OPUS: Open Ulethbridge Scholarship

Open ULeth Scholarship (OPUS) is the University of Lethbridge's open access research repository. It contains a collection of materials related to research and teaching produced by the academic community.

Self-archiving your research in OPUS is one way to meet Open Access policies of granting agencies. It is important to retain your final, post-peer-reviewed drafts for submission to OPUS, as this is often the only version publishers will allow to be archived. Click here for information on the U of L Open Access Policy.

Check here for more information about OPUS.

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Recent Submissions

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Reimagining music teacher education programs as multimusical constellations
(University of Connecticut, 2020) McArton, Lloyd
Through the concept of musical practices, adapted from Wenger’s (1998) notion of practice within a community, this paper explores ways in which universities could develop and equalize multiple and diverse musical practices into constellations. Providing future music educators with opportunities to engage and participate in a variety of musical practices is essential, so as to be better prepared to facilitate a wide spectrum of musical experiences with their students. Such practices could include the existing staple genres of choral, orchestral, concert band, and jazz musics, but also more scarcely institutionalized genres of popular music styles, regionally relevant indigenous and vernacular musics, online musical platforms, and music production. The creativity and autonomy characteristic of these musics represent more than deficiencies to be shoehorned into existing Western art music programs: They are skills best developed in the context of actual music making within real musical practices. Equalizing the inclusion and interaction of diverse musical practices as constellations in music teacher education programs would go a long way in disrupting the hegemony of existing programs, preparing teachers to engage with and responsibly guide students in a variety of musical practices rather than tokenizing and underrepresenting all that sits outside the bubble of Western art music
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Thriving on challenge: examining one teacher's views on sources of support for motivation and well-being
(University of Western Ontario, 2015) Perry, Nancy E.; Brenner, Charlotte; Collie, Rebecca J.; Hofer, Gigi
Alarmingly high rates of teacher attrition exist in contexts designed for students with considerable needs, such as in alternative education programs serving marginalized youth. Research has linked teachers’ levels of motivation and well-being to their effectiveness and retention. Consequently, we explore what distinguishes teachers who thrive in contexts others find taxing. Specifically, we investigate whether and how their motivation and well-being support their teaching effectiveness. As part of a larger case study of an alternative education program for youth who haven’t found success in mainstream schools, this article reports a semi-structured interview asking whether and how one teacher’s perceived autonomy, belonging, and competence support other facets of his motivation (e.g., teaching efficacy) and his well-being (i.e., constructive responses to potentially stressful events.) Plentiful evidence was found to link our researcher-derived constructs from self-determination theory to the teacher’s professional experiences in general, and to his work with youth in particular, indicating that our conceptual framework is an authentic representation of his experience. Implications for theory and research are discussed.
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Computational investigation of enzyme-facilitated cleavage of the phosphodiester bond in nucleic acids
(Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 2024-02-05) Kaur, Rajwinder; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science; Wetmore, Stacey D.
The phosphodiester backbone in nucleic acids is remarkably resistant to degradation. Although high stability is essential for storage of genetic information and proper cell function, some circumstances necessitate the cleavage of the nucleic acid backbone. For example, breaking the DNA backbone is critical to repair damage and maintain genetic integrity, while RNA cleavage is necessary for quality control during protein synthesis. Nucleases are enzymes that facilitate the challenging phosphodiester bond cleavage by accelerating the uncatalyzed reaction. Many nucleases utilize metals to enhance catalysis. Despite several experimental studies on enzymes that cleave phosphodiester bonds in nature, the mechanism for bond cleavage used by many enzymes, including the role and/or number of metal ions involved, is still unclear. Computer modeling is a powerful tool to investigate enzyme-catalyzed reaction mechanisms and discern the roles of the metal/s and amino acids involved in the reaction. This thesis uses computational techniques (i.e., quantum mechanics calculations, molecular dynamics simulations, and quantum mechanics–molecular mechanics calculations) to gain an atomic-level understanding of the phosphodiester bond cleavage reaction catalyzed by nucleases, specifically focusing on APE1, I-PpoI, and EndoV. These enzymes are particularly interesting since they either invoke a single metal ion for catalysis, which conflicts with the two-metal mediated mechanism generally proposed for most nucleases, or the metal-dependence is unknown. The mechanistic details uncovered by this thesis will open the door for new and improved applications of these enzymes in the fields of disease diagnostics, genetic engineering, and therapeutics.
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Assessment of aryl hydrocarbon receptor mediated toxicity of benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers (UV-P, UV-9, UV-090) to fishes
(Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Dept. of Biological Sciences, 2024) Johnson, Hunter M.; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science; Wiseman, Steve B.
Benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers (BUVSs) are a class of chemical contaminants used to help counter UV-induced damage to manufactured goods, especially plastics. The broad applicability of BUVSs has resulted in their ubiquitous detection in aquatic ecosystems and biota. Although BUVSs are detected globally in aquatic ecosystems, a limited number of studies have investigated the potential toxic effects of BUVSs to fish. Of the limited toxicity data for BUVSs, studies suggest that certain BUVSs might dysregulate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) causing early life-stage toxicity in fishes. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to use in vivo and in vitro approaches to characterize the toxicity of 2-(benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-methylphenol (UV-P), 2-(Benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-methyl-6-prop-2-enyl-phenol (UV-9), and 2-[3-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-hydroxyphenyl]ethyl methacrylate (UV-090) as agonists of the AhR across a phylogenetically diverse number of fish species. In vivo toxicity was assessed by exposing zebrafish (Danio rerio) to BUVSs by microinjection and toxicities were assessed by recording embryo mortality and malformations including yolk sac and pericardial edema, and spinal curvature. Each of the tested BUVSs caused dose-dependent increases in embryo mortality following exposure. In vitro activation of the AhR by BUVSs was determined with a luciferase reporter gene (LRG) assay using COS-7 cells transfected with the AhR of zebrafish or eight other species. Results confirm that UV-P and UV-9, cause toxicity via AhR activation whereas, UV-090 lacked the ability to activate the AhR, indicating that its toxicity is independent of the AhR. Furthermore, interspecies differences in sensitivity to AhR activation by BUVSs was observed. Overall, this study fills knowledge gaps regarding the potential toxic effects of BUVSs to fishes and can help guide improved objective assessment of risks posed by BUVS that have AhR agonistic properties for the protection of Canada’s diverse population of fish.
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The use of fashion as a mood enhancer and its effect on mental health in emerging adults in Canada during a global pandemic
(Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education, 2023) Wenderski, Malgosia; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Education; Wasilewski, Julia; Jung, Jaehee
Literature demonstrates that clothing has a positive influence on aspects of mental health, and this study frames the use of clothing to enhance one’s wellbeing as a coping mechanism. The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted lifestyles as individuals were isolated in their homes in accordance with lockdown restrictions. There were global reports of isolation and diminished mental health (Rajkumar, 2020). It was unknown if emerging adults continued their high engagement with clothing during the peaks of the pandemic. The relationship between clothing, mood, and mental health is also unknown. This thesis surveyed 574 emerging adults (individuals 18 to 29) in Canada to investigate how the peaks of the pandemic had affected both clothing engagement and the use of clothing as a mood enhancer, and how this relationship impacted mental health. The mixed methods study found that participants either increased or decreased their engagement with clothing. Greater fear of COVID-19 predicted and positively correlated with fashion involvement and mood enhancement through clothing. Emerging adults reported multiple motivations to enhance mood through clothing, including bolstering the self concept, self-esteem, and comfort. While there was no relationship between mood enhancement and mental health, the thematic analysis revealed reports of both positive and negative effects of clothing on mental health. The study found that emerging adults used clothing as a coping mechanism to support their wellbeing. Furthermore, engagement with clothing, or a lack thereof had consequences to their experience. Participants shared that clothing enhanced their self-esteem, mood, self-empowerment, self-congruency, and self-efficacy. Emerging adults who did not sustain high engagement with clothing reported negative impacts to self-esteem, self-efficacy, connection with self, and mood. Future research is encouraged to further explore and clarify the relationship between clothing, mood, and mental health.