title: Nova Scotia's immigration strategies: Tapping into the potential of international students

contributor:
D'Arcy, Sara D. (author)
(Alexander, Cynthia) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: The socio-demographics of Nova Scotia, Canada provide an unfavourable outlook for the economic future of the province. Nova Scotia is faced with low birth rates, a large aging population and a high rate of youth out-migration, factors that are predicted to give rise to labour shortages and to destabilize the economy. The negative economic predictions regarding the future of the province would significantly damage the prosperity and quality of life of Nova Scotians. International students who reside in Nova Scotia to pursue their studies have the potentialto offer the province an ideal opportunity to revitalize communities across the province. However, this thesis argues that there are persistent barriers that impede the recruitment, attraction and retention of immigrants in Nova Scotia. Unwelcoming and exclusive attitudes towards immigrants and a lack of supports and services provided to newcomers are argued to be among the main factors contributing to low attraction and retention of immigrants in Nova Scotia. Focusing on the retention of international graduates, this thesis employs a case study of the international student population at Acadia University, concluding that in order to increase immigration in Nova Scotia, partnerships must be forged between the Government of Nova Scotia, the Federal Government, post-secondary institutions in the province, local communities and the private sector, with the common goal of increasing immigrant attraction and retention in the province.

abstract: Politics


title: Understanding sexual assault at Acadia University

type: Text Dissertation/Thesis

contributor:
Miller, Megan (author)
(Brittain, James) (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 2015

abstract: Sexual assault is a social, cultural, and criminal issue firmly established in North American university communities. Public dialogue and research on sexual violence within post-secondary environments have only recently begun after years of silence and misinformed stigmatization. The present study uncovers rates and patterns of sexual assault experienced at Acadia University, and provides recommendations for programming, resource awareness, and policy enhancement based on the quantitative and qualitative data to reduce student harms and minimize risk. Data was collected through an online anonymous survey distributed to past and current Acadia students who may have experienced sexual assault on or off campus within the town of Wolfville. Results show that sexual assault experienced by Acadia students is heavily gendered, reporting levels are low, and high risk factors include alcohol consumption and residence-based housing. There is a lack of resource awareness for survivors, as well as mixed satisfaction ratings toward services received through the Acadia community and the Kings District RCMP Wolfville Detachment (Wolfville RCMP). Overall, peer influence and misinformed dialogue concerning the issue of assault has influenced the low reporting levels and mental health issues following an assault at Acadia. With sexual assault having a strong negative impact on the mental, social, and economic well being of survivors, it is important that measures are taken to assist those affected.

abstract: Sociology


title: An examination of loss: Retrospective attachment styles to a pet who has passed and current feelings of grief and trauma over the event

contributor:
Brown, Olivia K. (author)
(Symons, Doug) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: The current study takes an Attachment Theory approach to examine loss of a pet and  emotional reactions to the passing. Participants were 73 undergraduate students from  Acadia University who completed online measures of their pet history, attachment style  towards people using the Experiences in Close Relationships-Relationship Structures  questionnaire, and retrospective accounts of style towards a pet that had passed within the  past five years using the Pet Attachment Questionnaire. In addition, there were measures  of emotional adjustment to this event in terms of complicated grief, depression, and  trauma symptoms. The first hypothesis was that there would be positive relationships  between anxiety and avoidance in attachment styles with people and passed pets, and this  was supported. The second hypothesis was that attachment orientations to people and  pets would be correlated with measures of emotional adjustment. Results showed  attachment anxiety to be positively related to complicated grief and trauma. Hierarchical  regression analyses suggested that pet attachment style made unique contributions to  complicated grief for the pet even when relationship style towards people was controlled.  Results are discussed in terms of the unique aspects of attachment security towards  passed pets and feelings of loss.

abstract: Psychology


title: Using self-reported reading difficulties, study strategies, and metacognitive reading strategies to predict success of first-year university students

contributor:
Zentner, Laura S. (author)
(Major, Sonya) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: This study aimed to identify first-year students at Acadia University who report a history of reading difficulties and to investigate the relationship between reported history of reading difficulties and academic success. The Adult Reading History Questionnaire – Revised (ARHQ-R) was used to determine whether it can identify first-year students who may be at risk for academic problems. The Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) and Metacognitive Reading Strategies Questionnaire (MRSQ) were also given, and results were analyzed in order to investigate the relationships with the ARHQ-R, cumulative GPA, and/or support service use. Based on their ARHQ-R scores, students were categorized as having a history of reading difficulties (HRD) or not having a history of reading difficulties (NRD). The results showed that the HRD group had a significantly lower cumulative GPA than the NRD group, suggesting that a history of reading difficulties affects first-year university GPA. It was also found that a number of LASSI subscales significantly correlated with GPA, and that these correlations differed between the HRD and NRD groups. This suggests that learning and study strategies are important to first-year university success, and use of such strategies is associated with reading ability.

abstract: Psychology


title: The use of therapeutic riding to enhance physical competence in adolescent girls

contributor:
Slauenwhite, Jennifer A. (author)
(Shields, Chris) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: During adolescence the body undergoes many cognitive and physical changes. These transformative changes can have both negative and positive influences on how one perceives one’s body image (Cash & Smolak, 2011). Body image is a multidimensional experience that influences self-attitudes towards one’s physical appearance (Cash & Pruzinsky, 2002). Body image is traditionally associated with a focus on appearance, and body dissatisfaction occurs when individuals experience negative self-evaluations of their physical appearance (Cash & Pruzinsky, 2002). Currently, one of the most effective ways to reduce the negative implications associated with body image disturbances is to engage in physical activity (Frisén & Holmgvist, 2010). Physical activity plays a vital role in physiological health and psychological well-being, especially among developing young adults (Laus, Costa, & Almeida, 2013).  One physical activity that has been used in the management of mental health disorders and physical disabilities is therapeutic horseback riding. Therapeutic horseback riding is a type of animal-assisted therapy that allows individuals to form meaningful relationships, learn basic riding skills, and discover personal strengths through individually-tailored riding lessons (Jenkins & DiGennaro-Reed, 2013). Therapeutic riding is a novel approach that offers a unique and interactive environment that may increase young riders’ self-esteem and foster positive body image. There is little research that has been conducted on the development of physical competence as a means to improve the body-image perceptions of adolescent girls. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the use of therapeutic riding and its potential to enhance physical competence and physical self-perceptions in adolescent girls.

abstract: Kinesiology


title: Professionalism and the fighting spirit of the Royal Navy: Rules, regulations, and traditions that made the British Royal Navy an effective fighting force during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, 1793-1815

contributor:
Kaizer, Nicholas James (author)
(Doerr, Paul) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: During the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (1792-1815), the armies of the French Republic and Empire performed very well – for much of this period, France dominated Europe. However, the oceans were a different matter. The British Royal Navy enjoyed a long period of spectacular naval operational success, allowing Britain to maintain and expand its colonial empire, protect its extensive seaborne trade, and protect British territory from the French armies which had overrun much of Europe. There were many factors in the navy’s success, such as its administration or shortcomings of its enemies.  This thesis explores the role of the Royal Navy’s various rules, regulations, and traditions on its effectiveness. The Royal Navy used the allure of prize money to motivate its personnel, and used the threat of unemployment to motivate its officers. Many regulations and traditions ensured that the naval officer corps was strong and fit for service. Above all, the navy cultivated and encouraged a “fighting spirit” or an “offensive ethos” among personnel. Through the above-mentioned motivations and threats, along with the Navy’s official Articles of War and various incarnations of Fighting Instructions, officers and crewmen were encouraged to conform to the navy’s offensive ethos. They were encouraged to engage the enemy whenever possible, even against superior odds. As victories mounted during the late Eighteenth Century and into the Napoleonic Wars, morale soared in the Royal Navy, causing the men of the fleet to openly seek battles with the enemy and to fully expect victory even against superior odds. It was a strategy which cultivated good morale in the Royal Navy and ensured that the fleet was able to fulfill Britain’s war aims.

abstract: History & Classics


title: Blue gold of the Ogallala aquifer

contributor:
Dutkewych, Claire (author)
(Duke, David) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: The history of expansion and settlement in the American West is one of conquering the  harsh, yet fertile environment and terrain. As European settlers expanded westwards, they  encountered geological and climatic diversity in land that Native American cultures had  utilised from as early as 10,000 B.C. To survive in this environment settlers needed a  reliable and accessible water resource.  The Ogallala aquifer was formed between two and six million years ago, from the  slow accumulation of fossil water, across geological timescales, from the ancestral Rocky  Mountains. It underlies 174,000 square miles of eight High Plains states. Since the 1950s,  irrigation technology has enabled industrial-scale extraction from the aquifer. The High  Plains region became the wealthiest agricultural region in the country, because the water  was, and continues to be, mined as if it were an infinite, essentially cost-free, resource.  Groundwater-rights legislation is vital for governing water usage in a sustainable manner.  However, the eight states that rely on Ogallala water for irrigation, municipal, and  industrial needs, and for human consumption, all have differing legislation that produces  conflicts that are resolved through the court system, which is based on precedence rather  than rational allocation strategies. Attempts to generate policies governing the more  sustainable use of the aquifer are being undertaken. However, for the effective, long-term  sustainable future of the aquifer, it is essential that a fundamental change in utilisation  and pricing of groundwater must occur within American society. This will necessitate  similar large-scale alterations of agricultural subsidy policies and physical practices also.  Failure to do so will be catastrophic for the High Plains, and for the people and economy  of the United States more generally.

abstract: History & Classics


title: The relationship between personality traits and motivations for consuming alcohol and marijuana

contributor:
Allen, Josey L. (author)
(Mehta, Rick) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Research investigating the relationships between personality traits and substance-use  motives has primarily focused on alcohol and marijuana separately. This study  investigated and compared these relationships concurrently. We administered the  Substance Use Risk Profile Scale, which assesses four personality traits with greater  susceptibilities to drug use: anxiety sensitivity, hopelessness, sensation-seeking, and  impulsivity; as well as the Drinking Motives Measure and Marijuana Motives Measure,  which assess alcohol- and marijuana-use motives, to Acadia undergraduates. We found  similarities and differences in the relationships between personality traits and motives for  the consumption of alcohol and marijuana. Similarities in these relationships suggest that  some generalizations can be made across both drugs. In contrast, differences in these  relationships provide insight into the specific combinations of personality factors and  motives that are unique to each drug.

abstract: Psychology


title: Student athletes' attitudes towards the use of performance enhancing drugs

contributor:
Semalulu, Suleiman (author)
(Thomson, Tony) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Numerous factors can affect the attitudes that athletes have about performance enhancing  drugs, which are substances, or methods that are commonly used by athletes to increase  their performance. This thesis assesses and describes the attitudes that student athletes  have towards prohibited performance enhancing drugs. I conducted semi-structured  interviews with four male collegiate athletes, representing three different sports, from two  Canadian universities. The qualitative analysis of the interviews revealed the complexity  of opinions student athletes have towards performance enhancing drugs. The results of  my research can potentially be used to understand factors that can influence or deter the  use of performance enhancing drugs. While the student athletes believed the positive  outcomes of using performance-enhancing drugs can outweigh the negative outcomes,  they indicated that higher moral and ethical standards deter them from its use. They also  sympathized with the use of performance enhancing drugs under certain circumstances.  Finally, the student athletes generally felt that reporting the use of performance enhancing  drugs by another athlete to an anti-doping agency was a violation of athletic  responsibilities. In order to effectively reduce the use of performance enhancing drugs in  sports, anti-doping agencies must do more to understand the complex attitudes of the  athletes they govern, as well as encourage and implement more interactive educational  methods and conversations concerning the topic of performance enhancing drugs.

abstract: Sociology


title: Parent-child relationships, emotional availability, and adult attachment representations in a high psychosocial risk sample

contributor:
West, Marissa A. (author)
(Symons, Doug) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: The current study examined the interrelations of indices of parent-child relationships, emotional availability (EA), and adult attachment classifications within a high risk sample of parents and their two to seven year-old children. Participants were 25 child-parent pairs. Relationships were assessed using home-based Q-sort observations of attachment security and parental sensitivity, emotional availability was coded from lab-based structured play interactions, and adult attachment was coded from the Adult Attachment Picture Projective (AAP). Results showed that child-parent attachment security and parental sensitivity were positively related, and sensitivity was positively related to all six aspects of EA. The AAP resulted in 14 parents being classified as Unresolved (i.e., disorganised) in their attachment style and nine classified as either Dismissive or Preoccupied. Preoccupied parents were poorer at structuring interactions and were more hostile towards their children on EA subscales. As the AAP and EA Scales are relatively new measures, these results add to the concurrent validity of these measures and expand the knowledge base of the emotional disconnect between parents and children in some high risk families.

abstract: Psychology


title: "No guts no glory": An interrogation of masculinity in Tim Winton's Breath

contributor:
Dent, Alison (author)
(Eustace, John) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: This thesis explores the development of masculine identity in Tim Winton’s novel Breath and suggests that a peculiarly Australian encounter with nature is fundamental to the development of gender in Winton’s work. The Western Australian environment becomes a powerful force within the novel, acting as a fundamental outlet for characters to explore and express their gender identities. Through his characters’ interactions with the natural world, Winton reveals the performativity of masculine identities and the possibility for a revisioning of gender ideals. The first chapter explores the intrinsic relationship between individuals, gender, nature, and nation from a theoretical framework examining works by Judith Butler, R.W Connell, and Anne McClintock, as well as non-fiction by Winton himself. Chapter Two focuses on the character of Sando, arguing that he embodies a hegemonic form of masculinity founded upon the domination of nature through increasingly risky surfing expeditions. As a masculine mentor throughout the novel, Sando plays an important role in establishing a masculine ideal for his teenage apprentices, Bruce and Loonie. Chapter Three explores how femininity in the novel is presented in a way that challenges dominant masculine scripts and suggests that gender roles are arbitrary. Finally, Chapter Four explores how the masculine ideal that Sando represents is problematic and encourages Loonie and Bruce to develop a disabling relationship with nature and the people in their lives. In the end, Winton proposes a revisioning of Australian masculine scripts that is possible through nurturing a positive and peaceful relationship with the natural world, and thus the self.

abstract: English & Theatre Studies


title: A new approach to the synthesis of asymmetric heavy multiple bonds

contributor:
McLean, Kira (author)
(Ellis, Bobby) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: The synthesis of several N,N-, and C,C- bound tin carbenoids was attempted and  several air-sensitive dihalogenated phosphines, RPCl2, were synthesized as precursors for  the attempted synthesis of heavy, asymmetric double bonds. The phosphine precursors  were combined with a reducing agent in an attempt to generate a phosphinidene in situ,  which would proceed to react with a carbenoid, generating the desired double bond. The  precursor molecules were characterized by 13C{1H} NMR and 31P{1H} NMR spectroscopy  and the formation of P–Sn adducts was observed using this technique, although no heavy  double bond was isolated. This new approach to the synthesis of heavy multiple bonds has  potential, but the reactivity of the precursor moieties needs to be further refined and the  redox properties of the precursors need to be further investigated.

abstract: Chemistry


title: Zéilara: The world awakens

contributor:
Hynes, Margot (author)
(Campbell, Wanda) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Zéilara: the World Awakens is a collection of narrative and expository texts that depicts a transitional period of time in the fictional world of Zéilara. A young adult named Keth features in the main story as an individual who learns he is tasked with freeing an ancient race from a vengeful deity. The expository excerpts are from The Tome of Cycles, a fictional artefact from within the world of the story, which has been partially replicated for Keth to assist him throughout his journeys as a primary source of information about the withheld secrets of his world.

abstract: English & Theatre Studies


title: The impact of reading skill on phonological processing: Evidence from eye movements

contributor:
Mansfield, Katelyn D. (author)
(Newman, Randy Lynn) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Eye tracking was used to investigate the impact of reading skill on phonological  processing in university students with a self-reported history of reading problems (i.e.,  less-skilled readers) and those with no such problems (i.e., skilled readers). Eye  movements were recorded while participants heard a target word (e.g., candle) that was  pictured amongst a shared onset or cohort competitor (e.g., candy), rhyme competitor  (e.g., sandal), or unrelated competitor (e.g., pepper). Results revealed that while both  groups demonstrated cohort interference, they did not demonstrate rhyme interference. It  is suggested that the absence of rhyme interference does not reflect that both groups were  ignoring rhyme information, but rather both groups used different underlying mechanisms  associated with rhyme processing. For skilled readers, it is hypothesized that insufficient  rhyme interference was not the result of impaired rhyme information. Instead, it is  proposed that skilled readers had efficient phonological processing underscored by  enhanced rhyme inhibition whereas less-skilled readers had impaired knowledge of rhyme  information. Future research is needed to examine whether the observed differences can  be attributed to differences in rhyme processing.  Keywords: eye tracking, visual world paradigm, phonological processing, adults,  reading ability, Adult Reading History Questionnaire-Revised

abstract: Psychology


title: The influence of male hairpencil composition during female mate selection in Helicoverpa zea

contributor:
McGuire, Melissa M. (author)
(Hillier, Kirk) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Helicoverpa zea Boddie (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Heliothinae) is a global pest species  responsible for multibillion dollar crop losses annually. Chemical communication is  essential for the success of this species and reproduction. During courtship, males of  other Heliothine species produce species-specific compound blends referred to as  hairpencil compounds. It is assumed male H. zea produce similar hairpencil blends that  elicit common responses. In other Heliothine species hairpencil compounds elicit specific  responses in conspecifics; females become more quiescent and therefore receptive to  courting males and competing males are inhibited from approach. This study investigated  the potential role of hairpencil blends of H. zea as a mechanism of sexual selection by  females. In addition, growth of progeny was investigated to determine if optimal mate  selection translated into increased survivorship. Mate choice bioassays were conducted to  observe female-to-male and male-to-male interactions during courtship. Hairpencil  blends of successful and unsuccessful males exhibited several compounds common in  other Heliothine species. Additional compounds remain unidentified but were present in  all males. Significant differences were not evident between hairpencil compound  composition between successful and unsuccessful groups. The survivorship of progeny  varied considerably between mated couples. However, the rate of larval growth was  consistent. The potential that males exhibit unique hairpencil blends that honestly  advertise their fitness and therefore translates into potential progeny survivorship remains  inconclusive.

abstract: Biology


title: Characterization of the long non-coding RNA CD108131 and its link to myoclonus dystonia

contributor:
MacKenzie, Malcolm (author)
(Smith, Todd) (Thesis advisor)
(Bulman, Dennis) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Myoclonus dystonia (MD) is a rare neuromuscular genetic disorder characterized by  uncontrolled movements of the limbs and painful muscle spasms (dystonia). The disease  occurs in approximately 1 in 200,000 individuals. The clinical onset of MD generally  occurs within childhood, and the majority of cases are diagnosed during the first two  decades of life. Mutations in SGCE, the gene that codes for epsilon sarcoglycan, have  been linked to roughly 40% of MD cases. SGCE codes for a transmembrane protein and  has high levels of expression in the cerebellum. Another potential MD gene candidate is  CD108131; this gene does not have an open reading frame and codes for a long non-coding  RNA. Mutations in this gene possibly inhibit or hinder its ability to regulate the  expression of other genes or proteins linked to this disease. Specifically, CD108131 may  directly or indirectly regulate the expression of SGCE at a transcriptional or translational  level. This project focuses on using this model to link CD108131 to MD. To do so,  mutated and wild type CD108131 was amplified from genomic DNA isolated from  patient and control individuals. The resulting inserts were cloned into a mammalian  vector and transfected into HEK-293 cells. A western blot of the epsilon sarcoglycan  protein was performed on harvested cellular protein. Overexpression of wild type  CD108131 increased expression of SGCE to twice that of the empty control, whereas  overexpression of mutant CD108131 only resulted in a 27% increase. This confirmed the  hypothesis that CD108131 is linked to the expression of SGCE, and that mutations in this  gene obstruct its ability to regulate expression.

abstract: Biology


title: Networking and bluetooth for MusicPath on iOS

contributor:
Wheaton, Jeremy (author)
(Diamond, Jim) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: MusicPath is a real-time application that allows musicians to collaborate with each  other regardless of their relative locations. MusicPath on iOS is able to send MIDI  directly to other iOS devices over a network. It is very important that MusicPath is  able to send the MIDI packets quickly over the network with minimal latency. In order  to accomplish this, a native iOS application was written, and MusicPath's back-end  code needed many modi cations, along with additions to the MusicPath authorization  server. By using ENet for the networking solution, the MIDI packets are able to be  sent with less latency than when TCP is used. The native application performs in  real-time and is able to connect directly to other instances of the application.

abstract: Computer Science


title: Methylation, pass it on!: potential transgenerational epigenetic effects on phenotypic plasticity in Polydora cornuta

contributor:
Cruickshank, Emily R (author)
(Gibson, Glenys) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Developmental plasticity is environmentally-induced variation in phenotype due to changes that occur during development, and is observed in many taxa. Epigenetic mechanisms have been linked to developmental plasticity and are thought to lead to the development of alternate phenotypes in offspring. My objective is to investigate whether epigenetic effects on larval phenotype in Polydora cornuta are parental or embryonic in origin. P. cornuta exhibits plasticity in larval development, in which it generates two morphs of young. My first hypothesis is that larval phenotype is determined by transgenerational epigenetic modifications. My second hypothesis is that larval phenotype is more strongly influenced by epigenetic modifications to the zygotic genome than to the maternal genome. I used immunofluorescence to detect the epigenetic mark, H3K9 monomethylation, in early embryos to test my first hypothesis. I compared larval data at hatching among treatments to evaluate my second hypothesis. Adults and/or broods were exposed to a methyl-releaser (bisphenol A, BPA) or a methyl-donor (folate/vitamin B12), as well as a seawater control. All broods collected were A-broods and contained large numbers of nurse eggs. Results showed significant differences in brood traits between control and BPA treatments. No significant difference was noted between control and folate treatments, however folate data showed a greater variance in some brood traits than the controls, an indication that some treatment effect was occurring. Low survivorship and brood production limited sample sizes therefore I was unable assess the relative importance of the parental or embryonic epigenome in determining larval phenotype. However, preliminary results suggest that epigenetic effects to the maternal genome are more influential in determining larval phenotype than those to the zygotic genome.

abstract: Biology


title: Interspecific competition between intraerythrocytic apicomplexans Hepatozoon clamatae and Hepatozoon catesbianae in green frogs

contributor:
Kerr, Meghan Victoria (author)
(Smith, Todd) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Hepatozoon clamatae and Hepatozoon catesbianae are intraerythrocytic  apicomplexans that infect the red blood cells of green frogs and bullfrogs of Nova Scotia.  Although H. clamatae and H. catesbianae have demonstrated mild host specificity in  green frogs and bullfrogs, respectively, both species of Hepatozoon may simultaneously  infect either species of frog. The purpose of this study is to investigate the dynamics of a  dual infection of sexual stages (gamonts) of H. clamatae and H. catesbianae in the green  frog, Rana clamitans, and to determine the existence of competition between these two  species. Mosquitoes were fed on naturally infected green frogs, purposefully selected  based on their desired parasitaemia (intensity) of Hepatozoon species. Numbers of  mosquitoes to derive specific ratios of H. clamatae: H. catesbianae were fed to  uninfected laboratory-reared green frogs, which were subsequently bled to assess the  development of relative parasitaemia of the two species. Hepatozoon species were  differentiated based on their unique cytopathological effects. Due to the unexpected  persistence of erythrocytic merogony in all cohorts, species distinction was not attempted  until 80 dPI in mixed infections, and merozoite intensity over time was recorded in all  cohorts. Based on a linear mixed-effects model, it was determined that day of bleeding  has a significant effect on parasitaemia and merozoite intensity in all cohorts. In addition,  there is a trend toward a significant difference between the infection dynamics of cohort 1  and cohort 5. These results suggest that an acquired immune response may be responsible  for the decline in parasitaemia over time, and with a larger sample size per cohort, the  effect of competition between species may be detected by statistical methods.

abstract: Biology


title: Cross-modal effects of emotion on early visual and auditory perception

contributor:
Camp, Kevin J. (author)
(Brodeur, Darlene) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Cross-modal and within-modal effects of emotion on vision and audition were examined,  as emotion’s effects on cross-modal perception have not been comprehensively  investigated. Using neutral and negative arousing cue words presented visually or aurally,  participants did a same/different task with the orientation of two visual sine-wave  gratings, or the frequency of two auditory tones. Results showed an effect of emotion on  cross-modal perception, such that negative arousing cues only aided perception relative to  neutral cues in the within-modality visual task. A subsequent experiment used calibration  trials to lower participant variation between conditions. Though not significant, results  showed similar patterns to the first with the exception that higher d-primes were observed  for negative arousing cues than neutral cues in the auditory-visual task. Results show that  emotion affects perception cross-modally, yet the effect varies with modality.  Keywords: Emotion, perception, cross-modal, vision, audition

abstract: Psychology


title: Barriers to eating well and being active for Acadia students

contributor:
O'Connell, Alexis (author)
(Mehta, Rick) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Eating a healthy diet and engaging in physical activity are essential for physical and mental health, but many young adults are not engaging in these behaviors. The literature suggests that peoples’ perceptions of barriers may prevent them from engaging in these types of behaviors. The present study sought to determine if this trend was present at Acadia University, and to determine what barriers students perceived to these behaviors. The study used self-report measures to assess students’ eating habits, physical activity levels, and perceived barriers. Most of Acadia students’ diets needed improvement, and had moderate to high physical activity levels. However, students reported several barriers that they perceived to interfere with a healthy diet and regular physical activity. Among these barriers were lack of time, cost, lack of knowledge, and lack of social support, all of which were congruent with the literature. New barriers that emerged in the present study included Meal Hall and other campus locations as barriers to eating a healthy diet, and feeling judged by others at the gym or poor weather conditions as barriers to physical activity. These findings provide a basis for future research as well as for practical applications in reducing these barriers on the Acadia campus. Keywords: young adults, university, barriers, diet, physical activity, health Barriers to Eating Well and Being Active for Acadia Students

abstract: Psychology


title: Understanding the impacts of climate change and the sustainability challenges at ski resorts in Vermont

contributor:
Anderson, Erin (author)
(Colton, John) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: In  Vermont,  a  small  state  in  the  Northeast  United  States,  the  various  ski  resorts  across  the  mountainous  state  are  increasingly  becoming  susceptible  to  changes  in  climate.  Ski  resorts  are  an  important  aspect  of  Vermont’s  culture  and  economy,  making  it  critical  that  the  effects  of  climate  change  on  these  ski  areas  are  studied.  The  purpose  of  this  thesis  was  to  gain  a  better  understanding  of  the  effects  that  climate  change  has  on  the  ski  resorts  across  Vermont  and  how  resorts  are  managing  the  associated  sustainability  challenges.  Qualitative  research  in  the  form  of  semi-‐structured  interviews  with  ski  area  professionals  from  around  the  state  led  to  an  analysis  of  the  impacts  of  climate  change  on  ski  resorts  in  Vermont  and  an  assessment  of  their  responses  and  mitigation  efforts.  Ski  resorts  in  Vermont  appear  to  have  widespread  knowledge  and  awareness  of  the  effects  of  climate  change  on  their  ski  resorts  as  well  as  their  impacts  on  the  environment.  Despite  this  understanding,  there  is  a  separation  between  their  knowledge  and  their  actions,  and  more  needs  to  be  done  by  ski  resorts  in  Vermont  to  mitigate  their  impacts  on  the  environment  as  well  as  develop  effective  climate  adaptation  plans.

abstract: Environmental & Sustainability Studies


title: Pari Passu in Canada: Involving more women in federal politics : a comparative study of Iceland and Canada

contributor:
Belyea, Michael (author)
(Brickner, Rachel) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: The research that underpins this thesis was motivated by an interest in whether women  engaged in federal politics influences the introduction and passing of legislation that  benefits women in society. I also argue that quotas may be successful in increasing the  percentage of women represented in Canada’s national House of Commons (HoC). It is  important to focus on the Conservatives because they have the capacity to include more  women in the HoC but currently do not, whereas the Liberal Party and NDP do. This is  important for the upcoming 2015 federal election. As part of this discussion I include  Argentina to show the effectiveness of political gender quotas on feminist legislation.

abstract: Politics


title: Adult attachment styles in the workplace: A study exploring attachment, burnout, incivility, and psychological safety

contributor:
Slater, Darcie E. (author)
(Price, E. Lisa) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Within a population of individuals working in schools, prisons, or hospitals, 111 participants voluntarily filled out a survey measuring attachment styles in general, in intimate relationships, and in workplace relationships. Additionally, the questionnaire measured emotional exhaustion, perceived incivility, and psychological safety at work. The current study aimed to explore the associations between the two attachment dimensions in the three domains, and how attachment in the three domains work together to predict the three outcome work variables. Unfortunately, the high correlations between avoidant and anxious attachment styles suggest that there were problems with some of the data, and therefore the finding that attachment style was highly stable in the three different contexts must be interpreted cautiously. Considering the issues with the data, only workplace anxious and avoidant attachment were investigated as possible predictors of emotional exhaustion, perceived incivility, and psychological safety. In post hoc analyses, when workplace avoidant and anxious attachment were examined together in a series of multiple regressions, only workplace anxious attachment uniquely predicted the three workplace outcome variables. Implications and methodological limitations are discussed.  Keywords: attachment style, emotional exhaustion, incivility, psychological safety

abstract: Psychology


title: Translating the first eighty-eight lines of Ovid's Metamorphoses

contributor:
Albarda, Alice Lillian (author)
(Provencal, Vernon) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: The first 88 lines of Ovid's Metamorphoses contain an account of creation. It is a  unique account of creation because it is influenced by many different myths, traditions,  and philosophies. This thesis examines several other creation myths and traditions in  order to determine how each of them influenced Ovid's interpretation of the cosmogony.  This thesis also presents a translation and commentary in which certain words and  concepts are explained in relation to Ovid's influences. This commentary also highlights  certain themes which appear in Ovid's account of creation, most importantly the theme of  craftsmanship. A final examination of these themes reveals that Ovid has pieced together  his poem from the centuries of mythology and tradition that came before him. By  drawing attention to his own skill as a poet, he is comparing himself to the creator god  and comparing his poem to the creation of the universe.

abstract: History & Classics


title: American diplomacy through the lens of non-state actors: The China Hands, the China Lobby, and the Chinese Civil War

contributor:
Quesnel, Alex (author)
(Sedgwick, James) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: With the Communist takeover of China in 1949, Sino-American relations  deteriorated and Cold War hostilities took precedent. This thesis examines the role of  American non-state actors – predominantly journalists and media tycoons – in this phase  of twentieth century international relations. The traditional ‘loss of China’ narrative is  debunked in favour of the alternative narratives provided by correspondents on the ground  in China. These ‘China Hands’ believed the Kuomintang’s Chiang Kai-shek was a  corrupt, autocratic leader; the Communists’ Mao Zedong was a genuine reformer. This  worldview ran contrary to the 'China Lobby’, which used its stateside influence to  generate pro-Chiang and anti-Mao sentiment. Ultimately, the geographic and ideological  milieu of each demographic influenced whether they would adopt a mainstream or  alternative view of the Chinese Civil War. Though naive and subject to their own  interpretative flaws, the China Hands did what they felt was ‘right’. In effect, they were  able to transcend the emerging bipolar world order.

abstract: History & Classics


title: Investigation into the exact controllability of the 1-D Schrodinger equation

contributor:
Creelman, Bradley James (author)
(Teismann, Holger) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Controllability, in reference to the Schr odinger equation, refers to the process of  taking an initial quantum state and transforming it to a desired target state in a  nite  passage of time. This paper focuses on in nite-dimensional exact controllability of  the linearized Schr odinger equation using a speci c result of the in nite-dimensional  theory. Although there are a number of assumptions which must be satis ed for  the application of the theorem to a given quantum potential, two assumptions in  particular are examined here: the gap condition for the eigenvalues of the Hamiltonian  and the decay condition for the sequence of matrix elements 􀀀k = h  0;  ki, where   (x) is the control function and  k(x) is the kth eigenfunction of the Hamiltonian.  These two assumptions are readily checked for a variety of potentials in order to  gain an intuition about which classes of potentials might satisfy the criteria of the  controllability theorem.  By testing a variety of potentials it was found that the gap condition is easily  satis ed for the majority of potentials whereas the decay condition is much harder to  satisfy. It is concluded that the practicality of the theorem may be limited due to the  number of potentials satisfying the decay condition, but that potentials which have  a close geometric proximity to the in nite square well potential may have a better  chance of satisfying the decay condition. The observations of this investigation allows  for the possibility of  nding new quantum potentials which are exactly controllable.

abstract: Mathematics & Statistics


title: L’élan vital d'Emma Bovary

contributor:
Willmann, Elke (author)
(Ashley, Kate) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: A l’aide de la philosophie de Henri Bergson je démontrerai que le comportement d’Emma Bovary est le résultat d’une aliénation profonde de la vie ainsi que du milieu qu’elle partage avec son mari et que ses actions ne sont rien d’autres que des tentatives pour échapper à l’étouffement de son « élan vital ». Je démontrerai également que Emma elle-même représente le processus créatif.  Dans son oeuvre, Henri Bergson fait la différence entre la vie comme telle et la forme par laquelle elle se manifeste. Pour Bergson, la vie est un mouvement continu qui cherche à se manifester dans les nouvelles formes sans confondre la forme avec la vie. Donc, l’essence de la vie est qu’elle se crée continuellement dans de nouvelles formes tout en dissolvant les anciennes. D’après Bergson, il y a toujours deux forces à la base de la nature: la force de la vie (élan vital) qui se heurte contre la matière qui est toujours statique et mécanistique et la force d’élan vital qui est un mouvement continuel qui cherche toujours à se manifester sous de nouvelles formes.  L’interprétation qu’Emma Bovary est une femme bourgeoise gâtée, ingrate et égoïste persiste dans l’analyse littéraire de l’oeuvre de Flaubert. Dans cette analyse, la chute brutale de la vie d’Emma est conçue comme une conséquence logique et même juste si on est convaincu que la seule motivation de ses actions était un goût vorace pour le luxe et l’extravagance. Quoique ce soit vrai que la fin d’Emma Bovary est désastreuse, elle est en fait une personne intelligente et, à vrai dire, trop intelligente pour le milieu dans lequel elle se trouve avec son mari, Charles Bovary, qui, lui aussi, n’est pas à sa hauteur. A partir de la vie d’Emma au couvent et la littérature qui l’inspirent, je v  démontrerai qu’Emma est quelqu’un qui est animée par son élan vital qui la pousse à chercher une vie en dehors des limites et des normes de la société.  Finalement, je démontrai que la vie stagnante et léthargique qu’Emma mène avec son mari, Charles Bovary, dans un milieu où les habitants sont caractérisés par la paresse et leur refus de changer leurs habitudes et leur inhabilité d’avancer, se heurte profondément contre l’élan vital d’Emma. Dans son état de vulnérabilité, Emma tombe facilement en proie à Rodolphe dont la tromperie lui donne un coup dont elle ne se remet pas. Après des actions désespérées, qui étaient censées apporter un soulagement dans son désespoir, elle se rend compte qu'elle n'a que deux choix : la résignation totale ou le suicide. Et là, Emma fait le bond mais dans la mauvaise direction.  Emma Bovary meurt mais pas son esprit, même si elle est seulement un personnage fictif. Flaubert a fait de grandes vagues dans la société avec la publication de son roman car le caractère d’Emma a introduit un nouveau sentiment dans la société qui qui a résonné avec les nouvelles forces de la vie (élan vital) à l’époque en brisant les normes de la société.

abstract: Languages & Literatures


title: A stage-wise surrogate modelling algorithm for tidal power simulators

contributor:
van Bommel, Matthew Ryan (author)
(Chipman, Hugh) (Thesis advisor)
(Ranjan, Pritam) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: The Bay of Fundy has the highest tidal range in the world causing large amounts  of water to   flow at high speeds through the Minas Passage, a narrow passage in the  Bay of Fundy. This feature gives the Minas Passage signifi cant potential to generate  electrical power using in-stream tidal turbines. An important problem in generating  this power is to determine the optimal locations of the turbines. There exist computer simulators able to predict the average power a turbine would generate at any  location in the Minas Passage. These simulators update each time a turbine location is selected to reflect the effects of the turbine on the system. However, accurate  simulators are computationally expensive and using them to determine the optimal  turbine locations is impractical. Statistical models, such as Gaussian Process (GP)  models,  fit using a sample of simulator evaluations can estimate a surface of predicted simulator output. In a naive approach to surrogate modelling, a new model  can be estimated over the full input space and its predicted surface optimized to  select each turbine location. We propose a stage-wise surrogate modelling approach  to determine the optimal sequential turbine locations with decreased computational  cost and increased accuracy compared to the naive approach. Rather than generating a new full model after each turbine location is selected, the algorithm models the  effects of the new turbine and updates the previous model. We also propose a new  2-stage GP model to estimate a more accurate fit of the initial power surface than  the standard GP model, particularly in regions of high power. We implement the  algorithm to select 50 turbine locations using a simplified computer simulator for a  section of the Minas Passage. Our algorithm selects turbine locations which generate  92.15 MW of power, equal to approximately 91.8% of the power that could be extracted with the same number of turbine locations selected using the computer model.

abstract: Mathematics & Statistics


title: Photorelease of carboxylic acids from vitamin B6-derived photocages

contributor:
McDonald, Nicholas (author)
(Lukeman, Matthew) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Most photoprotecting groups used in photochemical reactions can be toxic or inert  after the reaction has taken place and are left in the body. Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6) is an  essential vitamin required for human life and has a structure that is very attractive for use  as a photoprotecting group. Molecules that have a similar structure to pyridoxine, such as  ortho-hydroxybenzylalcohol are effective photoprotecting groups. We attempted to use  pyridoxine as a photoprotecting group and test its photochemical properties.  (5-hydroxy-6-methylpyridine-3,4-diyl)dimethanediyl diacetate (4) was  synthesized at a yield of 91 %. This product was characterized using 1H NMR, and  UV/Vis. The product (4) was irradiated with 300 nm light under near biological  conditions to study its photochemistry. It was found that pyridoxine is formed in a yield  of 23 % over 40 minutes. Pyridoxine meets many of the criteria for an effective  photoprotecting group such as aqueous solubility, dissociation and stability of the leaving  group, appropriate excitation wavelength, high yield, and inertness in the dark. The  experiments done are important for understanding the release mechanism of the acetic  acid group and will serve as a model for the more complex carboxylic acid groups that  will be used in the future.

abstract: Chemistry


title: Probing enantioselective substrate specificity for macrocyclization by 6-deoxyerythronolide thioesterase

contributor:
Caissie, Alyssa A. (author)
(Lukeman, Matthew) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: The synthesis, isolation, and purification of enzymatic substrates were achieved by an eleven-step enantioselective synthesis, which included the Crimmins asymmetric aldol reaction and its corresponding acetate aldol reaction. All substrates and intermediates were characterized by 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Biochemical assays are to be performed in vitro to characterize the ability of the 6-deoxyerythronolide B (6-dEB) recombinant purified thioesterase (TE) to macrocyclize the substrates, which will be analyzed via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS) to determine the specificity of, and probe the factors that contribute to, macrocyclization. These experiments are predicted to further our understanding regarding the effects of methyl substituents on the macrocyclization using DEBS TE to generate novel analogues that may be used for further testing and drug development.

abstract: Chemistry


title: Analysis of the Meals on Wheels programs in the Annapolis Valley Health District

contributor:
Wills, Lauren (author)
(Morley, Catherine) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Objective: The objective of the study was to uncover recommendations for service  provision in response to a request for assistance in exploring the MOW services in the  Annapolis Valley Health District (AVHD), using a hybrid gap and  strengths/challenges/opportunities (SCO) analysis. Methods: A snowball approach was used  to recruit informants. The initial informant was suggested and then asked to identify one or  more others who could provide insights about the delivery and organization of the MOW  service. Key informants interviews were conducted using the general interview guide  approach with semi-structured points for discussion. Results: Vital aspects of the service  were client autonomy over meal times, meal quality, menu diversity, social contact, and  accommodation of preferences. Strengths of the program were the delivery of nutritionally  complete meals and the social interaction between the volunteers and clients. The desired  state of affairs (DSA) is to achieve four guiding principles: increasing social contact,  minimizing nutritional risk, individualizing service based on clients needs, and utilizing a  delivery system that retains the quality of meals, increases client food safety practices, and  enhances the potential to individualize the menu. A conceptual framework was developed to  guide service planning and provision decision-making. Implications and Conclusions:  Recommended modifications to enhance the program are to base all decision on client needs  and preferences, and to ensure financial sustainability of the service.

abstract: Nutrition & Dietetics


title: A paleoenvironmental and paleogeographic reconstruction of the Terminal Archaic – Woodland Boswell site, Kingston, Nova Scotia

contributor:
McKee, Erin M. (author)
(Spooner, Ian) (Thesis advisor)
(Deal, Michael) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: In 2009, artifacts were found at the Boswell archaeological site which is located near Kingston, Nova Scotia next to the Annapolis River. From 2011 until present excavations at the site have uncovered potsherds, lithics and ecofacts which collectively indicate Terminal Archaic to Late Woodland occupation. Although the site was likely intermittently occupied from the Terminal Archaic to the Late Woodland (ca. 3800 -1000 BP), the environmental and ecological conditions which made this location appealing for native occupants are unknown. High resolution paleoenvironmental data from southwestern Nova Scotia indicate that at about 3000 BP forest composition changed rapidly as cooler and moister conditions developed. From 3000 BP till 1000 BP, cool and moist conditions were punctuated by occasional droughts, resulting in increased flow of the Annapolis River. The Boswell site is located on a reach of the Annapolis River that has been relatively stable for the last 3000 years, a condition which facilitated site preservation. The river terrace at the excavation site was formed by 3000 BP due to increased river discharge and sediment aggradation facilitated by the development of bedrock and till strath. A prominent, permanent pool in the river near the site may have been where in habitants harvested various anadromous fish species. Changing forest composition and increased river discharge associated with changing climate precipitation, bank stability, and the presence of a harvesting site nearby have made the Boswell site desirable for continued seasonal use over a long period of time.

abstract: Environmental & Sustainability Studies


title: Analyzing modern protests through a biopolitical framework

contributor:
MacKinnon, Sarah (author)
(Whitehall, Geoffrey) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Contemporary  protests  in  Western  society  deserve  examination  as  they  are  typically  met  with  immense  criticism.  Quite  often  they  are  dismissed  as  either  useless  or  unsuccessful.  In  order  to  search  for  value  in  modern  protests  that  is  being  dismissed,  I  applied  the  biopolitical  framework  to  the  protests  of  Occupy  Wall  Street  and  to  the  protests  in  Ferguson,  MO.  The  biopolitical  perspective  marks  the  transition  to  life  in  society  being  governed  at  the  level  of  the  population.  I  engaged  with  power,  security,  and  the  state  in  my  analysis  of  biopolitics  and  protests.  The  biopolitical  framework  allowed  for  a  more  useful  understanding  how  society  is  structured  in  the  post-‐  modern  era.  Through  this  application,  I  am  able  to  identify  value  in  these  two  modern  protests  and  how  they  resist  the  structures  of  society.  The  value  identified  often  does  not  get  included  within  usual  analyses  of  protests.  This  provided  the  basis  for  an  engagement  with  Occupy  and  Ferguson  that  deviates  from  the  typical.  I  prove  through  this  thesis  that  applying  the  biopolitical  framework  to  contemporary  protests  is  more  useful  as  an  analysis  than  typical  commentaries  on  protests.  This  thesis  proves  that  by  dismissing  protests  such  as  Occupy  and  Ferguson,  we  are  removing  opportunities  for  critical  discussion  and  reflection  in  society.

abstract: Politics


title: A practical investigation of examination timetabling

contributor:
Deveau, Daniel (author)
(Diamond, Jim) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: There exist problems for which there are no known polynomial time algorithms. These  problems are of great interest to computer science researchers, yet they also occur in  real world tasks. For example, the production of an optimum examination timetable  for a university cannot be done in polynomial time with any known algorithm. The  university, however, still requires a timetable to be produced.  The production of a timetable can be modeled as an optimization problem for  which there are many algorithms. These algorithms attempt to produce usable so-  lutions in a practical amount of time. Due to the number of these algorithms, the  di culty of the initial problem is compounded by the problem of choosing and im-  plementing an algorithm.  In this thesis, we build a system to produce examination timetables for a university  by implementing and evaluating a number of previously published algorithms. From  this experience, we compare the practicality of the algorithms. Additionally, we  provide observations to aid others in the production of practical optimization systems.  Finally, we present the results of our system compared to Acadia's current system  as well as recommendations for future improvements.

abstract: Computer Science


title: "Hot Model Bitches": Why Miley Cyrus' feminism is not about Miley Cyrus

contributor:
Winder, Hailey B. (author)
(Whitehall, Geoffrey) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: The aim of this project is to mobilize the notoriety of contemporary pop-singer and self-proclaimed feminist Miley Cyrus in order to engage with a philosophical rearticulation of feminist theory. I trace the development of feminist thought in the United States to situate feminism as a self-critical ontology. In order to contextualize contemporary feminist critiques of her, I conduct a media analysis of the performance art of Cyrus. While these critiques highlight many problematic tendencies inherent in her work, I argue that Cyrus is a political figure that embodies patriarchal contemporary social and political anxieties. Ultimately, I argue that a philosophical framework that situates Cyrus as a work of art rather than a producer of art, is the best way to engage Cyrus’ feminism.

abstract: Politics


title: Analysis of virus infected strawberry plant photosynthetic efficiency by chlorophyll fluorescence

contributor:
Chase, Emily E (author)
(Evans, Rodger) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Strawberry plants in Nova Scotia have been confirmed to host a virus complex  consisting of strawberry mild yellow edge virus (SMYEV) and strawberry mottle virus  (SMoV). In February 2012 plants exported from Nova Scotian nurseries hosting this virus  complex died after arriving in Florida. To prevent the further spread of this disease  complex, it is critical that fields harboring the complex are detected early. Current  detection methods include: ELISA, RT-PCR, and grafting. A cost effective and time  efficient method to replace or supplement current detection methods would be beneficial  as the laboratory practices are expensive, limiting the number of plants that can be  sampled, and grafting is a long process. Both Fvar and Fv/Fm chlorophyll fluorescence  were measured over a three month period on plants isolated from two fields; one of which  was determined to host the disease complex, and the other was determined to be free of  the complex on the basis of laboratory studies conducted on a small sub-sample of plants  from each field. Plants isolated from the “infected” versus “uninfected” fields showed  clear and consistent differences in both Fvar and Fv/Fm over the entire experimental period  suggesting that chlorophyll fluorescence has potential as a screening tool to detect the  presence of the viral complex. Further studies that examine chlorophyll fluorescence in  individual plants confirmed to host the viral complex, SMYEV only, SMoV only or  neither virus are justified.

abstract: Biology


title: Caregiving, reflective function and attachment as predictors of psychological well-being in romantic relationships

contributor:
Gaunce, Emily B. (author)
(Price, E. Lisa) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: The relationships between an individual’s (Partner A) caregiving and reflective functioning and his or her romantic partner’s (Partner B) psychological well-being were examined. The caregiving subtypes of proximity, sensitivity, cooperation and compulsive caregiving (Kunce & Shaver, 1994), in addition to reflective function (Fonagy, Steele, Steele, Moran & Higgitt, 1991), had not been previously studied in relation to a partner’s psychological well-being. Sixty-three heterosexual couples were recruited as participants. Hierarchical regressions were conducted to analyze the data. The present study found caregivers’ proximity caregiving and reflective functioning to be positively associated with partners’ psychological well-being, though the relationships did not vary as a function of partners’ attachment. Caregivers’ sensitivity and cooperation caregiving were found to vary as a function of attachment with higher caregiving associated with worse psychological well-being for those partners higher on dismissive attachment. However, for those partners higher on secure attachment, caregivers’ higher cooperation caregiving was found to be associated with the partners’ higher psychological well-being. The present study suggests that caregivers must be cognizant of how their caregiving might benefit or worsen their romantic partners’ psychological well-being depending on the partner’s attachment style. Similarly, caregivers must be mindful of how their reflective functioning relates to the psychological well-being of their partners.

abstract: Psychology


title: Making an impact by having no impact: The role of motivation and self-efficacy on environmental behaviour change

contributor:
Best, Emily Shawna (author)
(Bolton, Amanda) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Individual differences pertaining to environmental behaviours (EBs) were analyzed in this  three-phase study. An environmental program called No Impact Week was the focus of  this study, which encouraged participants to engage in EBs such as lowering energy use  and choosing local food. This allowed the researchers to examine factors related to initial  EBs, behaviour change after the program, and the maintenance of these behaviours a  couple months after the program in a sample of university students. The main focus was  the relationship between motivation and EBs and the mediation effect of self-efficacy on  this relationship. Intrinsic motivation was found to be the best predictor of engaging in  EBs and evidence of potential mediation between self-efficacy and its effect on the  relationship between motivation and EBs was visible. Other factors including connection  to nature, environmental attitude, and environmental concern were related to initial EBs.  Due to small sample sizes, the analyses of environmental behaviour change were difficult  and hypotheses about behaviour maintenance were not analyzed.

abstract: Psychology


title: (Dis)labeled: A critique of the ‘disability’ discourse

contributor:
Jeanneau, Lauren (author)
(Brittain, James) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: How do social preconceptions develop, particularly when they are concerned with  ‘disability?’ Democratic, industrial societies that most often embody tenets of Western  capitalism play a dominant role in shaping global ideologies; consequently, the ways in  which these societies construct meaning about ‘disability’ communities directly inform  broader international opinions. The research presented in this thesis explores the  culturally constructed stigma ascribed to the concept of intellectual ‘disability,’  considering in particular how an imbalance between power and knowledge can sway  social relationships. Ultimately, those who hold power in the social world have far more  resources that can be employed to control the dissemination of knowledge, which can  obscure the perception of ‘disability’ as an identity category. This thesis asks: Why has  stigma towards ‘disability’ communities emerged in dominant social and political thought,  and how are these preconceptions reproduced? This question is answered in three stages:  firstly, through a sociohistorical investigation of how cognitive deviations from the  established norm have been managed by societies in the past; secondly, through a  theoretical exploration of the systems of organization aggravating social inequalities; and  lastly, through the evaluation of a sociolinguistic framework that both overtly and  covertly reproduces an assumption of absolute difference between ability and disability.  Ultimately, the research will demonstrate how social, cultural, and political barriers are  far more disabling to individuals with intellectual exceptions than their biological realities.

abstract: Sociology


title: An exploration of the relationships between academic success, students' reading history, and learning and reading strategies

contributor:
Hondas, Olivia C. (author)
(Major, Sonya) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: A large body of research has been completed on factors that contribute to academic  success at the university level. One factor, which has been found to consistently  contribute to academic success, is reading ability. The current study explored the  relationships between academic success, students’ reading history, learning strategies,  and reading strategies. The Adult Reading History Questionnaire-Revised elementary and  current scales (ARHQ-R) were administered to second year Acadia University students to  assess their history of reading difficulties and current reading difficulties, respectively.  Also administered was the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) and the  Metacognitive Reading Strategies Questionnaire (MRSQ). Findings indicated that there  was a significant difference in the GPAs of students who were classified as having  reading difficulties (HRD) or having no reading difficulties (NRD). Students who were  classified as HRD experienced significantly less academic success, and had lower MRSQ  scores than students classified as NRD. NRD and HRD students did not significantly  differ in the types of study strategies used, suggesting that the current population is  experiencing a true reading problem and not a study strategy problem.  Keywords: ARHQ-R, LASSI, MRSQ, academic success, university students,  reading difficulties

abstract: Psychology


title: Lethal effects of high intensities of Hepatozoon species on the mosquito, Culex territans (Diptera: Culicidae)

contributor:
McParland, Caoimhe A. (author)
(Smith, Todd) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Two sympatric species of Hepatozoon, H. clamatae and H. catesbianae, have a  high prevalence in frogs of Nova Scotia. Although the vertebrate hosts appear not to be  adversely affected by these parasites, high parasitaemia values (i.e., where more than 5%  of erythrocytes are infected) that occur naturally in some frogs have been observed to  cause death in mosquito vectors. The first objective of this study was to investigate the  cause of death in mosquitoes, Culex territans, that have fed on frogs with heavy  infections of Hepatozoon species. The second objective was to determine the route  travelled by these parasites through the body of C. territans from the blood meal in the  midgut to the Malpighian tubules, where parasite development occurs. Culex territans  mosquitoes were allowed to feed on green frogs with parasitaemia values of 5%. Blood-fed  mosquitoes were fixed in 2.5% gluteraldehyde at specific times (24 hr, 36 hr, 48 hr,  and 72 hr) post-feeding (PF). Fixed mosquitoes were embedded in TAAB resin, sectioned  at 1 μm sections, stained and observed using bright-field microscopy. At 12 hr PF, the  midgut was healthy and parasites had not invaded Malpighian tubules. At 36 hr PF, there  was extensive damage to the midgut, but parasites were not yet present in Malpighian  tubules. At 48 hr PF, there was extensive trauma to the midgut, and Malpighian tubules  were riddled with parasite zygotes. At 72 hr PF, Malpighian tubules were infected with  growing oocysts, but there was negligible damage to the midgut. The results support the  hypothesis that mosquito death is caused by morphological trauma to the midgut, and is  not likely a result of septicaemia. This further supports the hypothesis that Hepatozoon  species penetrate the midgut and enter Malpighian tubules through the haemocoel, rather  than entering the tubules at their origin near the junction of the midgut and the hindgut.

abstract: Biology


title: Economic impact of the wineries in Kings County

contributor:
Thompson, Connor (author)
(VanBlarcom, Brian) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: This  paper  quantifies  the  economic  impact  of  wineries  in  Kings  County,  Nova  Scotia.  A  Kings  County  input-‐output  model  is  used  to  evaluate  the  economic  impact  in  2014,  finding  total  impacts  of  $11,977,622.  The  impact  factors  of  demand  for  wine  have  on  wine  consumption  is  calculated.  These  impacts,  and  forecasted  values  of  the  factors  of  demand  are  used  to  estimate  wine  consumption  in  Nova  Scotia  in  2025.  Based  on  this  forecast,  the  production  of  wineries  in  Kings  County  in  2025  is  estimated.  Winery  revenues  are  scaled  proportionally  with  output  and  the  Kings  County  input-‐output  model  forecast  total  impacts  in  2025  to  be  $17,442,048,  a  46%  increase  from  2014.

abstract: Economics


title: The effect of ankle taping and visual input on activation magnitudes of ankle musculature during jump landing in basketball players

contributor:
McNeil, Ryan (author)
(King, Colin) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Ankle sprains are the most common injury in basketball participation, with the nature of the sport putting athletes at a higher risk than most other sports. Ankle taping may be an effective means of improving support when landing from a jump, therefore potentially decreasing the likelihood of injuring the ankle in basketball. Moreover, visual input has been suggested to be an important part of landing biomechanics to help sense if the foot is in a position of greater injury risk. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of ankle taping and visual input on activation magnitudes of muscles crossing the ankle during jump landing in basketball players. Participants consisted of 4 elite basketball players and 4 recreational players. Electromyography was utilized to measure the muscle activity in both legs’ tibialis anterior and peroneus longus 200 milliseconds both before and after landing from a jump. Data was analyzed using a two way ANOVA to test for significant effects due to the presence of ankle taping or visual input. There were no statistically significant findings found in this study. However, several trends were noted. All muscles displayed a mean decrease in mean activity both pre- and post-landing. Taping in conjunction with visual input was found to have a weak trend in the left tibialis anterior (LTA) pre-landing (p = 0.13) and a strong effect post landing (p = 0.060). Visual input alone was determined to have a strong trend in the LTA post-landing (p = 0.055) while having a weak trend in the right tibialis anterior (p = 0.14) and left peroneus longus post-landing (p = 0.12). Previous studies suggest that there may be a proprioceptive stimulation effect due to the presence of tape or visual input. However, literature concerning the effect of ankle taping and visual input on jump-landing biomechanics is x  filled with conflicting studies. Results from this study were inconclusive and indicate the need for further investigation.

abstract: Kinesiology


title: 20 years of betterment or belittlement: A replication of Cowan and Campbell's 1994 content analysis on sexism and racism in interracial pornography

contributor:
Marriott, Lukas V. (author)
(Vannier, Sarah) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Cowan and Campbell (1994) conducted a content analysis of interracial pornography videocassettes to study indicators of racism and sexism. It was concluded that pornography was both racist and sexist in its portrayal of sexual activity. The current study replicated Cowan and Campbell to examine identical behaviours in internet pornography. One-hundred videos were selected from 10 free online pornography websites (50 interracial, 50 control) and were coded using Campbell and Cowan‟s criteria. Rates of physical and verbal aggression were consistent with Cowan and Campbell but yielded fewer racial differences. Racial compliments and insults were less common in the current study and there was no difference in mention of verbal penis size, but there was a higher rate of visual penis size cues in interracial videos. Intimacy cues including kissing, caressing, talking, and sex face-to-face were now portrayed more often. Non-consensual acts were rare, occurring in 5% of the total sample. The current study adds to the growing body of research exploring trends in web-based pornography.

abstract: Psychology


title: Design and optimization of primers for selective qPCR amplification of alternate mitochondrial genomes in the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis

contributor:
Ranaweera, Nidusha (author)
(Stewart, Donald) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: There exists an unusual system of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) transmission in many  bivalves known as doubly uniparental inheritance. For example, in the blue mussel,  Mytilus edulis, mtDNA transmission is not exclusively maternal; male mussels possess  both maternally and paternally-transmitted mtDNA genomes. Fathers produce sperm  containing mostly male-transmitted (M-type) mtDNA, which they pass through their sons.  Mothers produce eggs containing mostly female-transmitted (F-type) mtDNA, which they  pass on through their daughters. While the M-type mtDNA is only expressed in the germ  line of the male mussel, the F-type mtDNA is expressed in the germ line of the female  mussel, and the somatic tissue of both male and female mussels. Occasionally, an F-type  mtDNA and a standard M-type (SM) mtDNA genome recombine and the resulting  chimeric genome “invades” the paternal route of mtDNA inheritance, giving rise to a so-called  “recently masculinized” (RM) mitotype. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction  (qPCR) is a technique used to quantify nucleic acids in a sample of interest. This  technique differs from conventional PCR in that it monitors the process of amplification  in real time. The amplification curves obtained from the process can be used to calculate  the initial concentration of template. Due to the high sensitivity of the qPCR, the primers  used should only amplify the desired gene while avoiding primer dimer formation. The  purpose of this study was to design qPCR primers that would selectively amplify the SM,  RM, and F mitotypes of M. edulis. Novel qPCR primers were designed, and a qPCR  protocol was optimized. The development of qPCR primers will facilitate future research  into the reproductive biology and fitness of alternative mitochondrial DNA  polymorphisms in blue mussels.

abstract: Biology


title: Photodynamic inactivation (PDI) of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans by ruthenium complexes

contributor:
Fuller, Charlotte A. (author)
(McFarland, Sherri) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Antibiotic treatment has become a standard in the medical field for microbial infections owing to its potency. However, resistant bacteria and negative side effects are key limitations that often hinder its success. There is much interest in nontoxic prodrugs that can be activated by a stimulus to effectively “turn on” cytotoxicity. Photodynamic inactivation (PDI) is an example that focuses on activating these agents, or photosensitizers (PS), with light as an external trigger to destroy, or inhibit the growth of target microorganisms. New metal-based compounds are under investigation to explore their potential as PSs for PDI, such as bis-heteroleptic Ru(II) systems which have been designed to act with high potency against cancer cells and bacteria. The effectiveness of these metal-based PSs as PDI agents has been assessed using a series of biological experiments, including the agar diffusion assay, the macrobroth assay, and the microbroth assay. The light and dark activity of each compound has been tested against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans using two different light environments. The drug potency for each agent was compared by determining the concentration necessary to inhibit 50% of cell growth (MIC50), allowing for the identification of photoactive compounds. The structures of the effective compounds were compared, and trends that corresponded to specific co-ligands were highlighted.

abstract: Biology


title: The quicksand of certainty: William James and the search for meaning in the Gilded Age

contributor:
Stanton, Aleen Leigh (author)
(Dennis, Michael) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: This thesis is centered on moral uncertainty in the Gilded Age, and the  subsequent fin-de-siècle search for meaning in a world that seemed to be turned  on its head in every way by economic, political, social, technological, and  cultural change. Out of that historical context, my thesis focuses in particular on  the religious writings of William James, arguing that his ideas about morality  and belief were a direct response to this uncertainty. They represented an ethical  realignment based on the full dimensions of human experience instead of any  one traditional religious dogma. Many historians have failed to see that James  was a significant figure in religious history; they have overlooked how he was  representative of the transformation in ideas about religion during the period. I  hope to fill in those blanks. Ultimately, this thesis will examine how American  society navigated this era of tumultuous uncertainty, when the traditional  framework of religious faith, confidence in social progress, and assumptions  about social hierarchy were torn down and rebuilt along lines that  accommodated critical intellectual developments. These transatlantic and  transnational developments prefigure many of the issues that we grapple with  today.

abstract: History & Classics


title: Petrographic and chemical characteristics of mafic dykes and sills in the Antigonish Highlands, Nova Scotia

contributor:
Porter, Celine E. (author)
(Barr, Sandra) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: The Antigonish Highlands of northern mainland Nova Scotia have a long and  complex tectonic history involving several episodes of magmatism. Mafic dykes and sills  mapped at almost 200 locations throughout the Antigonish Highlands are presumably  related to one or more of these magmatic events. Wide variations in petrographic,  magnetic, and chemical characteristics suggest multiple episodes of dyke/sill  emplacement. Based on the petrography of 62 samples, four main types of sills and dykes  are recognized: intergranular, coarse-grained clinopyroxene-bearing, amphibole-bearing,  and plagioclase-porphyritic. Whole-rock chemical analysis of 32 of these dykes/sills  shows that the majority are mafic (<52% SiO2) but a few are intermediate with up to 55%  SiO2. Loss on ignition is typically high (ca. 5-10%) consistent with extensive alteration in  the rocks, including saussuritization of plagioclase and replacement of pyroxene by  chlorite. Both major and trace elements show wide variation, and little correlation is  apparent between petrographic features and chemical characteristics. The dykes/sills  appear to fall into four distinct groups based on chemical affinity and tectonic setting  discrimination diagrams using mainly immobile elements: volcanic-arc, within-plate  transitional to alkalic, within-plate tholeiitic, and alkalic. Samples in the subalkalic  volcanic-arc group show chemical characteristics similar to those of the Neoproterozoic  volcanic and plutonic units of the Antigonish Highlands, generally interpreted to have  formed in a subduction zone. The alkalic samples show similarities to the Arbuckle  Brook Formation. Both the within-plate transitional to alkalic and tholeiitic samples show  chemical similarities to the within-plate Ordovician plutonic and volcanic units of the  Antigonish Highlands.

abstract: Earth & Environmental Sciences


title: Ya estamos hartos: The struggle for Mexican American labor and civil rights in California during the New Deal era

contributor:
Zscheile, Regan Adele (author)
(Dennis, Michael) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: This thesis examines the experience of Mexican migrant labor within California during the late 1920s as well as throughout the 1930s. Previously, historians have acknowledged as well as explored the destitution facing the Mexican working class during this time. Moreover, attention has been given to the importance of Mexican American grassroots activism in the efforts to achieve Mexican labor rights as well as civil rights within the United States. However, this thesis takes such explorations further and analyzes how middle class intellectuals, in addition to Mexican grassroots activism, contributed to and intensified the fight to achieve Mexican American rights. Ultimately, this thesis suggests that Mexican grassroots activism combined with the efforts of middle class intellectuals – i.e. Carey McWilliams, Paul Taylor, and Dorothea Lange – enabled the La Follette Civil Liberties Committee to be an effective force for social change in California. This committee not only remains scarce within historiography in general, but its contributions to Mexican American labor upheavals are especially overlooked. Yet, the La Follette Committee must be studied in this context. For the first time, the rights of Mexican Americans were seriously considered within the United States government. Moreover, the Committee offered a genuine alternative to the tradition of Anglo intolerance towards Mexican Americans that had been embedded in American society since its acquisition of the West. The significance of this is unprecedented and will be explored throughout this thesis.

abstract: History & Classics


title: Examining the present to change the future: From domination to relations of transnational solidarity amongst women around the globe.

contributor:
Shelzi, Siera Ann (author)
(Seamone, Donna) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2015

abstract: Information sharing throughout the contemporary world is tied to  transnational and trans-historic relational connections. These relations viavour  colonial hegemonies that have been building power and dominance for centuries,  specifically those in the North/Western regions of the world. One of the  legitimizing routes is through the authority of academia. Once words are written  on the page they become real, and when the same words have been written  repeatedly those words are taken as having tangible authority. Such scholarship  imposes and inscribes mores, self-righteousness, cultural customs, and academic  standards. The dialogue and rhetoric scholars employ informs various media of  information-sharing and praxis stretching across the globe. Because authority is  based on dominance and power, it jurisdiction spreads. Due to the perceived  privilege and liberating interventionism of those in the North/West these  information-sharing arms become arms of “white-saviors,” intervening in  “brown” South/Eastern affairs. In chapter two, I consider many interventions that  are undertaken benevolently with good intentions; “Honor Diaries” is a film that  can be described in such a manner. The film can also be described as  Islamophobic and reductionist, reducing all Muslims and honor-based violence  into a homogenized package to peddle to the public. The arms stretch further to  inform the global public of yet more harmful practices perpetrated on and by  brown people. In chapter three, focus is on female circumcision, or female genital  mutilation as many North/Westerners prefer to label it, a historic and societal  ritual practice bringing young girls to womanhood. The various practices are  greatly misunderstood and infused with North/Western constructs and authority  through mass production of repetitive and rhetorical academic work on these  South/Eastern practices. In the concluding chapter, I argue that through all of the  global difference there must be a way to form solidarity, not through trying to find  a universal representation of women and woman experience; but rather through  on-the-ground-grass-roots feminist movements that are connected through  branches of feminist coalitions. I envision a feminist tree, branching to all regions  across the globe connecting and preserving each region’s various feminist  movements.

abstract: Women's & Gender Studies


title: From liberation to oppression: the erosion of ascetic women’s agency in early Christianity

contributor:
Murray, Lauren (author)
Acadia University (degree_grantor)
(Hewitt, Sonia) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2016

abstract:
By the fourth century, women were able to transcend the traditional patriarchal Roman society by adopting the ascetic lifestyle.  These women were able to express their agency and autonomy as individuals, which was unique in Roman society.  In the fourth century, ascetic women’s agency reached its apex, while simultaneously both the Church and State
were enacting legislation that eroded their agency and autonomy by legislating their lifestyle.  The social position created by the Church and State for the ascetic women limited their agency and stripped away the independence that previous generations of ascetic women enjoyed.   The first chapter is a literature review of both ancient and modern sources.  The second chapter involves a discussion of women’s legal and cultural status within traditional Roman society.  Then, early Christian scriptures are discussed which advocated for equality and celibacy.  The Pauline letters legitimized asceticism as
an acceptable alternative to marriage and provided the basis for women to have positions of leadership within early Church communities.  Next, it examines examples of liberated ascetic women asserting their agency and autonomy.  This chapter concludes with a survey of dissenting voices within Christianity.  The third chapter reviews new legislation which the Church and State passed during the fourth and fifth centuries that eroded ascetic women’s agency, before concluding with a discussion of the absence of women in the early Christian histories, the changing discourse in The Acts of Thecla, the death of Blaesilla and St. Augustine’s Letter 211.  This thesis argues that ascetic women transcended the traditional social structure but later lost their agency because of the reassertion of traditional Roman gender norms in secular and ecclesiastical law and social practice.

abstract: History & Classics


title: Validity of step count and intensity related physical activity measures of several physical activity monitoring devices

contributor:
Wojcik, William R. (author)
Acadia University (degree_grantor)
(Fowles, Jonathon) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2016

abstract: Public  health  and  health  advances  have  led  to  significant  increases  in  life expectancy throughout the last century. Societal changes in activities of daily living have significantly  reduced  the  need  to  be physically  active.  The  combination  of  increased longevity and diminishing levels of physical activity has led to a chronic disease epidemic that is crippling our health care system. Exercise has been suggested as an effective form of preventative medicine as a means of reducing the chronic disease epidemic. However, many individuals fail to meet Canadian guidelines of physical activity due to a combination of  societal,  environmental  and  individual  barriers.  Physical  activity  monitoring  devices have been shown to be an effective way to increase confidence and knowledge surrounding physical activity in order to overcome many of hese barriers. Monitoring devices vary in function,  cost,  practically  and  in  their  abilities  to  measure  both  step  counts  and  exercise intensity. The purpose of this study was to determine the step and intensity related validity of several physical activity monitoring devices. Results indicated that the PiezoRx® was the most accurate for steps count and had the highest correlations to criterion measures of metabolic  intensity  compared  to  several  other  monitoring  devices  including  the  FitBit®, SensaWear® and the research grade Actical® accelerometer. The fact that the PiezoRx® was  also  the  lowest  cost  device  tested  may  lead  to  this  device being  used  as  a  practical objective monitoring device in the population and in other avenues such as health care.

abstract: Kinesiology


title: Implementation and perceived effectiveness of the exercise is Medicine Canada exercise prescription resources among health care providers across Canada

contributor:
O'Brien, Myles W. (author)
Acadia University (degree_grantor)
(Fowles, Jonathon) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2016

abstract: I would like to thank several people without whom this thesis would not have been possible. My deepest gratitude is to my supervisor Dr. Jonathon Fowles, your knowledge and guidance continuously motivates me. To Dr. Chris Shields and Dr. Said Mekary for always providing insight and advice throughout the entire research process. To my fellow Honours students for the countless number of hours spent together working on and complaining about our respective theses. To the Acadia Kinesiology faculty and staff for your contribution to my overall education and experience at Acadia. To my brother and sister, Mason and Molly, for helping shape the person I am today. To Roy and Tracey, for your support throughout my degree. Most importantly, to Jessica, your love and encouragement are the main reasons I completed this degree. Mom and Dad, I would like to dedicate this thesis to you.

abstract: Kinesiology


title: The 21st century New Democratic Party: the cycle of leadership confidence

contributor:
Larson, Braeden (author)
Acadia University (degree_grantor)
(Crandall, Erin) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2016

abstract:
The objective of this thesis is to compare the evolution of the New Democratic Party over the 21st century to determine if heading into the 2011 election the party attempted to leave its ideological roots as a democratic socialist party in exchange  for the opportunity to become Canada’s newest brokerage party. The idea of the NDP becoming a brokerage party is born out of the NDP skyrocketing to the position of Official Opposition in the House of Commons after being a fringe party since  their inception, never rising higher than the third largest party in the House.

By comparing the party’s election platform policy, election strategy and leadership qualities, one can determine whether the NDP became a brokerage party. According to this analysis, the party platform over the first 15 years of the century remained the same with the platform still being rooted in democratic socialism. The election strategy of the NDP within Quebec since Layton became the leader in 2004 to win elections was not created to broker power, but instead it was to combat the first past the post electoral system. Finally the leader of the NDP represents a salesperson that sells the platform of potential party policy that created the NDP. The leader is not a chief broker as described by Kenneth Carty who has complete control of the party and creating policy. In conclusion, the leaders of the NDP experience a cycle of confidence, and after years at the helm of the party, a leader manages to build a larger base that is constructed on their traditional base. Thus it is the belief that 2015 was not an election loss but a return to their ordinary election expectations
under a new leader in Thomas Mulcair.

abstract: Politics


title: Fall migration decisions of northern saw-whet owls at an ecological barrier

contributor:
Brown, Taylor M. (author)
Acadia University (degree_grantor)
(Taylor, Phil) (Thesis advisor)
(Shutler, Dave) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2016

abstract:
Migration is a perilous undertaking for any organism, and is often only undertaken within a restricted range of intrinsic and extrinsic motivating factors.  The added risk of crossing an ecological barrier such as a large body of water means that migratory decisions based on these factors become more crucial for survival than they would be otherwise.  Aside from limited data garnered from banding-recapture studies, little was previously known about migratory habits of northern saw-whet owls (Aegolius acadicus), especially with respect to how they navigated large expanses of water such as the Gulf of Maine.  Between 12 October 2015 and 10 November 2015, 26 saw-whet owls were captured at two NS sites using mist
nets, banded, and fitted with very high frequency (VHF) radio-transmitters.  Using data downloaded from receiver towers long the coastlines of Canada’s Maritime Provinces and the northeastern United States, I tracked individual saw-whet owls as some moved throughout mainland NS, some remained in the same general area where they were originally tagged , and some migrated directly over the Gulf of Maine.  The latter results provide insights into a previously unknown feat of migration by a small (80 to 120g) nocturnal raptor.

abstract: Biology


title: How to grow a girl: (Up from the ground and into the streets)

contributor:
Cann, Emily N. (author)
Acadia University (degree_grantor)
(Campbell, Wanda) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2016

abstract:
How to Grow a Girl is a collection of thirty-eight poems that addresses social issues associated with the growth from girlhood to womanhood and the construction of femininity. The first poem and the last poem each raise the question of what it means to be a girl very frankly, while the other thirty-six poems transition through three sections: a personal account of growing up female, the presentation and subversion of girls and women in fairytales, and a broader understanding of what it means to be a girl/woman in the world. Each section contains twelve poems. The poems are written primarily in free verse, making use of rhyme and enjambment to help construct meaning and lyricism. Several modern poets including Sharon Olds and Sylvia Plath shaped my ability to discuss darker, more challenging subject material in the third section. The collection ends with a question, which is a refusal to define the exact meaning of
girlhood, womanhood, and femininity.

abstract: English & Theatre Studies