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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.

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    Detection of lameness in feedlot cattle using deep learning enhanced mobile application
    (Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Dept. of Neuroscience, 2026) Kaur, Sandeep; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science; Sutherland, Robert J.
    This thesis presents a deep learning framework for automated lameness detection in beef cattle using video-based gait analysis. Lameness is a major issue in livestock production, affecting animal welfare and productivity. Traditional visual assessment methods are subjective and difficult to scale in commercial feedlot environments, motivating the need for automated detection. A hybrid CNN-LSTM model is proposed to capture spatial and temporal gait features. The CNN (InceptionV3) extracts frame-level features such as posture, limb positioning, and back curvature, while the LSTM models temporal dependencies across video sequences to learn gait dynamics. The model was trained and evaluated on expert-annotated video data collected under controlled conditions. To improve interpretability, explainable AI techniques including Grad-CAM, saliency maps, and temporal heatmaps were used to identify regions influencing predictions. Logistic regression was applied for feature-level interpretation of gait abnormalities such as limping, head bobbing, and arched back. The system achieves 92.45% accuracy with an inference time of 389ms. A cross-platform ASP.NET MAUI mobile application enables video capture and server-based inference for deployment. This work demonstrates a scalable and interpretable approach for automated lameness detection using deep learning and mobile technology.
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    How do microglia, β-amyloid, and phosphorylated-tau interact in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease?
    (Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Dept. of Neuroscience, 2026) Lapointe, Valérie E.; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science; Sutherland, Robert J.
    Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease and the most common form of dementia. It is characterized by gradual memory loss and cognitive decline that significantly impair daily life. With population aging, the prevalence and societal burden of AD are steadily increasing. Neuropathologically, AD is defined by the accumulation of two hallmark proteins in the brain: amyloid-β (Aβ), which forms extracellular plaques, and pathological tau, which accumulates intracellularly as neurofibrillary tangles, together with neurodegeneration. Although Aβ accumulates early in AD, the extent of insoluble amyloid plaque deposition correlates only weakly with cognitive impairment. In contrast, tau pathology follows a stereotypical spatial and temporal progression across brain regions, and the extent of tau pathology and neurodegeneration is more closely associated with cognitive decline. Neuroinflammation is increasingly recognized as a key contributor to AD pathogenesis. Microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, mediate these inflammatory responses and influence both the progression and regional spread of tau and amyloid pathology. At the same time, astrocytes further modulate these processes through interactions with neurons and microglia. These glial-driven mechanisms are closely linked to neurodegeneration and behavioural outcomes. Despite substantial advances, critical gaps remain in understanding how amyloid, tau, and neuroinflammation interact to drive disease progression, in part due to limitations of traditional transgenic models that rely on protein overexpression. This thesis addresses these gaps by investigating tau-driven pathology, pharmacological modulation of microglial activation, and the combined effects of amyloid and human tau in physiologically relevant mouse models of AD. Behavioural assessments and immunohistochemical analysis were employed to evaluate neuroinflammation, protein pathology, and associated functional outcomes.
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    AI-assisted evaluations and EDI: how temperature settings influence reliability, bias, and inclusion
    (Canadian Evaluation Society, 2026) Shapiro, Sidney; Khalid, A. K. M. Iftekhar
    This practice note examines the role of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) temperature settings in program evaluation, particularly their impact on response consistency, variability, and implicit bias. Temperature settings influence the consistency and variability of generated outputs, affecting how evaluators interpret and use AI-assisted content. Lower temperature settings produce more deterministic responses, which can enhance reliability but may inadvertently reinforce dominant narratives, potentially limiting diverse perspectives. Conversely, higher temperature settings introduce variability, fostering creativity and increasing the risk of bias and inconsistency. Given the growing integration of AI-assisted methods in evaluation, this paper explores the implications of temperature settings for equitable and inclusive analysis. By examining temperature settings through an evaluation lens, this paper provides insights into mitigating bias, improving methodological rigor, and ensuring alignment with Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) principles. The discussion offers practical guidance for evaluators on calibrating AI parameters to enhance transparency, fairness, and reliability in data-driven decision-making. This practice note aligns these technical considerations with established evaluation principles, including rigor, credibility, and culturally responsive and equitable practice.
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    Transgender youth's perspectives on the relationships between pregnancy, contraceptives, and dysphoria
    (Elsevier, 2025) Lowik, A.J.; Al-Anzi, Shams M. F.; Chan, Ace; Ybarra, Michele; Saewyc, Elizabeth
    Purpose: To explore how trans youth with pregnancy capacity think through and understand the associations between pregnancy, contraception methods, and dysphoria. Methods: We conducted 8 asynchronous online focus groups (n ¼ 152) between 2020 and 2021 with trans youth assigned female at birth, and thus presumed capable of pregnancy, aged 14e18, who were living in the United States. Data were analyzed using a qualitative thematic approach informed by interpretive description. Results: Some youth participants were unequivocal in their belief that both pregnancy and contraception would give rise to gender-related distress, which affected how they framed the acceptability of pregnancy and various methods for its prevention. Others had more dynamic understandings of dysphoria, recognizing that it is not inevitable or uniformly experienced. Still others posited that dysphoria that does occur can be managed considering the individual’s priority goal or desire e whether to become a gestational parent or to prevent pregnancy. Participants discussed the importance of accessing sexual and reproductive healthcare, even if doing so requires them to navigate terrains of potential dysphoria, including dysphoria that is provoked by having to access gendered spaces and services and due to the use of gendered language. Discussion: Youth participants had varied, nuanced understandings of dysphoria and its potential impact on their conception, pregnancy, and contraception experiences. Many did not hold prescriptive views that dysphoria is a defining aspect of their lives as trans people. Findings suggest strategies for the delivery of gender-affirming, youth-friendly sexual and reproductive healthcare that attends to dysphoria-as-distress when it occurs.
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    Association between serum testosterone and measures of cardiovascular health among transgender individuals using gender-affirming testosterone therapy: a cross-sectional study
    (Springer Nature, 2025) Pattar, Badal S. B.; Harrison, Tyrone G.; Saad, Nathalie; Dumanski, Sandra M.; Lowik, A.J.; Ronksley, Paul E.; Greene, Dina N.; Whitley, Cameron T.; Rytz, Chantal L.; Turino Miranda, Keila; Peace, Lindsay; Newbert, Amelia M.; Sola, Darlene Y.; Ahmed, Sofia B.
    Background: Gender-affirming testosterone therapy (GATT) use may be associated with increased systolic blood pressure (SBP). The association between serum testosterone and cardiovascular health in individuals using GATT is unknown. The objective of this study was to estimate the association between serum testosterone and validated measures of cardiovascular health, including SBP and arterial stiffness, in persons assigned female sex at birth using GATT. Methods: Healthy participants assigned female sex at birth on a stable GATT regimen for ≥ 4 months were recruited to this community-partnered exploratory cross-sectional study. Exposures of interest were total and free serum testosterone concentration. As our primary outcome, SBP was measured by an automated sphygmomanometer, and carotid-radial pulse wave velocity (PWVcr) and aortic augmentation index (AIx) were used to measure arterial stiff ness via applanation tonometry. Results: Participants (n = 18, median age 28 years, range: 18, 50) who predominantly self-identified as white (94%) and had been using GATT for a median of 48 months (range: 5, 84) were studied. Resting SBP, PWVcr, and AIx were 113 mmHg (range: 102, 129), 7 m/s (range: 4, 9), and 9% (range: − 10, 23), respectively. Total and free serum testoster one were not significantly associated with SBP or PWVcr. Free, but not total, serum testosterone was positively associ ated with AIx (p = 0.03). Sensitivity analyses did not modify any results. Conclusions: In healthy transgender individuals, serum testosterone concentrations may not be associated with measures of cardiovascular health. However, these results need to be interpreted with caution given the limited sample size.