Trent University

This dissertation offers a historical look at the book cover as a material object of particular significance. As a part of the bibliographical tradition, the cover binds the book not only to its reader, but also to the culture that gives it meaning. Consequently, by chronologically reviewing the book cover through a mix of historical and fictional accounts, this study had as its goal to affirm the difficulty of judging the book cover without knowing its social history. The first project of this study takes the elaborately decorated bindings of Medieval manuscripts as the origin point for the modern book cover and retraces the attitudes and approaches to the book cover through the accounts of printers, binders, readers and collectors. The definition of the book cover then emerges as the result of the discursive dialogue between the material and aesthetic concerns of the book paratext. The second project expands the scope of the study from book covers made for Bibles and religious texts to the mechanical production of commercially defined gift books and aesthetic volumes. Looking at the book cover both as an object and a cultural agent, the discussion focuses on challenges readers go through in attempting to bring the meaning of the cover under their subjective control. Finally, the third project focuses on the twentieth century and the development of mass and artistic forms of designing and reading the book cover. Here, special attention is given to the similarities and differences between two main forms of books, hardbacks and paperbacks, as they continue to collaborate and compete in producing the most effective cover paradigm. The final section presents a brief summary of the dissertation and concludes with a brief projection about the future role and functions of the book cover.

Author Keywords: book cover, cultural history, design history, dust jacket, Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive loss in function of motor neurons. Elevated levels of biologically important metal ions, such as copper (II) (Cu(II)), zinc (II) (Zn(II)) or iron (III) (Fe(III)), may contribute to the disease. Moreover, Cu(II) interactions with other proteins associated with ALS have been investigated; however, the effects of metallation on TAR DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) are less known. The aim of the thesis was to evaluate interactions between full-length TDP-43 and metal ions, and gain insight into the mechanisms of these interactions. In Chapter 2, electrochemical methods were used to evaluate the coordination of Cu(II) ions to immobilized TDP-43. Cu(II)-TDP-43 binding was favourable at a neutral pH. Surface characterization confirmed protein immobilization and Cu(II)-TDP-43 coordination. Competitive Zn(II) ion binding studies revealed Zn(II) increases Cu(II) binding. In Chapter 3, Fe(III) ion binding studies revealed that Fe(III) reduces Cu(II) binding when co-exposed to the TDP-43-Au surface. Data shows significant uptake of Cu(II) by TDP-43 protein which may have important implications in normal and diseased states of TDP-43, indicating surface bioelectrochemistry is a viable tool for fundamental exploration of proteins and metals, and their interactions, as they inform disease mechanisms, disease detection and drug screening.

Author Keywords: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, bioelectrochemistry, electrochemistry, metalloprotein, surface characterization, TDP-43

Nutrient losses from forest soils caused by decades of acid deposition and intensive tree harvesting have affected tree growth and forest health in North America and Europe. Non-industrial wood ash (NIWA), a substance rich in macronutrients, may be a potential remediation strategy to return lost nutrients to forest. However, the chemical composition of NIWA and its effects on soil and tree growth are poorly understood. This thesis evaluated the chemical variability of non-industrial wood ash, and its short-term effects on soil properties, sugar maple (Acer saccharum) foliar chemistry, tree growth, and understory vegetation community composition at three sugar bushes in Muskoka, Ontario. The chemical analysis of NIWA samples obtained from the residents of Muskoka, showed that NIWA contains high levels of macro nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium and contains relatively low concentrations of trace metals. Ash mixtures amalgamated in the field were relatively homogenous in their chemical composition and metal concentrations were generally below Ontario NASM regulation guidelines for land application. Concentrations of copper and zinc exceeded CM1 guidelines, however, were always below restricted metals land application limits (CM2). Ten months after NIWA application to three sugar bush sites, soil pH and exchangeable base cations increased significantly in the litter and FH horizons at all treatment plots compared with control plots. Few treatment effects were recorded for the surface (0 – 10 cm) mineral horizon, with only potassium increasing in mineral soil at all three study sites. Elevated concentrations of most metals and metalloids (aluminum (Al), boron (B), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn)) were recorded in soil at all treatment plots, however these effects were generally restricted to the litter horizon. Diagnosis and recommendation integrated system analysis (DRIS) conducted on the sugar maple foliage indicated that potassium was the most limiting nutrient at all three study sites, and significant increases were recorded in foliar potassium concentrations ten months after ash application in sapling and mature trees at all treatment plots. Increases in foliar calcium and magnesium concentrations were small and variable amongst the study sites. No significant treatment effects of NIWA application were observed on sugar maple tree growth two years after ash application, while changes in understory composition were generally limited, but these also varied among sites.

Author Keywords: Acer saccharum, Base cations, Calcium decline, Forest soil amendment, non-industrial wood ash, Trace metals

For the Road is a study of the modes of transmission of ideas within the Counterculture in its different forms. It is a genealogy of movements that define themselves "against" what is established as "Culture". The philosophy of the Beat Generation does not come out of nowhere and in turn, many recent movements are indebted to the Beat Generation. The goal of this dissertation is to formulate a theory of Counterculture as a whole using various "lenses" such as Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies. The foundation of the argument starts with the Beat Generation. The Beats, often perceived as the founding fathers of the Counterculture had predecessors. The first parts of this dissertation deal with the idea of transmission and the way the Beats reformulated the ideas of their predecessors to make these ideas relevant again in the context of the mid-twentieth century. The dissertation then deals with the successors of the Beats who themselves reformulated the ideas that the Beats had once "re-invented" in the context of the late twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first. The dissertation then shifts to a much wider understanding of the notion of Counterculture. The Counterculture has always existed and its incarnations have either faded away or have been co-opted by the impersonal forces of mainstream Culture. The last part of the dissertation, the creative writing project, is an attempt to re-create a Counterculture, one that would always have the potential to be born again while remaining free from the shackles of mainstream Culture. This last part puts theory into practice, using such concepts as Barthes' death of the author and Proudhon's reinvention of the concept of property, including intellectual property.

Author Keywords: Counterculture, Ginsberg, Influence, Kerouac, Outsiders, Revolution

The accelerated recovery of base-poor soils from the legacy effects of acidic deposition may be possible by applying industrial wood ash as a soil amendment. Wood ash may be an effective soil amendment due to its high alkalinity and concentrations of several essential nutrients, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus, that are retained after the volatilization of the parent material. However, wood ash can also contain trace amounts of metals that could be released into the soil and soil solution. The short-term (<3 years) biogeochemical response of soils, microbial communities, and sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) trees were assessed following wood ash application at Porridge Lake, Ontario. The study design consisted of five blocks containing three treatment plots each (2.5, 5.0, 7.5 Mg ha-1) and a control. Soil solution pH, base cation, and trace metal concentrations were monitored for three years, using tension lysimeters at depths of 30 and 60 cm and zero-tension lysimeters for forest floor percolate within each plot. In the last year of the trial, soil, foliage, and fine root samples were collected and analyzed for trace elements. Also, soil samples were analyzed for the abundance of 16S and ITS DNA through metabarcoding to ascertain the microbial response to wood ash. Significant changes in soil solution pH were measured within the forest floor horizon in the first year of the trial. Significant increases in calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and calcium/aluminum (Ca/Al) ratios were also observed in the second year of the trial, along with decreases in dissolved organic carbon (DOC), sulphate (SO4) and nitrate (NO3) in the LFH horizon. By the third year of the trial, significant increases in soil solution pH and potassium (K) concentrations and decreases in Al were observed to a depth of 30 cm. Changes in trace metal concentrations in soil water were notably variable, with concentrations of chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and selenium remaining unresponsive, whereas concentrations of cadmium, manganese and zinc decreased by the third year. The metalloid arsenic showed a significant increase in the third year of the trial but remained below regulatory guidelines, similar to all other trace metals. Soil measurements conducted in the third year of the trial showed positive pH responses in the FH horizon and increases in Ca and Mg in the Ah and Bm soil horizons, but foliar base cation and metal concentrations were unchanged. Diversity analysis on the soil prokaryotic and eukaryotic groups indicated increased bacterial alpha diversity in the FH horizon and bacterial dominance in the litter horizon. Analysis of relative abundance at the phylum level for prokaryotes and at the order for eukaryotes did not indicate any compositional shifts due to the wood ash treatments. Changes in the length and diameter of sugar maple and mycorrhizal fine root may point to pH shock being an issue at higher ash doses. The results from this study indicate that wood ash has a strong ameliorative effect on soil properties and does not pose a risk to soil communities. 

Author Keywords: DNA, mycorrhizae, soil acidication, soil amendments, soil solution, sugar maple

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in drastic impacts for people with disabilities across Canada. The pandemic opened questions about what meaningful access practices are and how these can be utilized to better engage people with disabilities in the arts. 10 participants, comprised of people with disabilities, were recruited for semi-structured interviews to understand their experiences with the local arts over the past five years. Five themes arose within the data findings, including: Access as Community-Based Care, On the Fringe, Access Labour, Passive Consumption, and Neoliberal Compliance. A document analysis was conducted to compare the participants' views on effective access practices to the recommendations included in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. Using a critical disability studies lens, the thesis concluded that meaningful access emerges through the grassroots work of communities, requiring ongoing communication with and between invested parties to prioritize the complex and unique needs of those with non-normative body-minds.

Author Keywords: accessibility, arts, covid-19, critical disability studies, disability, neoliberalism

This intercultural rediscovery of Indigenous cacao culture draws upon Environmental Studies, Intercultural Studies, Indigenous Studies, Anthropology and Agroecology. The methodological antecedent for this kind of symbolic food study of cacao is the work done by Gustavo Esteva and others on the civilizational importance of maize. Similarly, the rediscovery of the Indigenous Knowledge of cacao explores the profound meaningfulness of cacao to ancient Mesoamerican civilization, and how that ecological, agricultural, and health wisdom can regenerate modern agricultural paradigms, and ecogastronomy. Chapter 1 explores, meditates, and reflects upon 20 Indigenous Knowledge teachings of cacao guided and supported by a unique interpretation of the Popol Vuh, the Mayan oral epic and creation story, as well as 20 years of collaboration and field work experience in Mexico. The methodology in chapter 1 is rooted in a phenomenological approach to dwelling with and relating to IK in an unmediated and embodied manner. Experience, story, dream and an awareness of the challenges of looking at Oral culture teachings are combined with an intercultural analysis of the Popol Vuh and other supporting texts. The spiritual ecology of the cacao forest garden of Chapter 2, seeks to make the connection between the maize milpa and the cacao forest garden milpa and posits a unique transition theory. The transition theory seeks to operationalize these Indigenous Knowledge agricultural and crop traditions into a regenerative agricultural model. Based upon Indigenous Knowledge, this view of the cacao forest garden functionally regenerates soils, regenerates forests, and supports food sovereignty in a way that is rooted in community scale Indigenous cultural practices, techniques, and food traditions. The methodology for chapter 2 and chapter 3 of this thesis moves to an intercultural comparison and analysis of agro-ecological and spiritual ecological understandings of cacao, chocolate, and the forest garden. Chapter 3 seeks to move from the explicating and analyzing of the 'transition theory' and proposes four main practical initiatives that further strengthen and explore the regenerative spiritual ecology of cacao forest gardens. The Indigenous forest garden commons of the Americas can be a powerful, unique, and fecund contribution to the intercultural dialogue around cultural regeneration in the 21st century. The Indigenous forest garden makes contributions around intercultural dialogue and reconciliation as well as current understandings around regenerative agricultural models. The cacao forest garden moves beyond an either/or narrative that separates environmental regeneration from cultural regeneration, and instead contributes to an intercultural both/and more holistic approach to regeneration that is rooted in culture and supported by agriculture.

Author Keywords: cacao, chocolate, forest garden, indigenous kmowledge, maize, transition theory

This study reports on as series of laboratory wind tunnel experiments aimed at furtheringour understanding of aggregate breakdown and dust release during aeolian transport, and thereby, has implications for air quality and the management of dust emission through water application. Particles aggregates 500 um in diameter were formed and isolated by the wetting, drying, and screening of playa sediments collected from Owens Lake. They were then released into a boundary-layer flow within the Trent Environmental Wind Tunnel (TEWT), whereupon they either slid, rolled and/or saltated downwind. The concentration of PM10 and the particle size of the aggregates were monitored throughout each test along the central axis of the tunnel. The results confirm that aggregate breakdown did occur, resulting in the production and emission of dust. The relative efficiency of aggregate abrasion in the production of silt sized particles during aeolian transport was calculated using normalized indices, providing a starting point for the modelling of similar systems in a natural setting. The results indicate that for every metre of transport, the abrasion of a 500 um aggregate formed from playa sediment may release a volume of dust roughly equivalent to that of a single silt particle that is 60 um diameter. Conversely, aggregate formation is found to produce 1-4% of dust as compared to an equivalent volume of disaggregated silt when exposed to a given airflow above the threshold for saltation.

Author Keywords: Aeolian abrasion, Aggregate breakdown, Owens Lake, PM10, Saltation, Wind Tunnel

Heated leaf extracts of Euphorbia neriifolia (sweet aloes) are used traditionally in Guyana for asthma therapy, but the phytoconstituents have not been studied and phytohormones are generally unexplored in Euphorbia species. Phytoconstituents in asthma-effective traditional heated extracts were analyzed and compared with unheated leaves and latex extracts as screens to identify candidate compounds for asthma treatment. Analysis employed untargeted and targeted mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. The untargeted approach revealed thousands of features in samples with higher abundance in heated extracts and confirmation of 33 metabolite identities (confidence levels 2 and 3) which are known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Highly accumulated and unique features were detected in latex, and those characteristic compounds may reflect the expanded therapeutic uses of E. neriifolia globally. A targeted metabolomic analysis identified and quantified several cytokinins, including aromatic kinetin, and acidic phytohormones. Traditional heating improved the content of several cytokinins with known therapeutic potential, indicating they may be candidates for asthma management.

Author Keywords: asthma, cytokinins, Euphorbia neriifolia, metabolomics, sweet aloes, traditional remedies

Arturo Cruz Jr., born in 1953, was a highly influential and respected figure in Nicaraguan Politics. He was involved in the Contras. Cruz played a crucial role in supporting the Contras, helping to secure U.S. funding for the group which was a rebel group formed by the US against the Sandinista dictatorship in the 1980s. Later, he also served as the Nicaraguan ambassador to the US between 2007 and 2009. His involvement in the Contras was a controversial part of his career, but it did not define his contribution to Nicaraguan Politics. In this role, he worked tirelessly to influence American foreign policy towards his home country, which included advocating for democracy, human rights, and press freedom. Cruz's efforts to promote these values were a testament to his dedication to improving the lives of Nicaraguans. Cruz was deeply involved in various peace agreements in Central and Latin America, working towards resolving conflicts and promoting stability in the region. His contribution to the region went beyond Nicaragua, and he was well-respected for his efforts towards promoting peace and stability. Throughout his career, Cruz was a strong advocate for democracy and human rights. He believed that these values were essential for a country to prosper and develop. Cruz was a vocal advocate for press freedom and recognized the critical role of the media in promoting democracy and holding government officials accountable. This biographical study aims to explore the life and contributions of Arturo Cruz Jr. towards Nicaraguan Politics and the wider Latin American region. Through a detailed analysis of his life, this study seeks to shed light on an important