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Communicating for connection or pleasure?: exploring instrumental and expressive communication within the two-pathway model of sexual self-disclosure
No full textSexual communication is positively associated with sexual satisfaction. A two-pathway model of sexual self-disclosure theorizes that sexual communication enhances satisfaction in two distinct ways: an instrumental pathway (one’s balance of sexual rewards to costs mediates the correlation between sexual communication and sexual satisfaction) and an expressive pathway (relationship satisfaction mediates the correlation between sexual communication and sexual satisfaction). However, as researchers have only used a general measure of sexual communication it is unclear whether instrumental versus expressive types of communication may have an impact on the model. The current study replicates and extends the two-pathway model by exploring how instrumental and expressive types of sexual communication relate to the mediators in their respective pathways. We recruited 265 participants in long-term relationships to complete online measures of sexual communication (general, instrumental, expressive), perceived partner responsiveness, sexual and relationship satisfaction, and perceived sexual rewards and costs. After replicating the two-pathway model, three regression analyses were conducted to first examine the associations between instrumental and expressive communication and sexual satisfaction, and then their associations with participants’ balance of sexual rewards to costs and relationship satisfaction. Results indicated that both communication types were significantly positively correlated with sexual satisfaction. Further, expressive communication was more strongly associated with both mediators, and instrumental communication was only significantly positively correlated with participants’ balance of sexual rewards to costs. These results suggest expressive communication usage may be of more value for achieving sexual satisfaction in long-term couples, reflecting the clinical implications of such research.Keywords: sexual communication, sexual satisfaction, instrumental communication, expressive communication</p
A common thread: how Paterson's immigrants and New York's intellectuals utilized radical art in the creation of the 1913 Paterson Pageant
No full textThis thesis explores the cultural and artistic landscape of radical politics in relation to the 1913 Paterson silk strike and The Pageant of the Paterson Strike. I examine Italian anarchist social spaces, publications, and theater productions from Paterson’s working-class, alongside socialist salons and magazines from Greenwich Village’s middle-class bohemians to provide context as to how these two different groups resisted industrial capitalism, class boundaries, and ethnic divisions in their daily lives and how they drew on those radical aspects to create the Paterson Pageant. Instead of examining the Pageant as an instance of failure due to its financial struggles, I analyze it through the lens of a cultural showcase of mutuality, solidarity, and participation that exemplified the discontent of America with rising industrial capitalism and went on to impact radical and working-class theater throughout the 20th century.</p
Efforts toward the synthesis and photochemistry of 4,6-diisopropyl-2-phenylbenzene-1,3-diol
No full textExcited State Intramolecular Proton Transfers (ESIPTs) are important primary photoreactions for phenols in which the phenol OH transfers a proton to another site on the same molecule. These reactions contribute to the photoprotective effects of many sunscreens and photostabilizers making their optimization a key research goal. Recent work has focused on improving ESIPT efficiency in 2-phenylphenol (9) and two previously determined strategies include the addition of a bulky substituent ortho to the hydroxy group or incorporation of a second hydroxyl group ortho to the phenyl ring. These strategies were previously combined in 4,6-ditert-butyl-2-phenyl-benzene-1,3-diol (22) yet unexpectedly the ESIPT efficiency was low. These results were attributed to the “loose bolt” effect suggesting that internal conversion dominated the relaxation pathway to the ground state instead of ESIPT.To address this limitation and enhance ESIPT efficiency, efforts were made toward the synthesis of 4,6-diisopropyl-2-phenylbenzene-1,3-diol (23). The goal was to maintain steric effects that promote ESIPT while minimizing the impact of the “loose bolt” effect. The starting compound for the alkylation, 2,6-dihydroxybiphenyl (20), was successfully synthesized through a Suzuki coupling reaction between 2,6-dimethoxyphenylboronic acid and iodobenzene followed by a demethylation step using boron tribromide. The compound was characterized by NMR spectroscopy. Isopropyl alkylation of 20 was attempted via alkylation with iPrOH/H2SO4 and Friedel-Crafts alkylation, with the latter yielding the most promising results. Further optimization is required to obtain the final product 23 which will undergo product studies to investigate its photochemistry.</p
Assessing climate change risk to native Nova Scotian flora through specimen- and observation-based phenological analyses
No full textOrganisms can shift their phenology in response to climate change by flowering or fruiting earlier. Phenotypic plasticity is a mechanism that plants possess to respond to changes in their environment. However, not all species have sufficient phenotypic plasticity to keep pace with climate change, and thus may be at risk. The objective of this thesis is to identify native Nova Scotian species that have the potential to be more at risk from climate change than others by determining which species are shifting their flowering and fruiting times, which species’ flowering and fruiting times are responsive to temperature, and the difference in responses among species. Natural history collections of herbarium specimens (pressed plants) can provide long-term data on species flowering and fruiting times. Flowering and fruiting times were scored for 17 native plant species using herbarium specimens accessioned in the E.C. Smith Herbarium, Acadia University. Linear regression analysis was conducted for each species to determine if there was a significant shift in flowering or fruiting time across decades. Climate Research Unit (CRU) modeled temperature data was used to determine the relationship between flowering or fruiting time, and mean monthly temperatures. Epigaea repens and Fragaria virginiana showed a significant trend towards earlier flowering as the years progressed. These two species and Vaccinium angustifolium showed a significant trend towards earlier flowering as June mean temperature increased. These three species have the potential to be less at risk from climate change than others, and this can inform future species conservation management in Nova Scotia.</p
Balancing principles and power: an examination of state responses to Kosovo's Declaration of Independence
No full textThe sovereignty of Kosovo was and remains a contentious issue in international law, particularly following its unilateral declaration of independence in 2008. This thesis employs a neorealist framework to analyse state interests and political motives as reflected in advisory opinions submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the case of ‘Accordance with International Law of the Unilateral Declaration of Independence in Respect of Kosovo.’ Drawing on the written proceedings from participating states, this thesis examines themes of territorial integrity, sovereignty, human rights, and external balancing of power. The findings demonstrate that state responses were heavily influenced by self-interest and power politics, which underlines the intersection of international law and geopolitical motives. This thesis contributes to understanding how state behaviour in legal processes is shaped by the structures between legal principles and national interests.</p
Ideology over identity: do parents' reactions to coming out mediate links between parents' political orientation and religiosity and LGBTQ+ individuals' mental health?
No full textComing out is a significant and often stressful event for individuals in the LGBTQ+ community, especially when disclosing their identity to a parent. Parents’ reactions to coming out can have profound implications for the mental health of LGBTQ+ individuals, yet limited research to date has examined a broad scope of parents’ reaction types and their associated outcomes. Additionally, the extent to which parents’ political orientation and religiosity levels may be li linked to these responses remains unclear. Thus, the present study examined how parents’ political orientation and religiosity levels are related to various types of parents’ reactions to participants’ coming out. Additionally, we examined how these reactions in turn are associated with the participants’ mental health outcomes. Using a diverse sample of 966 LGBTQ+ individuals’ open-ended recollections of coming out to a parent, qualitative coding assigned each narrative up to three of 12 parental reaction subthemes, based on Cleary’s (2023) framework. Results of the main path analyses indicated that political orientation was more strongly linked to parental reactions than religiosity, with conservative parents more likely to react with Avoidance or Control, which in turn was associated with poorer mental health outcomes. In contrast, stronger parental religiosity was generally associated with better mental health for children, though this association was negatively mediated by controlling reactions, which diminished the positive outcomes. Overall, these findings suggest that both parents’ political and religious beliefs are associated with the coming out experience, but in complex and somewhat different ways.Keywords: coming out, LGBTQ+, parental reactions, political orientation, religiosity levels, mental health outcomes</p
Investigating erosional processes and rate of erosion of a sea cliff in Hantsport, Nova Scotia
No full textCoastal erosion is a natural process that can become an issue when there is no space to accommodate the retreat of a coastline; this is the case in many coastal communities across Nova Scotia. Addressing issues such as erosional processes have become a priority as environmental disturbances are increasing in both magnitude and frequency which can threaten lives and infrastructure. Hantsport is a community in Nova Scotia, located along the coast of the Avon River estuary which empties into the Minas Basin. Recent studies on the Avon River have explored changes in bathymetry and sedimentation over time; however, specific coastal erosion studies in this area have not been done. Hantsport is unique as it is part of a macrotidal environment, with a tidal range of over 15 m, and has a long history of anthropogenic influence on the environment. For this study, sediment stratigraphy and hydrology, drone surveying, time lapse photography, ground penetrating radar, and community historical narratives were used to better understand how natural and anthropogenic processes influence coastal erosion.Sea cliffs parallel to Avon Street, Hantsport are composed of permeable post-glacial outwash sediment overlying impermeable glacial till, both of which are susceptible to oversteepening and vulnerable to wave, rain, and freeze-thaw induced failure. The contact between these strata dip towards the Avon River, a geometry that can result in the development of a glide plane that may lead to further sea cliff failure. Time lapse photography taken between June 2024 and January 2025, show that most failure is associated with high tide conditions that coincide with both storms (high wave energy) and rainfall.Winter temperatures and the establishment of a thin frozen surface layer can also produce a thin near-vertical cliff face that fails if the cliff base is eroded. Rainfall and thawing may further exacerbate this condition. Previously installed gabions and coastal hardening structures have slowed erosional processes; however, these structures have been significantly disturbed and in places removed by large storms and lack of maintenance. Where these structures are absent, erosion has accelerated. Areas of the coastline that lie perpendicular to wave fetch are especially vulnerable to continued and accelerated erosion.The coastline under study may require engineered structures to reduce the rate of erosion. A review of which approach is most compatible with the site is outside of the scope of this study though the rate of sea cliff retreat is significant enough to warrant immediate action.</p
Max-min procedure for pairwise proportion comparisons in monotone dose-response studies
No full textSimultaneous pairwise comparisons of proportions for success among varying treatment levels are common in many drug dose-response studies. In such cases, it is often reasonable to assume that the treatment proportions are monotone. This thesis proposes a simple procedure to construct asymptotic simultaneous confidence intervals by utilizing the ordering of the proportions, referred to as the max-min procedure. The max-min procedure has the same coverage probability as others presented in the literature but makes an improvement on confidence interval length over the pairwise comparisons of proportions. Two real data examples from drug dose-response studies with dichotomous response variables are provided for illustration, and simulation studies are also given.</p
Dream incorporation of external stimuli in the home sleep environment: a pilot study
No full textMore people are interested in lucid dreams, as evidenced by growth in online lucid dream groups and influencers. A lucid dream is a dream where you become aware that you are dreaming and can then influence the dream in some way. Over the past 30 years there have been a variety of portable devices that aim to induce lucid dreaming, but most of these devices have failed commercially. Today, wearable technology such as the Apple Watch, allows for the detection of REM sleep. This can be combined with smartphones to create dream technology that allows the playback of cues for dream incorporation with possible induction of lucid dreams. The current pilot study investigates the rate of dream incorporation of external stimuli (light flash, audio, watch vibration) presented during REM sleep in the home sleep environment. In Phase 1, participants wore an Apple Watch and used the DreamDirector app for eight consecutive nights, with dream script triggering turned off; this data was used to create personalized real-time REM detection models using machine learning techniques. In Phase 4 of the study, participants wore the Apple Watch and used the DreamDirector app for five consecutive nights, while the app played back external stimuli during REM periods. Participants were asked to use the voice-to-text function to record dream reports for each night of the study. Additionally, participants completed a brief post-sleep survey each morning of the study. Analysis revealed model accuracy was 45.74% and that two incorporations were achieved in Phase 4.Keywords: dream incorporation, lucid dreaming, external stimuli, rate of incorporation</p
Laser-induced recovery of omega-3 fatty acids from thraustochytrids
No full textThis thesis contains two parts; Part I delves into the recovery of omega-3 fatty acids from Thraustochytrids utilizing laser light and Part II explores the photodecarboxylation of arylacetic acids. While these chapters may seem unrelated, they are united under a common theme: the strategic application of irradiation. Together, they showcase the versatility and power of irradiation as a tool to drive specific chemical transformations.Part 1Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are omega-3 fatty acids believed to have health benefits, with evidence suggesting they may reduce inflammation and promote cardiac heath. As such, dietary supplements containing EPA and DHA have become popular. While often sourced from fish oils, EPA and DHA are not produced by the fish themselves; they are concentrated in the fish from microorganisms such as Thraustochytrids and plankton in their diets. Thus, EPA and DHA can be directly sourced at a commercial scale from farmed microorganisms. Extraction of the omega-3 oils from microorganisms can be challenging due to the strong algal cell wells. Traditional extraction methods, including hydraulic pressing and heating, can degrade omega-3 oils, and use of organic solvents for extraction can cause contamination of the oils extracted. This study is aimed at the development of an extraction method that employs pulsed laser light to irradiate microorganisms to cause cell lysis and release of oils from within cell walls. Our results show that omega-3 oil yield strongly depends on total light dose, as well as other experimental variables such as light intensity.Our results also showed that oil recovery from algal broth samples was greatly enhanced by use of pulsed laser irradiation, and of the methods explored, the “laser-induced automated drop method” yielded the highest average oil recovery (84%). While a direct comparison to the ‘green approach’ enzymatic hydrolysis method used by Mara Renewables Corp. is not entirely valid- given that the 48.1% recovery for enzymatic hydrolysis was based on a single batch and no corresponding laser data were available for the batch, our results still demonstrate the promising potential for the laser-induced approach. Across multiple trials, laser-induced methods achieved oil recoveries ranging from 44.0% to 84.0%, indicating both the effectiveness and reproducibility of this approach under the tested conditions.Part 2Arylacetic acids commonly undergo photodecarboxylation (PDC), generating radicals or carbanion intermediates. For instance, ketoprofen efficiently undergoes PDC in aqueous solution, forming a benzylic carbanion intermediate linked to skin blistering upon UV exposure. Phenylacetic acid derivatives are gaining interest as potential photoremovable protecting groups (PPGs) for drug delivery. The photochemistry of several arylacetic acids in aqueous solution was studied and we found that electron-withdrawing substituents significantly enhance PDC efficiency. 4-Cyanophenylacetic acid (66) and 4-(methylsulfonyl)phenylacetic acid (71) PDC quantum yields were measured and determined to be (Φ = 0.43 and 0.78, respectively).Halogenated phenylacetic acids (67-70) do not promote heterolytic PDC and thus quantum yields could not be determined. Coumarin-based arylacetic acids were also investigated and also found to undergo efficient PDC (Φ = 0.62).</p