MacEwan Open Journals (MacEwan University)
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Microplastics in Stormwater Runoff: Comparing Baseflow to Rainfall Events
No full textDue to their widespread use, plastics have become a significant pollutant in the environment. Among these are microplastics, those that are under 5mm in size. These particles pose many potential hazards to aquatic ecosystems, such as bioaccumulation and leeching of chemical compounds into soil and freshwater. Previous studies have addressed microplastic contamination in urban river systems, atmospheric fallout, and wastewater treatment plants, but very few studies have investigated microplastics in urban stormwater runoff. Stormwater runoff washes over impervious surfaces (such as roadways) and often drains into rivers and other freshwater bodies, and acts as a source of microplastics that can then contaminate freshwater systems. In this research project, the concentration of microplastics in stormwater runoff under both baseflow and rain event conditions were analyzed to determine the difference in microplastic concentration between the two scenarios. Samples were obtained from a stormwater collection basin in Calgary, Alberta, at eight different times between May and September. Microplastics were extracted through a combination of filtration, digestion with hydrogen peroxide, and size fractionation, resulting in five size classes. Following the extraction, the samples were analyzed using visual microscopy and Raman spectroscopy to obtain the quantity and chemical composition of the microplastics, respectively. Understanding the concentration of microplastics in stormwater runoff allows for proper risk assessment of microplastics in freshwater systems, as well as providing insight into the sources of microplastics in other freshwater systems.
Discipline: Physical Sciences
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Matthew Ros
Foraminifera: A Tool for Elucidating Past and Recent Climate Change in Marine Arctic Canada
No full textOver the past decades, polar regions such as the Canadian Arctic Archipelago have experienced pronounced changes associated with recent climate warming, such as sea ice decline. Such relatively recent environmental shifts have motivated research regarding past climate variability to understanding how polar marine environments respond to changing conditions, such as glacial to interglacial transitions. This presentation will outline ongoing research that is part of a larger project funded by ArcticNet and NSERC focussed on the palaeoclimate, palaeoceanography and deglacial histories of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. In particular, the use of foraminifera (microfossils) is highlighted as a proxy for reconstructing past environmental conditions via assemblage and geochemical (δ13C and δ18O) analyses, including water temperatures, sea ice conditions, and ecosystem productivity, in the eastern (Lancaster Sound/Baffin Bay) and western (M’Clure Strait) entrances to the historical Northwest Passage. To allow for accurate interpretations of past environments, ongoing work also focuses on foraminiferal distribution in surface (modern) sediments in relation to measured oceanographic parameters (temperature, salinity, sea ice) as a baseline for paleo-interpretations. Preliminary results from microfossil surface sediment calibrations, along with the taxonomic issues associated with some important indicator taxa will be discussed.
Discipline: Biological Sciences
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Anna Pienkowsk
Content Analysis of the Stereotyped Portrayal of Women Within the Television Show Grey\u27s Anatomy
No full textThis study examined media portrayals of women in nurse, intern and surgeon roles on television. A content analysis of six randomly selected episodes of the popular medical show, Grey’s Anatomy, aired between 2005 and 2014, revealed gender stereotypes and inequalities in each of the positions studied. Results also showed decreased stereotyping in the more current episodes relative to the earlier ones suggesting that gendered media representations of these professions are decreasing over time.
Discipline: Sociology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Diane Symbaluk
 
Electrochromic Opal-Structure Polymer System Tactile E-Skin Sensor
No full textWe developed a versatile, highly sensitive and wearable skin-like sensor with electrochromic color-changing system to measure the human (or pets and livestock)’s heart and pulse as well as the fast response for clinic metabolites from sweat. The transduction system of the e-skin sensor will be based on color and capacitance changes of the tailor-made molecule receptor integrated in the sensor. These dual transduction mechanism of the sensing elements are based on integration of opal polymer nanostructures (hollow nanogels), which diffract different wavelength of light based on Bragg\u27s diffraction. The opal polymer structures will also be redox responsive and as such capacitance and impedance changes of the sensor will also be investigated using PalmSense 4 potentiostat. The range of characterization techniques such as SEM, TEM and Raman spectroscopy also applied to fabricate the surface morphology.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Samuel Mugo
Discipline: Biological Science
We need an Anne Frank’s Diary for the Residential Schools
No full textThough the Alberta Government’s list of novels authorized for use in grade-school classrooms seemingly values presenting unpleasant historical events to students, narratives by and about First Nations cultures and history are underrepresented, particularly in reference to the residential schools. I discuss how this underrepresentation impedes education and understanding of First Nations cultures and history, and the importance of it being rectified.
 
From Hurt to Hope: Trauma and Healing in Katherina Vermett\u27e The Break
No full textAn analysis on the characters presented in Vermette\u27s novel focusing on assimilation, hybridity and failed coping mechanisms. I also address intentional hardening of exterior personas and inability to deal with generational traumas and sexual assualts
Equipping people to be citizen scientists: developing water quality monitoring sensors
No full textThe quality of a community’s water supply is an important factor for determining the health of individuals and the community as a whole. An important way of equipping local citizens to take control of their local water supplies is to provide tools that allow them to monitor key parameters that can be used to assess water quality. We have developed a low cost set of water sensors that can be operated using a smart device and be built by citizen scientists around the world to perform water quality measurements. This water sensor currently tests the pH, temperature, and turbidity of a given water sample and can be set up for single tests as well as longer term monitoring. This project is part of a larger effort in collaboration with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and funded by the European Union to equip global citizens to monitor their chemical environment.
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A Markov Chain Analysis of John K. Samson’s music
No full textMusic is an important part of the human experience. Artists may have a tendency towards certain chords due to their vocal range, the mood of certain chords, or just habit. We study the progression of one chord sequence to another within two albums by the Canadian artist John K Samson. Based on the movement between chords we construct a finite Markov chain. We analyze the properties of this Markov chain, and we interpret the results in musical terms
Stabilized Liposomes transdermal patch for loaded antioxidants skin therapy
No full textAs the largest organ in the body, skin acts a protective barrier insulating other organs from physical, chemical or biological damage. Skin aging triggered by sun’s ultraviolet rays, and pollution decrease its protective barrier and it’s physiological functional properties. The research hunt is on by cosmetic industry and dermatologist for effective therapeutic technologies to slow and reverse skin aging. Some modern skin antiaging therapy include the radiofrequency technology that work on the basis of thermal energy application onto the skin, believed to induce dermal and epidermal remodeling, which triggers regeneration.1,2 This is an expensive, public inaccessible therapeutic technology, and as such an economical approach remain the use of anti-aging skin care products with functional compounds called antioxidants, which protects the skin from free radical oxidative processes that induce skin aging. Numerous antioxidants exist, —e.g. retinol, algae oil, and lecithin, — however there remains a challenge for optimal transdermal delivery of these compounds the epidermis to afford effective skin protection. In addition, antioxidants are environmentally unstable, and lose their potency with exposure. As such, approach to mitigate both the instability and as a delivery vehicle is the use of liposome technology. Liposome is a (nano) or microsphere with an aqueous center pocket (houses the anti-aging agent) and a lipid exterior, a dual structure that affords skin penetration.3,4
As a proof concept, we have developed polyhydroxylated fatty acid (polyol) liposome and used it to encapsulate a model antiaging agent. The polylol liposomes was compared with lecithin based liposomes for controlled release on the anti-aging agent. Towards a fabrication of a dermatologist usable device, we have demonstrated a prototype voltage responsive biobased transdermal patch impregnated with antioxidant loaded liposomes, with controlled release of the antiaging agent triggered by disruption of the liposomes by a mild voltage application. Our presentation, will showcase the developed prototype.
Reference
Deirdre, C.; Laura, L.; Nazanin, Saedi. Semin Cutan Med Surg. 2017. 36. 138-147.
Krista, B.; Anderw, D.; Neil, S. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2018. 17. 61-65.
Makoto, T.; Dai, K.; Yonathan, A.; Kensaku, T.; Koji, W. Journal of Oleo Science. 2009, 12, 643-650.
Sala, M.; Diab, R.; Elaissari, A.; Fessi, A. Lipid Nanocarriers as Skin Drug Delivery Systems: Properties, Mechanisms of Skin Interactions and Medical Applications. Int J Pharm. 2018 Jan 15;535(1-2):1-17.
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Investigating the function of snR30 during ribosome biogenesis
No full textsnR30 is an essential and atypical H/ACA box guide RNA conserved across all eukaryotes. In general, the H/ACA ribonucleic protein (RNP) complex is formed by Cbf5, Gar1, Nop10, and Nhp2 associating with an H/ACA guide RNA. This complex is typically involved in the conversion of uridine to pseudouridine. The snR30 RNP, however, is essential for processing of precursor ribosomal RNA (rRNA) at three sites. These cleavages are required for production of mature 18S rRNA which is necessary for ribosome biogenesis. snR30 differs from other H/ACA guide RNAs in that the binding of the target RNA occurs in the lower half of the unpaired pocket within the terminal hairpin compared to traditional H/ACA RNAs. Additional proteins including Utp23, Utp24, Rrp7, Rok1, and others interact either with snR30 or snR30-interacting proteins. This project aims at reconstituting and characterizing a purified snR30 RNP complex to study the most critical function of H/ACA RNPs during ribosome biogenesis.
The H/ACA core protein complex Cbf5-Nop10-Gar1 was purified using glutathione- and Nickel-sepharose chromatography. Synthesis and purification of RNA was achieved through a series of different techniques. First, purified yeast genomic DNA was used for the amplification of snR30 and 35S rRNA. Sequences were cloned into a plasmid. Next, PCR products of these sequences were used as templates in in vitro transcription to generate RNA. Finally, short target RNA comprising a fragment of rRNA was purified using anion exchange chromatography while snR30 was purified by size exclusion chromatography. The target RNA was fluorescently labeled with a fluorescein dye at the oxidized 3’ end. With these components, it now becomes possible to study how snR30 interacts with the H/ACA proteins and how the snR30 RNP complex binds to and dissociates from target RNA, e.g by determining the affinity for rRNA.
*Indicates presente