MacEwan Open Journals (MacEwan University)
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Digital Exploration of Human Anatomy and Fashion
No full textThe goal of this project is to explore human anatomy and fashion through the medium of digital illustration. Because society moves at such a rapid pace, the pacing of people\u27s life also moves quickly. Individuals are less likely to take time to appreciate the people or the world around them, so they may be quick to judge based on their first impression. As a result, one\u27s fashion becomes a vital determining factor in people\u27s perception of each other. The purpose is to look at how fashion changes a person’s first impression based on their clothing styles. A person\u27s appearance could feel different based on the ratio, colour combinations, and texture of their clothes regarding their body shape.
The core learning of this project comes from the Advance Fundamental Class by TB Choi, a character concept artist, through the support of Student Undergraduate Research Funding. With the guided exercises about three-dimensional form and poses, clothes wrinkles, face and hair, the class heavily emphasizes the attention to line weight\u27s expression. By describing the subject clearly through lines, it speeds up the coloring and rendering process by solving the form and space questions before tackling the hue, brightness, and saturation of the subject.
The progress of this project is shown through the artist\u27s class exercise while it also reflects through different projects that occur during the time, which included human anatomy speed sketches, Charles Bargue\u27s sculpture drawing study, tote bag contribution, and storytelling through images.
Faculty Mentor: Alma Visscher 
Competition Submission for the \u27Pipe Dreams\u27 Album
No full textThis is a design for a jazz album by Jim Walker and associates. The concept of this design is the immersion of the viewer. Jazz is a genre that tends to pull its listener in. This is expressed by taking a two-dimensional surface and turning it into a three-dimensional experience. It visually draws the viewer into experiencing the album’s spirit and feeling. Creating this illusion of depth is done with the use of layers. These layers represent every stage of Jim’s life that built his extraordinary career over the years.
The color scheme of the design is a calm blue tone. Blue is a color that represents freedom and depth, which are words that describe the album’s sound. On the jacket, this blue is complimented with a beautiful orange, which creates a focal point on the cover, further pulling viewers into the illusion of depth. The typography used is League Gothic which is a condensed typeface. It visually represents the life and feeling of performing in a big band; everyone is close together and working in harmony.
The second image in the insert is an abstract representation of a stage with a spotlight. This spotlight shines on Jim’s remarkable career and all the people he has impacted over the years. The cover pulls the viewer in; when they open the album up, they are greeted with the stage view. They have arrived where they need to be to experience every part of the album.
Faculty Mentor: Constanza Pacher 
BMP3 Treatment Effects on Differentiated Chondrogenic ATDC5 Cells Signaling Pathways and Protein Expression
No full textThree BMP3 variants of interest (c. 1178C>T; p. S393F, c. 1349T>;A; p. F450Y, c. 1408G>C; p.A470P) were identified by researchers studying the genetic basis for ocular coloboma. They concluded that BMP3 plays a role in ocular coloboma based on BMP3 mutant zebrafish. An additional finding was that BMP3-mutant zebrafish exhibited cartilaginous jaw deformities compared to wildtype siblings. BMP3 is an atypical member of the bone morphogenic protein subfamily and has been identified as a negative regulator of bone formation, while its effects on chondrogenesis are poorly understood. We first confirmed and characterized ATDC5 cells as a model for chondrogenic differentiation by culturing in DMEM/F12HAM growth media and differentiating 1% ITS liquid media. Immunoblots of ATDC5 cell lysates showed increased expression of the chondrogenic marker protein, collagen II, in 1% ITS-treated cells compared to untreated controls. Whereas 1% ITS treated cells at 2 weeks had much fainter bands indicating decreased expression of collagen II. Both groups of cells treated with 1% ITS for either 1 week or 2 weeks showed increased expression of the osteogenic marker protein, RunX2, compared to untreated controls. Alcian blue staining of week 1 cells, week 2 cells, and untreated controls gave a positive indication of glycosaminoglycans. Similar positive results were observed for Alizarin red staining. Based on these results, we next treated groups of ATDC5 cells with either 100 ng/mL of BMP2, 100 ng/mL of BMP3, 1% ITS, or an untreated control group and took lysates at time points day 1, 4, 7, and 10 for future immunoblots.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Lisa Prichard 
Exploring the role of language development in young children’s unstructured play narratives
No full textYoung children\u27s language skills are crucial in facilitating effective communication during play. Productive language, also known as expressive language, allows children to use language effectively to express themselves verbally. It involves using grammar, vocabulary, and syntax to convey thoughts, ideas, and emotions to others. Developing productive language skills is a critical aspect of cognitive development during childhood. When children engage in play, they often verbalize their ideas and actions, reinforcing their language skills. However, if a child\u27s productive language skills are not as developed, they may need help to express themselves and communicate effectively with their play partners. This can be particularly challenging if the child\u27s primary language is not English. Such difficulties can lead to frustration and disengagement during playtime.
In a recent experimental study, we examined the interactive play sessions of 40 children aged 4 to 5 and investigated the relationship between their language skills, home language, and play narratives. The study involved two sets of toys: a box of loose parts made up of various naturally occurring and manufactured open-ended materials and a set of limited-purpose toys consisting of percussion instruments. Children were involved in two unstructured play sessions. During the play sessions, we recorded the children’s verbalizations during the play sessions and measured their language skills using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence. The research question guiding our study was, “How does a child’s verbal language impact their play?” In this presentation, we will discuss the influence of a child’s language skills; home language may affect their play narratives.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ozlem Cankaya 
Generating Functions Related to the Fibonacci Substitution
No full textProperties of generating functions for the one-sided Fibonacci Substitution Tiling are shown to exist, giving a new characterization of the Fibonacci Substitution.
Faculty Mentors: Dr. Christopher Ramsey & Dr. Nicolae Strungar
Characterization of Microplastics in industrial, highway, residential, and natural storm water ponds in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
No full textMicroplastics (plastic particles less than 5 mm in size) are among the primary pollutants found in aquatic environments, and their detrimental effects on marine organisms are of increasing environmental concern. Urban and highway stormwater runoff are important pathways for microplastics to migrate from land use to aquatic environments. However, studies characterising microplastic composition within stormwater ponds remain limited, particularly in Canada. This study adds to this knowledge gap by documenting the concentration, polymer composition, and size of microplastics polluting urban and highway stormwater ponds in Edmonton and investigates the relationship between composition and concentration to land use.
Approximately 1000 litres of water were pumped from 9 stormwater sites that were categorised as either industrial, highway, residential or natural. Microplastics were extracted using density separation and wet peroxide oxidation, and analyzed via Raman microspectroscopy. Microplastics were found in all stormwater samples, with highway and industrial sites documenting the highest concentrations. The dominant polymer was polyethylene, and most microplastics were fibrous and < 200 μm. This study provides evidence that urban runoff is a significant pathway for microplastics to enter aquatic ecosystems and suggests a relationship between landuse and microplastic composition
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Matthew Ross 
Do narcissists act differently with their romantic partner in public vs. private settings?
No full textNarcissistic individuals use two strategies to attain and maintain status: those high in admiration seek status through self-enhancement, whereas those high in rivalry defend one’s own superiority through the devaluation of others. In our study, we are investigating the strategies individuals high (vs. low) in narcissistic admiration and rivalry use to acquire status within their romantic relationships and whether these strategies differ depending on whether they are engaging with their partner in a public versus private setting. To do so, 298 participants completed a measure of their narcissistic admiration and rivalry. Participants also reported the extent to which they use dominance (e.g., using aggressive tactics and derogation) and prestige (e.g., sharing their partner\u27s achievements with others) strategies with their partner in public and in private. We predict that those who score higher (vs. lower) in narcissistic admiration will use more prestige-based strategies to gain status with their partner particularly in public (vs. private). In private, where there is less of a need to impress others, we predict they will use more dominance-based strategies to preserve their self-views and maintain the hierarchy within their relationship. We also predict that those who score higher (vs. lower) in narcissistic rivalry will engage in more dominance-based strategies to gain status with their partner in both public and private settings.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Miranda Giacomi
Book to the Basics: Systematically Teaching Children to Read Well
No full textAs the rates of reading difficulties in school children increase, so does the need for effective interventions. Direct Instruction (DI) is an evidence-based approach that uses applied behaviour analysis principles to teach a variety of different educational topics. For our study, we used the Direct Instruction based curriculum called ‘Teach Your Child to Read Well’, derived from the Maloney Method, in order to assess its effectiveness in teaching reading. The current study included three participants, aged 5 through 7, all of which were considered to be underperforming compared to their same-grade peers. The DI program was implemented once a week, in a 1:1 session, for 12 weeks. Participants were also assessed every session on their sound and word fluency (correct responses per minute). Throughout the intervention, each participant\u27s scores showed a continuous increasing trend in fluent accurate responses, and all participants more than tripled their fluency scores for reading words in just 12 weeks when compared to their baseline scores. Results from this study show the successful effects for these three participants, suggesting the Maloney Method as an effective DI program for children falling behind in reading, and adds to the current literature supporting the use of DI programs in teaching academics.
Faculty Mentors: Miranda Macauley & Dr. Russ Powel
Do Personality Traits, Ageist Beliefs, and Knowledge of Dementia Influence Canadian Undergraduates Stigmatizing Attitudes Towards People With Dementia?
No full textDementia is a neuropsychological condition causing progressive deficits in cognitive functioning. Alzheimer’s dementia is the most common form of dementia. A particular challenge faced by persons with dementia (PwD) is the level of stigma they encounter on a daily basis. Considerable research has shown that stigmatization of PwD leads to poor mental and physical health outcomes. Stigma is regarded by many as the biggest obstacle PwD face when accessing care. Programs aimed at the reduction of stigma have largely focused on education and creating opportunities for contact with a PwD, showing positive outcomes. However, we know little about who is most likely to have stigmatizing beliefs towards PwD and which behaviours exhibited by PwD are more likely to be stigmatized. We plan to administer a series of questionnaires to undergraduate students at MacEwan University. Information on participant demographics, ageist beliefs, personality factors, experience with and knowledge of dementia will be collected. Participants will then be given a hypothetical vignette of a PwD. The vignette has six behavioural descriptions. Stigma towards each behaviour will be assessed by asking participants to rank on a scale of 1-10, how distressing the behaviour is. We hypothesize that lower levels of ageism, higher levels of familiarity, and greater knowledge of dementia will predict lower levels of stigma in this Canadian undergraduate population. As well, political affiliation, and personality are expected to influence stigma but the direction is unclear.
Faculty Mentors: Dr. Lori Harper & Dr. Russ Powel
Puzzling Perceptions: Attraction, sociosexuality, and rivalry evaluations among women
No full textCan we identify others as potential mates or rivals based on their appearance and behaviours? Do specific mannerisms or aspects of appearance provide information about sexual attraction or openness to sexual behaviour? A study by Stillman and Maner (2009) explored appraisals using videotaped interactions of two people solving a Rubik’s Cube puzzle together. In the study, a female participant and a male confederate attempted to solve a puzzle without speaking to each other, and each using only one hand. Other participants viewed short video clips of these interactions and were asked to rate the female participant’s attraction to the male confederate, her level of sexual inhibition, and several personality variables. Participants also counted or rated several behaviours that are known to be associated with flirtation or interest. In the original study, participants’ ratings of the videos were found to be reasonably accurate when evaluating sexual inhibition. The study also found several reliable behavioural cues, such as eyebrow flashes and glancing at the puzzle partner. In our replication and extension project, we aimed to determine whether the basic effect would replicate and whether additional variables (including sexual orientation) would affect results. We are also collaborating with a researcher at Stetson University in Florida so that videos will be rated by participants who cannot know the people in the videos.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Lynne Honey