effects  of  digital  media  exposure  on  the  development  of  response  inhibition  were examined  in  typically  developing  children.  Participants  ranged  in  age  from  two  to  eight years old. The extent of digital media exposure was scored based on a Digital Media Use Survey filled out by a parent or guardian. A modified Go/No-Go task was used to measure response inhibition. An age appropriate Child Behaviour Checklist was also completed by the parent or guardian to examine behavioural patterns. There was not a significant amount of  improvement  found  in  attention  or  response  inhibition  across  the  age  range;  this  was hypothesized to be the result of the Go/No-Go task being designed for younger participants, and a skewed  age  range.  The  primary  findings  suggest  that  videogames  are  potentially related  to  a  variety  of  behaviour  issues,  including  but  not  limited  to:  internalizing and externalizing problems, as well as attention
and ADHD problems.

abstract: Psychology


title: Metal mobility and retention associated with salt water inundation at Laytons Lake, Nova Scotia

contributor:
McGuire, Heather E. (author)
(Spooner, Ian) (Thesis advisor)
(Mallory, Mark) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
Sediments in wetlands and lakes have the potential to retain metals that have been mobilized by natural and anthropogenic disturbance. The role of variable water column chemistry and nutrient loads on metal retention and mobility in wetland and lake sediments is not well understood. Laytons Lake is a coastal freshwater lake located in the Amherst Point Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Nova Scotia, Canada. It experienced a series of marine inundations from the Bay of Fundy in the 1940s. In the late 1970s, researchers identified that the lake was density stratified and incompletely mixed (meromictic), which resulted in a strong chemocline and elevated conductivity levels within 3m of lake bottom sediments.
A detailed paleolimnological assessment was undertaken to investigate the geochemical impact of meromixis on lake bottom sediment geochemistry, and the rate of transition from a meromictic to an intermixing state. A geochemical analysis of lake bottom sediments was accomplished by measuring total C, N and stable isotopes (δ15N, and δ13C), and
using pXRF to measure elemental proxies. A total Pb curve was used to date the sediment coretemporally. It appears that
Laytons Lake is no longer density stratified. A distinct chemoclineno longer exists, as only a small concentration of conductivity (1012 μScm) was detected at the bottom of the deep basin. Data from this study suggests that the lake recovered rapidly from the marine inundation and that meromixis had a very limited effect on the bulk geochemistry of the sediment archive. C/N ratios suggest that the organic matter found in the lake bottom sediment is largely from terrestrial source. This study demonstrated that in a macrotidal environment, the water and sediment chemistry of low-lying coastal lakes may be much more variable and dynamic than lakes situated farther inland, away from occasional marine inundation.

abstract: Earth & Environmental Sciences


title: Identification of protein biomarkers in epidermal mucus of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) as a consequence of angling stress

contributor:
Dort, Hillary J. (author)
(Easy, Russell) (Thesis advisor)
(Avery, Trevor) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) are native to the Atlantic coast of North America and are valued for their ecological, economic and cultural significance. Anthropogenic stressors such as handling and angling, cause physiological and behavioral changes that may detrimentally shift the balance between health and disease in Striped Bass populations. Proteomic techniques were used to identify and characterize novel protein biomarkers in Striped Bass epidermal mucus and to investigate changes in protein profiles caused by angling. Methods included isolating proteins of interest, and
quantifying and exploring how specific protein biomarkers may play a role in determining fish health. Data obtained from 1D SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometry has identified putative protein biomarkers in Striped Bass epidermal mucus. Proteolytic activity was characterized in the mucus using zymography, providing information on the class of proteases activated during stress-related events. In addition, changes in protein profiles were correlated with known stress indicators and previously identified biomarkers. By identifying biomarkers of stress in epidermal mucus samples this study has developed a novel and non-invasive method for measuring stress in Striped Bass, which may contribute to a better understanding of the overall effects of angling stress on fish in general. It is anticipated by recognizing the potential pitfalls in the handling and treatment of Striped Bass that this study may improve current conservation decisions and regulations to maintain healthy populations of Striped Bass, as well as contributing to the limited scientific literature regarding the effects of stress on Striped Bass.

abstract: Biology


title: Granular iron deposits, seawater chemistry, and earth evolution

contributor:
Malone, Jackson D. (author)
(Pufahl, Peir K.) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract: Iron formation and ironstone are marine chemical sedimentary rocks enriched in iron. Iron formation is Precambrian in age whereas ironstone is exclusively Phanerozoic. Both have been exploited as economic sources of iron for steel manufacture. Although formed of a variety of contrasting lithofacies types, a striking similarity is the conspicious presence of granular deposits with coated grains. Coated grains record physical, chemical, and biological processes intrinsic to the paleoenvironment of deposition. Coated grains forming iron formation are composed of nuclei of blocky chert enveloped by hematitic cortical layers. These grains are interpreted to have precipitated from suboxic seawater along shallow, high-energy regions of the paleocoast within photosynthetic oxygen oases. Ironstone coated grains are generally nucleated on subangular detrital quartz grains and are characterized by cortices composed of interlaminated chamosite, apatite, and hematite. These redox sensitive coatings imply formation beneath the sediment-seawater interface as pore water Eh fluctuated during erosive exhumation and reburial of grains by shelf currents or changes in surface ocean productivity that moderated the export of sedimentary organic matter to the seafloor. These findings provide further context for the depositional and oceanographic conditions controlling the accumulation of coated iron grains. Their physical and chemical conditions of formation provide a new window into understanding seawater chemistry, the benthic iron cycle, and biological evolution through deep time.

abstract: Earth & Environmental Sciences


title: Contributions of biochar and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to the growth of Geum peckii (Eastern Mountian avens)

contributor:
Bradbury, Jacqueline G. (author)
(Walker, Allison) (Thesis advisor)
(Lopez, Juan Carlos) (Thesis advisor)
(Browne, Robin) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
Geum peckii Pursh (Eastern Mountain Avens) (Rosaceae) is assessed as imperiled globally, critically imperiled nationally
and endangered provincially. One of the only two populations of G. peckii occurs in Digby County, Nova Scotia. The population in Nova Scotia has been estimated to have declined by 64% since 1986. Investigations of the contribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and biochar on the growth of G. peckii could lead to more efficient tissue culture out
planting techniques and recovery strategies. G. peckiiis a perennial plant species that is found in sphagnum peat bog
habitats in Nova Scotia. Two greenhouse outplanting trials were completed using AMF sourced from Brier Island, Digby County, Nova Scotia, and different concentrations of charged biochar. DNA was extracted from G. peckii root material
of ex situ grown plants in the experimental gardens in the K. C. Irving Environmental Centre (Acadia University), G. peckii
root material collected from native plants on Brier Island, and root material from the G. peckii plants that were tested in the second greenhouse outplanting trial. No AMF DNA was found in any DNA extractions from the G. peckii plants as  determined by PCR using AMF-specific primers. The greenhouse outplanting trials indicated that the higher concentrations of biochar in the second trial contributed to higher plant mortalities. However, 15% biochar without the addition of the AMF contributed to an increase in total biomass production. This study will contribute to increasing the efficacy of outplanting
G. peckii in the future.

abstract: Biology


title: Le meunier d''Angibault (1845) de George Sand et Madame Bovary (1856) de Gustave Flaubert: une comparison des protagonistes feminins, et l'idealisme de Sand et le realisme de Flaubert

contributor:
Bruce, Emilie (author)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)
(Landgraf, Diemo) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract: Languages & Literatures

abstract:
Résumé
Pour comparer Marcelle de Blanchemont du roman champêtre de George Sand, Le meunier d’Angibault (1845)  et  Emma  Bovary  de Madame  Bovary de  Gustave  Flaubert (1856), on peut voir que chaque auteur est déçu par les résultats des événements qui ont eu lieu au XIXe siècle, ainsi que la société en général pendant cette période. Pour Sand, elle espère  montrer  à  ses  lecteurs,  à  travers  son  idéalisme,  que  la  félicité  sociétale  peut  être réalisée une fois que nous nous aiderons les uns les autres. Mais pour Flaubert, son réalisme se concentre sur la façon dont la réalité peut être une barrière paralysante à ceux qui sont hantés par des rêves. Malgré ces approches différentes, les deux auteurs parviennent à créer une représentation assez précise de ce qu’était la vie d’une femme pendant cette période, et  démontent  l’inégalité  qui  existait  entre  les  sexes,  mais  aussi  entre  les  femmes,  et comment leur rôle dans la société a été dicté par leur état civil.
Abstract
To compare Marcelle de Blanchemont from George Sand's rustic novel, Le meunier d'Angibault (1845)  and Emma  Bovary  from  Gustave  Flaubert's Madame  Bovary (1856), one can see that each author is disappointed by the results of the events which occurred in the 19th century, as well as society in general during this period. Sand hopes to show her readers, through her idealism, how societal bliss can be attained once we learn to help one another.  However,  in  the  case  of  Flaubert,  his  realism  focuses  on  how  reality  can  be  a crippling barrier to one’s dreams. Despite these different approaches, both authors manage to create a very accurate representation of what life was like for women during this period, and demonstrate the inequality which existed between the sexes, but also between women and show how their role in society was dictated by their marital status.


title: A phylogenetic analysis of Black Queen Cell Virus demonstrating viral spread across native and wild bees in Canada

contributor:
Blanche, Emma (author)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)
(Easy, Russell) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract: Biology

abstract:
Native and managed pollinators are vital to Canada’s agriculture and biodiversity; however, these species are currently facing population declines. One of the most prominent viruses affecting the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) is Black Queen Cell Virus (BQCV), which is fatal to developing honey bee queens. Previous genomic analyses have shown that interspecies transmission of pathogens is common between managed honey bees and wild bumblebees, while the BQCV genotypes tend to be most similar within the geographic site where they were collected. The objective of this study is to
trace the spread of BQCV across Apis and native bee species within Canada to better understand viral transmission in pollinators. Bees were collected from sites across Ontario, Alberta, and Nova Scotia and were tested for BQCV. Viral RNA was extracted and PCR was used to amplify viral cDNA targeting the helicase gene. PCR products were sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq Next-Generation Sequencing platform and sequences were analyzed for genetic similarity. Phylogenetic analysis revealed evidence of viral transmission across species and across collection sites. The viral sequences did not cluster neatly by province, though when compared to internationally collected sequences, they did cluster by country. These results suggest pathogen spillover between managed and native bee species across Canada, and that infected wild bees act as carriers for viral transmission even when appearing asymptomatic. Broader genomic analyses are needed to explore the transmission of BQCV across Canada, as the global data set remains limited.


title: Women's fulfillment as a question of privilege in Kate Chopin's The Awakening

contributor:
Marrison, Erica (author)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)
(Narbeshuber, Lisa) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract: English & Theatre Studies

abstract:
This thesis examines Kate Chopin’s infamous 1899 novel, The Awakening. Along with a few of her short stories – “Désirée’s Baby,” “Beyond the Bayou,” and “The Story of an Hour” –which were earlier published in Vogue magazine, this work conceptualizes the role of privilege in protagonist Edna’s ability to reach a point of fulfilment, as her pursuit of this fulfilment drives the narrative’s plot. While her racial and economic privileges are the components that lead her to recognize her oppressions, such subjugations inhibit her liberation, eventually leading to her death by suicide.
The first chapter explores Edna’s androgyny – both physical and emotional –as it relegates her to the margins of her gendered Louisiana society. However, the second chapter brings this marginality further into question by employing Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality. Though oppressed as a woman who does not wholly subscribe to feminine ideals of the time, Black, poor women of the narrative are oppressed by Edna. The third chapter then analyzes the novel’s public reception, as well as the reception of Chopin’s works when published in Vogue. By writing in the novel format, which inevitably addresses a more extensive male audience than that of a women’s magazine, Chopin pushes the boundaries of what is acceptable storytelling, revealing temporal anxieties surrounding women’s agency. Consequently, this thesis demonstrates that The Awakening has maintained its relevance over time, as it explicates the intricacies of the intersectional perspective before it became a theorized concept.


title:
Vertebrate and invertebrate surficial trace fossils from the Horton Bluff Formation (Lower Carboniferous) near Avonport, Nova
Scotia

contributor:
Wood, Donald A. (author)
(Cameron, Barry) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1999

abstract:
The Horton Bluff Formation (Horton Group) contains a variety of vertebrate and invertebrate surficial trace fossils from Tournaisian (Lower Carboniferous) sandstones and shales. They are best preserved as convex hyporeliefs on indurated
sandstones. This trace fossil assemblage represents a record of life activity during the Toumaisian of Nova Scotia and may be used as an aid to the paleoenvironmental interpretation of the upper members of the Horton Bluff Formation. The
present study concentrates on the identification and nomenclatural problems associated with selected fish, tetrapod, and arthropod-related material found mainly at Blue Beach and Horton Bluff near Avonport, Nova Scotia.
Fish swimming too close to the sediment surface were responsible for sinusoidal traces left by tails, fins, and fin-spines. These trails are attributable to the Ichnogenus Undichnus Anderson. U. binum Anderson and U. britannicum Higgs are reported, along with one newly described form, U. septemlineatum nov. ichnosp.
Numerous trackways attributable to the ichnogenus Paleohelcura Gilmore have been retained in that ichnogenus and not placed into the ichnogenus Protichnites Owen. Paleohelcura is considered herein to be a distinct morphological group and not a junior synonym of the latter. Paleohelcura carbonaria Dawson has been identified from the Blue Beach Member of the Horton Bluff Formation. Future revision may be warranted.
Discovery and study of five-toed amphibian tracks lead to a re-examination of the holotype of the tetrapod trackway Peratodactylopus bishopi Sarjeant and Mossman. This revealed the presence of five digits on both the pes and the manus, not four as originally described. The original diagnosis and description are emended herein.

abstract: Earth & Environmental Sciences


title: Ideals that ought to work: a case study of the co-operative experience of single mothers

contributor:
Seebold, Terri-Dale (author)
(Grady, Don) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1992

abstract:
The research reported in this thesis focuses on contradictions between the promise of voluntary co-operative housing and the lived realities of this goal experienced by a group of single mothers who are members of an existing co-operative located in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.
My work in this project involves a general overview of the formal advantages for single mothers of the general principles of co-operative life, detailed analysis of the experience of six single mothers who have lived a form of co-operativism within
the framework of Evangeline Courts Housing Co-operative (ECHC), and a broader situating of the problems encountered by these single mothers in co-operative living.
I have tried to highlight both the positive potential and the negative limitations of the way in which co-operative purposes are obstructed by the controlling environment represented by an existing inequitable social order and its authoritative instrument, the state. But through the inspiring testimony of my informants among the single mothers of ECHC, I  have been able to propose a co-operative and constructive framework for a feminist, multi-functional form of women's co-perative.

abstract: Sociology


title: Womanly in their strength: the women graduates of Acadia University in 1916

contributor:
Pettigrew, Tammy Lynn (author)
(Conrad, Margaret) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1994

abstract:
This study focuses on the nineteen women who graduated from Acadia University in 1916. It explores the social, economic,
ideological, and regional backgrounds of the women, discusses the war years as a period that provided them with practical
experience as well as a sense of idealism, and describes their activities and careers during their years as alumnae of Acadia
University. The evidence shows that the women in Acadia's class of '16 came primarily from Baptist, rural Nova Scotian,
middle-class backgrounds, and that the absence of men, off to fight the war, had a dramatic impact on the women's academic success, extracurricular involvement, and female friendships. Women in the class of '16 moved into traditionally
male-dominated offices, seized an unprecedented number of academic honours, and shared exceptionally close relationships with the other women students. Following graduation the majority of these women pursued careers rather
than marriage. Their experience at Acadia left them with a strong sense of purpose and the confidence to excel in traditionally male professions that was atypical of female students at Acadia both before and for many years after the Great War.

abstract: History & Classics


title: Magnetic expression and sedimentary layering of heavy mineral-bearing sand bars, Shubenacadie River, NS

contributor:
Zwicker, Colin (author)
(Stanley, Cliff) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2003

abstract:
A 750m long and 200m wide sandbar containing anomalous concentrations of heavy minerals along the east bank of the
Shubenacadie River, Nova Scotia was investigated in this thesis study. The sandbar was examined to determine the effectiveness of total magnetic field strength and magnetic susceptibility surveys as proxies for heavy mineral grade assays.
The sandbar is located under Gosse Bridge in a fluvial, macro-tidal environment an~ is within mining claims held by Titanium Corporation Inc.
Total magnetic field strength surveys conducted across the sandbar delineated magnetic anomaly trends in the sand. The trends appear to be related to either the amount of medium-grained sand present, or the concentrations of heavy minerals in the sands.
Vibracore and pionjar drillcore, along with shallow surface sandbar samples, were found to display a strong correlation between heavy mineral concentrations and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The relationship between the heavy mineral concentrations and the magnetic susceptibility was supported further by the strong correlation between heavy mineral concentrations and magnetic mineral percentages separated from the samples using a Frantz isodynamic separator.
The heavy mineral separations undertaken indicate that the sandbar under examination has significantly higher heavy mineral grades in the first meter of sediment.

abstract: Earth & Environmental Sciences


title: Isolation and host range determination of bacteriophage for the identification of agrobacterium tumefaciems

contributor:
Richards, Jeffrey T. (author)
(Bell, Colin) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1990

abstract:
Soil samples were collected around the base of crown gall infected grape vines from two major grape production regions
in Canada: the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia, and the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. Additional samples included sewage effluent removed from a treatment plant outside Wolfville, Nova Scotia. These samples were tested using the agar
overlay method (1) for the presence of virulent phage. Specifically, Ag63, a biovar 3 tumorigenic strain of A. tumefaciens, was found to be lysed only by phage present in the sofl originating from the Okanagan Valley. There was no indication of plaque formation from any of the Nova Scotian soil samples. Phage were found, however, in abundance in the sewage effluent sample. All samples were then tested for the presence of temperate phage through the use of mitomycin-C.
The varied plaques were isolated and the host range of these phage were spot tested with 26 different genera of soil
bacteria ( includfng Agrobacterfum, Pseudomonas spp, and Rhizobium ) for the purpose of findfng phage specific to
Agrobacterfum. The most promising phage isolates lysed only Agrobacterfum spp. plus Rhizobium meliloti. Through cluster
analysts of all phage isolates, N.S. sewage isolates and B.C. soil isolates clustered separately into two groups with no
infiltration of either into the other group.

abstract: Biology


title: Social movement to community: an operant model of university residence

contributor:
Shields, Paul A. (author)
(Grady, Don) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1980

abstract:
The study that follows is an exploration and analysis of the development of community orientation among a small group
of University students from a perspective that traces its origin as an institutionalisation of a social movement.
The first section of the work is devoted to consideration of the topic and culminates in the development of an Operant Model for understanding the intrasystemic dynamics of a vertical relationship of social movement to community.
Subsequent sections focus upon particular processes in the overall history of Willett House, a residence at Acadia University. Chapter Two focuses upon the social bases of conflict in the process of pre-social movement from September
1975 to April of 1978. Chapter Three explores the process of social movement from September 1978 to April 1979. Chapter
Four carries this discussion into the period from September to December, 1979, exploring transcendence of conflict as a process of orientation to community. The final section, Chapter Five, is devoted to a summary of the period from September 1975 to December 1979, and offers a series of alternative "future directions" as a concluding discussion.

abstract: Sociology


title: Aspects of American Eel, Anguilla rostrata, and white perch, Morone americana, in the Avon River and estuary

contributor:
Killacky, Madeleine (author)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)
(Avery, Trevor) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2019

abstract: Biology

abstract:
The Windsor causeway, located in the Avon Estuary, Windsor, Nova Scotia, is currently an important site for marine research because plans are in progress for the installation of a new gate-way for fish passage as the 101-highway is redeveloped. This research will help inform decisions on gate-way design and impacts to American Eel and White Perch
movement and migration patterns. Previous studies have found American Eel, Anguilla rostrata, and White Perch, Morone Americana, are present in two locations adjacent to the causeway: in the tidal waters proximal and distal to the gate, and in the brackish and fresh waters up-river from this location. Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags were used to investigate movement patterns of these species between the fresh and tidal waters other than during their annual spawning migration times. There were not enough White Perch captured or tagged during the study to give quantifiable results and so no further analysis was performed on this fish species. For American Eel, results indicated that there was no movement of tagged eels between the two test sites suggesting that the current fish-gate system is inadequate for free fish movement. A few eels were sampled to retain otoliths (inner ear bones) to gain a better understanding of the eel population demographics (size and age). Otolith results indicated that there was a positive trend in the relationship of eel weight and eel length to otolith weight suggesting that further research may provide a new method for aging American Eel.


title: East and west: an examination of the international through the lenses of agression

contributor:
Swanburg, Paul (author)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)
(Whitehall, Geoffrey) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2019

abstract: Politics

abstract:
This thesis begins with an historical examination of Russia’s history from 1991 up until the 2008 Georgia-Russia war, it is from this analysis that the central assertion is drawn: there is a false dilemma on the international stage between liberal IR theory and realism, both claim to deal with conflict but in fact they both just normalize it.
In order to shed light on that assertion, two theoretical frameworks have been developed in order to provide a better insight into the why of Russia’s actions and the why of the West’s response. The first framework is an explanation of Liberal IR theory through the work of Andrew Moravcsik and a subsequent postcolonial critique through the work of Kaurna Mantena. The key point that I attempt to iterate in this chapter is the idea that Liberal IR theory has not shaken its imperialist roots and is instead using them to dominate the international arena in the modern era.
The second framework is meant to provide an alternative international arena to the critiqued version of Liberal IR theory, that of a more direct nature. After a brief examination of Realism, attention is turned to the work of Carl Schmitt. I attempt to use his ideas of the political, Nomos and Hegung (verb meaning to hedge) to articulate a system that uses the laws of war to bracket and contain war while still allowing for its presence in the international arena.
The 2008 Georgia-Russia war will serve as a case study on which to apply the two complete frameworks: are the actions of Russia consistent with the motivations of the political, do they fall within the lines set by Schmitt’s system; are the actions of the West consistent with an imperialist mindset? These are the questions I seek to answer with the application of the frameworks to the case study.
In the conclusion I reflect upon what I have learned from the establishment of the frameworks, their application to the case study and what it all means for the future of international relations as well as our current understanding of Schmitt and Liberal IR theory


title: Factors influencing trust in autonomous vehicles

contributor:
Stuart, Jordan (author)
(O`Neill, Patrick) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
Autonomous vehicles will likely becomea major source of transportation. The trust of the population in autonomous vehicles will determine if individuals choose to use them. In this study, undergraduate students from Acadia University
weregiven a question sheet asking their opinions on autonomous vehicles and how willing they would be to commute in an
autonomous vehicle. Participants were then given an article outlining either positive or negative views of automotive experts regarding the safety of autonomous vehicles as well as a positive or negative news story about an autonomous vehicle. After reading the information article and the news story, participants were then asked to rate how strongly they trusted autonomous vehicles and how likely they were to commute in one in the future. It was hypothesized that: 1) articipants’ trust in autonomous vehicles would be affected by their familiarity with traditional motor vehicles ;2) Participants would be less likely to trust autonomous vehicles when given information stating these vehicles were dangerous, but more likely to show trust when they received the information sheet stating these vehicles were safe ;
3) Participants who had the negative information article and positive Sunday drive story would be less likely to trust autonomous vehicles. The results of this study indicated that participants’ familiarity with motor vehicles based on number of accidents and years driving did not affect their trust. Also, the type of information article participants received did influence their opinion and willingness to commute scores in the expected direction, although only the negative information article led to significant change in ratings. Participants’ scores were not influenced by positive or negative Sunday drive stories. Negative information has a stronger influence on opinions.

abstract: Psychology


title: Alice challenges Wonderland: Alice's role as sage and purveyor of common sense in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

contributor:
Hicks, Deanna Dawne (author)
(Ross, Blair) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1997

abstract:
One of Lewis Carroll's most precious concerns was that of the welfare of his child friends. Being preoccupied with the schooling systems and socialization to which his friends fell prey, Carroll responds satirically with Alice's Adventures in
Wonderland. This story deals with issues of propriety and manners as well as with the education system of Victorian England. The heroine serves the purpose as expositor of the absurd training for boys and girls but especially .With the
socialization of girls. This study examines Alice's Adventures in Wonderland as it pertains to Alice's involvement with the
characters of Wonderland and her responses to them concerning her mission as purveyor of common sense.

abstract: English & Theatre Studies


title: Orientation and movement patterns of reciprocally transplanted wood turtles (Clemmys insculpta LeConte) in northeastern Nova Scotia

contributor:
McCurdy, Dean Gregory (author)
(Herman, Tom) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1995

abstract:
Thread trailing and radio telemetry were used to examine orientation and movement patterns of male wood turtles (Clemmys insculpta LeConte) on the Musquodoboit and saint Mary's rivers in Nova Scotia from May to September 1994.
Fractal analyses and scale dependent orientation tests were used to compare movement patterns before and after
transplantation. Trails in various microhabitat types including open fields, forested areas and aquatic environments were
analyzed. Results showed that home range size was site-dependent and that this species was opportunistic, taking advantage of heterogeneous microhabitats when they were available. The repeated use of terrestrial and aquatic travel
paths for foraging and possible "anting" behaviour was also investigated. Conclusions suggest that turtles transplanted outside their maximum range of homing ability can successfully adapt to the new environment. This has implications for
the conservation of such threatened species.

abstract: Biology


title: Geochemical exploration for tungsten in the till on the Musquodoboit Batholith, Nova Scotia

contributor:
Turner, Robert Gordon (author)
(Colwell, J.A.) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1986

abstract:
Exploration for tungsten In the Musquodoboit Batholith, Nova Scotia, led to the discovery of quartz-greisen veins containing
wolframite and scheelite hosted by monzogranite at Tangier Grand Lake. Further exploration led to the discovery of tungsten anomalies in the soiI and tlII and mineralized surficial boulders at Squirrel Lake. However, the source location for
both the boulders and anomalies as well as the type of source for the tungsten grains in the tiII was not known.
For this study the tiII was mapped and sampled In detail. Data was obtained through Iithology counts as well as heavy mineral, whole tiII, and microprobe analyses.
The tungsten observed In mineralized boulders at Squirrel Lake typically occur as a wolframite-scheellte intergrowth In
quartz-grelsen veins with trace amounts of molybdenite and chalcopyrite associated. This intergrowth is also present as
grains in the tiII.
The results of this study suggest the till and the tungsten locally minerals in the till at Squirrel Lake are derived from the
Musquodoboit Batholith. Microprobe analysis of wolframite from the boulders and tlII grains suggests they are probably
related to a common but separate source that may be genetically similar to the known bedrock occurrences. One source
location for these tungsten minerals is probably further north of the last trench.

abstract: Earth & Environmental Sciences


title: Investigation of the intrusion and metamorphism of the North Branch Baddeck River leucotonalite and its mafic dykes

contributor:
Goodwin-Bell, Jo-Anne (author)
(Raeside, Robert) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1995

abstract:
Petrographic examination of samples from the North Branch Baddeck River Leucotonalite and its mafic dykes indicates the
leucotonalite has undergone greenschist-facies metamorphism as the result of Late Silurian to Early Devonian deformation
and movement along the Eastern Highlands Shear zone.
Results from whole rock geochemical analysis of the leucotonalite and the mafic dykes were plotted on tectonic discrimination diagrams and compared with other units in the Cape Breton Highlands. The leucotonalite appears to have
formed in a volcanic-arc setting and may be part of the Aspy terrane or represent basement to either the Aspy or Bras d'Or
terranes.
The mafic dykes represent two distinct suites of rocks. One suite is unrnetamorphosed and displays mid-ocean ridge affinity. This suite is geochemically similar to the Faribault Brook metavolcanic unit of the Jumping Brook Metamorphic Suite. The other suite has reached upper greenschist-to amphibolite-facies metamorphism and displays volcanic-arc basalt
character. This suite is geochemically similar to the Money Point Group and the volcanic rocks of the Mabou Highlands.

abstract: Earth & Environmental Sciences


title: Development of a comprehensive learning management system designed for computer science

contributor:
He, Bailin (author)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)
(Diamond, Jim) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract: Computer Science

abstract: This thesis presents a learning management system (LMS) written in Python using the Django web framework.  This system is designed specifically for Computer Science instructors and students to ease the process of submitting and, more importantly, the process of grading assignments.  The most important feature in this system is the built-in code testing module for programming assignments. The system automatically builds and runs all students’ submitted solutions and provides informative test results for students and markers.  The system also offers other features like syntax highlighting, Markdown input and TEX notation input for mathematical equation rendering, which allows markers and instructors to comment on the students’ assignments.


title: For better or for worse?: NAFTA's lessons for the relationship between free trade agreements and food sovereignty

contributor:
Miller, Stephanie M. (author)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)
(Warner, Alan) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2017

abstract:
This study exploreswhether free trade agreements (FTAs) are conducive or prohibitive to the implementation of food sovereignty. This investigation is conducted through a case study of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and its impacts on Mexican agriculture andthe environment. It centers around two questions. First, what is the relationship between free trade agreements (FTAs) and food sovereignty? Second, in what ways did NAFTA agree or conflict with the pillars of food sovereignty in Mexico? To address these questions, I conduct a literature review of free trade theory and food sovereignty. Later, I analyze the NAFTA text and the agreement’s impacts are explored using a food sovereignty framework. Based on my findings, I conclude that the present trade model significantly inhibits the implementation of food
sovereignty. This conclusion is based on four fundamental impacts of agricultural trade liberalization: 1) loss of domestic support; 2) industrialization and privatization; 3) dispossession and displacement; and 4) social and environmental "externalities.” Considering the global challenges of climate change and poverty, the discussion closes with my recommendations for the future. I argue that the feasibility of using the food sovereignty framework to develop a just, democratic and sustainable trade model is a topic worthy of further exploration.

abstract: Environmental & Sustainability Studies


title: Effects of bisphenol-A and bisphenol-S on regeneration and DNA methylation in the marine worm Pygospio elegans

contributor:
O'Brien, Melissa (author)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)
(Gibson, Glenys) (Thesis advisor)
(Snyder, Marlene) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2017

abstract:
Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a common environmental contaminant originating from the manufacturing of plastics and epoxy resins. BPA is widely known to disrupt embryonic development as an estrogen mimic but recent evidence also indicates that it alters DNA methylation. Bisphenol-S (BPS) is the “safe” replacement for BPA in plastics, but its health effects are understudied. The objectives of my thesis were to i.) investigate the effects of BPS on anterior regeneration in the spionid polychaete Pygospio elegans(Annelida), ii.) to compare its effects on regeneration to BPA (examined previously), and iii.) to identify a potential mechanism by which bisphenols disrupt regeneration, specifically, determine if they impact DNA
methylation. My hypothesis was that BPS would disrupt regeneration as does BPA, and that this disruption would be associated with changes in levels of DNA methylation. Anterior regeneration was examined in regenerates cultured in seawater (control), BPA, and BPS by comparing growth and morphology using bright field microscopy. My results showed that BPS slowed regeneration, comparable to BPA. The effects of BPA (generally a methyl releaser), BPS, and folate/vitamin
B12 (known DNA methyl donors) on DNA methylation levels were examined with agarose gel electrophoresis using HpaII/MspI digestion of whole genomic DNA and analysing gels with ImageJ and Excel. Results indicate that BPA and BPS alter DNA methylation levels in intact adults and possibly also in regenerates. Overall, this study helps contribute to a better
understanding of the impact of bisphenols on regeneration and provides important preliminary evidence of a mechanism by which these environmental contaminants disrupt development.

abstract: Biology


title: Petrology and geochemistry of the Jeffers Brook Pluton, Cobequid Highlands, Nova Scotia

contributor:
McCulloch, Katie M. (author)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)
(Barr, Sandra) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2017

abstract:
The Cobequid Highlands of northwestern mainland Nova Scotia are part of the microcontinent of Avalonia, formed on the periphery of Gondwana. The highlands consist of two fault-bounded crustal blocks – the Jeffers block in the north and the
Bass River block in the south. Field mapping, sampling, and petrological study of the Jeffers Brook pluton in the Jeffers block
show that it consists mainly of dioritic and tonalitic rocks with abundant dioritic inclusions, as well as minor syenogranite, cut by mafic dykes.  An age of ca. 605 Ma is inferred from previous 40Ar/39Ar dating of hornblende. Chemical analyses of 15 samples representing all the rock types in the pluton, combined with previously reported chemical data, display a wide range in SiO2 and trends consistent with a cogenetic relationship.  They exhibit light rare earth element (REE) enrichment relative to heavy REE, with approximately parallel sloping patterns that lack europium anomalies.  The syenogranite has
lower REE abundance overall and a negative Eu anomaly indicating plagioclase fractionation. The rocks are calc-alkalic and likely formed in a continental margin subduction zone. They display chemical similarities to the calc-alkalic volcanic host
rocks of the Jeffers Group, supporting interpretations that the pluton is the intrusive equivalent of the group.  The pluton contains a similar range of rock types as occur in plutons of similar age in the Bass River block, and the rocks also show overall chemical similarity and formed in a similar tectonic setting.  Hence the plutons in these two areas could be related, even though they occur in different host rocks. In contrast, the mafic dykes are tholeiitic and likely formed in a within-plate setting, part of the widespread bimodal magmatism that occurred in the Cobequid Highlands during the Late Devonian and
Early Carboniferous.

abstract: Environmental & Sustainability Studies


title: Path dependency, critical junctures, and contesting the entrenched health care institution in the United States

contributor:
Anderson, Caroline (author)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)
(Brickner, Rachel) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2017

abstract:
Historically, health care in the United States has followed a privatized and employer-based path. However, there have been moments of legislative debate that have called into question the effectiveness of this system to provide accessible, affordable, and quality health care to all citizens. Why is the U.S. one of the only developed countries without a national policy to ensure universal health coverage? To answer this research question, I use a historical institutionalism approach with a temporal within case study analysis of critical juncture periods. From this case study analysis, I found that path
dependency theory can be used to explain the lack of universal health care in the U.S. and that the tool of critical junctures can be used to explain a shift in health care policy in the post-World War II period. The health care institution has remained on a static path primarily due to the congressional makeup and opposition group mobilization during these periods of contestation. There was a shift in the privatized path of health care with the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2010, marking a change that included government involvement with health care coverage and costs of everyday U.S. citizens. In 2017, the threat of repeal from the Trump administration marks a new critical juncture period, where the administration could pay the high political costs of reversing the decisions made in 2010, but the possible repeal would also follow the rhetoric of past health care decisions, which broadly kept health care out of the hands of the federal government.

abstract: Politics


title: The constructs of adapted aquatic programming for children and youth with disabilities

contributor:
Coffin, Alexandra V. (author)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)
(Seaman, Roxanne) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2017

abstract: Previous research has shown that children and youth with disabilities benefit socially, cognitively, and physically from adapted aquatic programming. The objective of adapted aquatics is to improve fitness, swim strokes, water safety, and quality of life through instructional tasks, corrective feedback, and structured practice (Lepore et al., 2007). The purpose of this study was to investigate the constructs of adapted aquatic programming for children and youth with disabilities, appointing the most successful and effective adapted aquatic programming approaches. Data were gathered through a content analysis involving interviews using a semi-structured format, followed by reviewing and evaluating adapted aquatic programming materials. The participants of this study included professionals in adapted aquatic programming and students working directly with adapted aquatic programming as student instructors at S.M.I.L.E. with the participants. The data analysis revealed eight emergent themes related to the study’s purpose. These themes were identified as: (a) effective communication, (b) soothing environment, (c) skills checklists, (d) use of equipment, (e) routine, (f) one-on-one interaction, (g) positive reinforcements, and (h) free play. This conceptual framework will now be implemented in the S.M.I.L.E. program at Acadia University, with the goalto further improve the aquatic portion of the program.

abstract: Kinesiology


title: Managing Varroa destructor mites using their odorants

contributor:
Flinn, Allie J. (author)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)
(Hillier, Kirk) (Thesis advisor)
(Shutler, Dave) (Thesis advisor)
(Little, Cate) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2017

abstract:
Parasitic Varroa destructor (hereafter varroa) mites are the most destructive disease of European honey bees, Apis mellifera, making them of significant economic importance. Varroa resistance to miticides, as well as detrimental effects of miticides on honeybees, have motivated exploration of alternative methods to safely manage varroa. My research examined behaviourally-relevant compounds used in host-finding behaviour (attractants), and potential deterrents for varroama management. I tested various odorants associated with honey bees, including butyric acid, hexanol, methyl oleate, and 2-hydrohexanoic acid versus the solvent of these compounds (hexane) as a control, on varroain laboratory
behavioural assays. Butyric acid and 2-hydroxyhexanoic acid at a concentration of 100 ng/L were favoured relative to the
other compounds. Subsequently, all odorants were also tested on bees to quantify their reactions. This research provided preliminary results that can be built upon in the future. It also gave insights into refining methods that can be used in further testing

abstract: Biology


title: Play like a girl: the presence of gender-based equality in varsity athletics at Acadia University

contributor:
Ross, Sarah (author)
(Brittain, James) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
Using a mixed methods approach that incorporates qualitative and quantitative methods, this thesis sought to investigate gender inequality in sports at Acadia University. To address the question, quantitative surveys were sent out to all the varsity athletics population at the university, resulting in a sample of 75 athletes. Additionally, qualitative interviews were conducted with 5 female athletes and 4 athletic staff members. The survey and interviews focused on several key themes:
gender norms, media promotion, double standards, and differential treatment in financial support. The findings suggest
that Acadia University has succumbed to the realities of gender inequality in sport that are demonstrated in the greater society, by providing more support to male athletes than female athletes through the media, the display of double standards, and through the difference shown in financial investment. This research contributes to a feminist analysis of gender in sport, drawing on liberal, radical, and Marxist approaches. The aim of this work is to provide an original contribution to the academy on the issue of gender equality in sport from experiences at a particular post-secondary institution. The hope is that the results enable recognition of the role of women in sport and influence a critical policy
shift both within and beyond Acadia for more equitable support towards female athletes.

abstract: Sociology


title: The impact of socially responsible investing on financial returns

contributor:
Lachance, Sean C. (author)
(Maclean, Stephen) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2018

abstract:
As socially responsible investing continues to become more prominent, it has become a popular topic in the finance literature. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a measure of how a firm performs in terms of social, environmental and governance areas. This study looks at the effect that CSR has on financial returns in two ways. First, this is done through regression analysis by creating a CSR variable and testing its significance in the Fama-French 5 Factor Model and the
Carhart 4 Factor Model. The CSR variable was shown to be positive and significant, indicating that over the test period (2007-2017), higher CSR scores are associated with lower financial returns. The regression analysis is inconsistent with
Friede, Busch, & Bassen (Friede,G., Busch, T.,& Bassen, A., 2015) meta-analysis of the subject which finds that 56.7% of studies found a positive relationship between CSR and financial performance. This could be due to differences in
methodology, samples and geographic locations. The second method used to test the impact of CSR on financial returns involves creating portfolios that control for both size and CSR scores. These findings are consistent with the regression analysis. They show that after controlling for size, portfolios comprised of stocks in the top quartile of CSR underperform compared to the bottom quartile. This is measured by raw return, risk-adjusted return (Sharpe ratio) and standard
deviation. In terms of raw return and risk-adjusted return, high CSR is associated with significantly lower performance. Our findings show that a slight decrease in standard deviationis found, when comparing high CSR portfolios to low CSR portfolios. Our portfolio approach is consistent with the majority of studies that find a non-positive relationship between CSR and financial performance in portfolios. This study concludes that on an individual and portfolio level, highly rated CSR stocks hurt financial returns even after controlling for factors such as year, size, and book-to-market ratio.

abstract: Business