Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Applying community-based and Indigenous research methodologies: lessons learned from the Nuxalk Sputc Project

In the face of ecological depletion on a global scale, Indigenous knowledges, priorities, and perspectives are increasingly applied in community and academic research intended to inform social-ecological decision making. Many academic researchers and decision makers have learned to solicit Indigenous knowledges using community-based research methods and participatory processes. However, Indigenous scholars and leaders are increasingly moving beyond these standard practices to apply Indigenous methodologies, engaging local epistemologies, and culturally relevant methods to produce respectful research outcomes in support of local priorities. We share experiences and learning from the Nuxalk Sputc (eulachon) Project to illustrate how an Indigenous research process was developed and applied by the Nuxalk Nation’s Stewardship Office in Bella Coola, British Columbia (Nuxalk territory). This project documented, interpreted, articulated, and represented Nuxalk knowledge about eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus) using an iterative, community-driven process informed by Nuxalk protocols and knowledge systems. We begin by detailing the project process, including project initiation, decision making, and community engagement processes, and methods of knowledge documentation, interpretation, articulation, representation, and sharing. Demonstrating that the Sputc Project’s distinctly Nuxalk approach was key to its success, we discuss how engaging Nuxalk knowledges influenced our process from conception to completion, resulting in an emergent methodology that prioritized relational accountability, locally grounded methods of knowledge documentation and interpretation, respectful representation, and reflexivity. Based on our experience with the Sputc Project, we distinguish between Indigenous and communitybased methodologies, both in terms of their epistemological foundations and their orientation to the goals of decolonization and resurgence. We suggest that by considering and valuing Indigenous methodologies, researchers and decision makers can move toward authentically and respectfully engaging Indigenous knowledge and priorities, and ultimately, toward supporting Indigenous production, interpretation, articulation, and representation of knowledge in a contemporary context.
Disease-linked mutations trigger exposure of a protein quality control degron in the DHFR protein

Degrons are short stretches of amino acids or structural motifs that are embedded in proteins. They mediate recognition by E3 ubiquitin-protein ligases and thus confer protein degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Well-described degrons include the N-degrons, destruction boxes, and the PIP degrons, which mediate the controlled degradation of various proteins including signaling components and cell cycle regulators. In comparison, the so-called protein quality control (PQC) degrons that mediate the degradation of structurally destabilized or misfolded proteins are not well described. Here, we show that disease-linked DHFR missense variants are structurally destabilized and chaperone-dependent proteasome targets. We systematically mapped regions within DHFR to assess those that act as cytosolic PQC degrons in yeast cells. Two regions, DHFR-Deg13-36 (here Deg1) and DHFR-Deg61-84 (here Deg2), act as degrons and conferred degradation to unrelated fusion partners. The proteasomal turnover of Deg2 was dependent on the molecular chaperone Hsp70. Structural analyses by NMR and hydrogen/deuterium exchange revealed that Deg2 is buried in wild-type DHFR, but becomes transiently exposed in the disease-linked missense variants.
Seven Decades of Coastal Change at Barter Island, Alaska: Exploring the Importance of Waves and Temperature on Erosion of Coastal Permafrost Bluffs

Observational data of coastal change over much of the Arctic are limited largely due to its immensity, remoteness, harsh environment, and restricted periods of sunlight and ice-free conditions. Barter Island, Alaska, is one of the few locations where an extensive, observational dataset exists, which enables a detailed assessment of the trends and patterns of coastal change over decadal to annual time scales. Coastal bluff and shoreline positions were delineated from maps, aerial photographs, and satellite imagery acquired between 1947 and 2020, and at a nearly annual rate since 2004. Rates and patterns of shoreline and bluff change varied widely over the observational period. Shorelines showed a consistent trend of southerly erosion and westerly extension of the western termini of Barter Island and Bernard Spit, which has accelerated since at least 2000. The 3.2 km long stretch of ocean-exposed coastal permafrost bluffs retreated on average 114 m and at a maximum of 163 m at an average long-term rate (70 year) of 1.6 ± 0.1 m/yr. The long-term retreat rate was punctuated by individual years with retreat rates up to four times higher (6.6 ± 1.9 m/yr; 2012–2013) and both long-term (multidecadal) and short-term (annual to semiannual) rates showed a steady increase in retreat rates through time, with consistently high rates since 2015. A best-fit polynomial trend indicated acceleration in retreat rates that was independent of the large spatial and temporal variations observed on an annual basis. Rates and patterns of bluff retreat were correlated to incident wave energy and air and water temperatures. Wave energy was found to be the dominant driver of bluff retreat, followed by sea surface temperatures and warming air temperatures that are considered proxies for evaluating thermo-erosion and denudation. Normalized anomalies of cumulative wave energy, duration of open water, and air and sea temperature showed at least three distinct phases since 1979: a negative phase prior to 1987, a mixed phase between 1987 and the early to late 2000s, followed by a positive phase extending to 2020. The duration of the open-water season has tripled since 1979, increasing from approximately 40 to 140 days. Acceleration in retreat rates at Barter Island may be related to increases in both thermodenudation, associated with increasing air temperature, and the number of niche-forming and block-collapsing episodes associated with higher air and water temperature, more frequent storms, and longer ice-free conditions in the Beaufort Sea.
Silica-based optical integrated circuits

Silica-based integrated optical waveguide technology is reviewed. Low loss and manufacturable waveguides are made by chemical vapour, flame hydrolysis and electron beam deposition. Fibre to fibre insertion loss is as low as 0.3 dB for a 6 cm long waveguide. Bragg reflective add-drop filters are made with gratings formed by ultraviolet irradiation. The waveguide grating router has found important application as a multiplexer in dense wavelength multiplexed communications systems. Multiplexers with wide pass bands and stop bands are made with Fourier filters: these filters consist of a chain of alternating couplers and delaying arms. The good performance of waveguide grating routers and Fourier filters is due to the high degree of path delay and coupler control achievable by and processing in this technology.
Simultaneous fault simulation using the generalized method of fault analysis

The author describes a procedure for simultaneous fault calculations using the generalized method of fault analysis. This approach, which can handle various faults without any restrictions on fault types, total numbers, or location, serves as the foundation of new fault analysis programs which are replacing the traditional short-circuit programs at various utility companies. The fundamental difference between this method and the tradition symmetrical component method is that faults are simulated on a phase network rather than on the sequence network. This gives the new technique additional flexibility in terms of simulating faults on different phases. <<ETX>>
ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF THE PROPORTION OF INDEPENDENT COMMISSIONERS, LEVERAGE, AND SIZE ON THE ACCOUNTING CONSERVATISM OF STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES (BUMN)

This study intends to analyze the Impact of the Proportion of Independent Commissioners, Leverage, and Size on the Accounting Conservatism in State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) for the 2017-2019 period. Based on these objectives, there are important questions in this study: whether the variables of the Proportion of Independent Commissioners, Leverage, and size as independent variables impact accounting conservatism, which is the dependent variable. To answer this question, the researcher used the multiple linear regression analysis methods using the Stata15 application. Determination of the sample in this study using purposive sampling method based on specific criteria and the sample obtained is 51 company data. There are several implications in this study, namely theoretical implications and practical implications. Theoretically, this research can be a reference for further researchers in analyzing the effect of accounting conservatism. While practically, it can have implications for company management, especially in decision making, for investors in terms of consideration when making investments and creditors related to the company’s credit activities. The results showed that the leverage variable impacted accounting conservatism, while the proportion of independent commissioners and size had no impact on accounting conservatism.
Changes in Behaviors and Attitudes in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic and Vaccination in Healthcare Workers and University Students in Italy

The objectives of the cross-sectional study were to measure how behaviors and attitudes about preventive measures toward COVID-19 changed over time among Italian vaccinated healthcare workers and university students, and the associated characteristics. The study was carried out between February and March 2021 in the city of Naples, Campania region, Southern Italy. The perceived personal risk of being infected by SARS-CoV-2 after the vaccination was significantly higher among males, in those having a higher perceived personal risk of being infected by SARS-CoV-2 before the vaccination, and in those who were more concerned about the efficacy of the vaccination. The fear of getting the disease as reason to have the COVID-19 vaccination was reported more frequently in younger participants, in those with at least one chronic medical condition, in those with a higher concern about the severity of COVID-19, in those with a higher level of trust in the information received, and in those who acquired information from scientific journals. Overall, 21.3% were willing to engage the three main public health measures (wearing a mask, careful hand washing, physical distancing) after receiving the second dose of the vaccination compared to the behavior before the pandemic began. This willingness was predicted by a higher level of trust in the information received and by a lower self-rated health status. Only 0.1% of participants were willing to engage all three measures after receiving the second dose of the vaccination compared to the behavior before receiving the first dose. These findings are useful in order to develop information strategies regarding vaccine safety and efficacy and the importance of public health measures against COVID-19.
Models of dynamic RNA regulation in mammalian cells

Complex molecular circuits, consisting of multiple intertwined feedback loops and non-linear interactions, are a hallmark of every living cell, and a model of a dynamic complex network. Here, I systematically study the dynamic changes in the cellular circuits that control RNA levels in mammalian cells, focusing on the model response of immune dendritic cells to pathogens, through an integration of comprehensive computational models and innovative empirical approaches. I establish a computational framework to follow the dynamics of processes for RNA birth (production, by transcription), maturation (processing), and death (degradation), and their integration in the dynamic RNA life cycle. I study the kinetics of a gene's RNA population with a model of its production and degradation, and generalize the system as an ensemble of genes. I further model genes as composite particles and study the regulation and kinetics of altering their internal structure. To allow robust statistical inference from these models, I develop innovative laboratory assays and collect extensive experimental data on the system. I directly measure RNA production rates by coupling short RNA metabolic labeling with advanced RNA quantification. I leverage recent improvements in RNA quantification by next-generation sequencing technology, to significantly increase the resolution of metabolic labeling in both time and gene-structure. Finally, I collect perturbation data, by monitoring RNA levels when specific elements of the network are disabled. In this way, I formulated several general principles of RNA regulation and its temporal evolution in mammalian cells. I find that temporal changes in production provide a dominant input in computing RNA levels by the cell over time. Yet, dynamic degradation changes contribute to shaping expression peaks, and dynamic processing changes allow a fast accumulation of mature transcripts. Static degradation and processing rates vary between genes and between individual splicing junctions, consistently with their function and expression dynamics. This study is broadly applicable to many normal as well as diseases misregulated cellular networks, and is also relevant for a more general analysis of complex systems dynamics.
A business and its beliefs : the ideas that helped build I.BM

This is the timeless business book that still brings perspective and guidance to today's bottom-line executives. When first published in 1963, IBM CEO Thomas Watson Jr.'s "A Business and Its Beliefs" gave readers an unprecedented look inside IBM's executive offices. Watson-son of IBM's founder - candidly discussed how the company clung to its values during the first great technological shift, and how this refusal to compromise became IBM's strength. He also became one of the first CEOs to question business's place and responsibility in society, and openly discuss how firms could meet expanding social expectations while still turning a profit. The groundbreaking ideas in this book still resonate with today's managers. This newly published edition reintroduces Watson's ideas to a new generation of decision-makers in search of IBM-style standards for their own organizations. It offers a to-the-point examination of the values and beliefs that built and sustained IBM, its message is as valuable today as it was four decades back - and will once again strike a resounding chord with executives everywhere.
Global Increases in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Neutralization Sensitivity Due to Alterations in the Membrane-Proximal External Region of the Envelope Glycoprotein Can Be Minimized by Distant State 1-Stabilizing Changes

The pretriggered shape of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein (Env) is a major target for antibodies that can neutralize many strains of the virus. An effective HIV-1 vaccine may need to raise these types of antibodies, but this goal has proven difficult. ABSTRACT Binding to the receptor, CD4, drives the pretriggered, “closed” (State-1) conformation of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein (Env) trimer ([gp120/gp41]3) into more “open” conformations. HIV-1 Env on the viral membrane is maintained in a State-1 conformation that resists binding and neutralization by commonly elicited antibodies. Premature triggering of Env before the virus engages a target cell typically leads to increased susceptibility to spontaneous inactivation or ligand-induced neutralization. Here, we showed that single amino acid substitutions in the gp41 membrane-proximal external region (MPER) of a primary HIV-1 strain resulted in viral phenotypes indicative of premature triggering of Env to downstream conformations. Specifically, the MPER changes reduced viral infectivity and globally increased virus sensitivity to poorly neutralizing antibodies, soluble CD4, a CD4-mimetic compound, and exposure to cold. In contrast, the MPER mutants exhibited decreased sensitivity to the State 1-preferring inhibitor, BMS-806, and to the PGT151 broadly neutralizing antibody. Depletion of cholesterol from virus particles did not produce the same State 1-destabilizing phenotypes as MPER alterations. Notably, State 1-stabilizing changes in Env distant from the MPER could minimize the phenotypic effects of MPER alteration but did not affect virus sensitivity to cholesterol depletion. Thus, membrane-proximal gp41 elements contribute to the maintenance of the pretriggered Env conformation. The conformationally disruptive effects of MPER changes can be minimized by distant State 1-stabilizing Env modifications, a strategy that may be useful in preserving the native pretriggered state of Env. IMPORTANCE The pretriggered shape of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein (Env) is a major target for antibodies that can neutralize many strains of the virus. An effective HIV-1 vaccine may need to raise these types of antibodies, but this goal has proven difficult. One reason is that the pretriggered shape of Env is unstable and dependent on interactions near the viral membrane. Here, we showed that the membrane-proximal external region (MPER) of Env plays an important role in maintaining Env in a pretriggered shape. Alterations in the MPER resulted in global changes in Env conformation that disrupted its pretriggered shape. We also found that these disruptive effects of MPER changes could be minimized by distant Env modifications that stabilized the pretriggered shape. These modifications may be useful for preserving the native shape of Env for structural and vaccine studies.
Fully self-aligned power trench-MOSFET utilising 1 /spl mu/m pitch and 0.2 /spl mu/m trench width

Using advanced photolithography and etching techniques, plus an innovative self-aligned process, trench MOSFETs with cell pitches between 1 /spl mu/m and 4 /spl mu/m with a trench width of 0.2 /spl mu/m have been fabricated. The 1 /spl mu/m cell pitch stripe technology achieves a specific (silicon only) on-resistance 10 m/spl Omega/. mm/sup 2/ at a gate voltage of 10 V and with a blocking voltage of 26 V. The trade-off between device on-state resistance and 'Miller' charge was investigated by varying the cell pitch. The 4 /spl mu/m cell pitch stripe technology achieves a figure of merit (Rds[on]/spl times/Q/sub gd/) of 13 m/spl Omega/. nC at a gate voltage of 10 V with a blocking voltage of 27 V.
Realising Synergy in Business Analytics Enabled Systems

The synergy of IT resources with other organisational resources is important in achieving operational and strategic benefits. The synergistic interaction between IT resources and other organisational resources leads to the emergence of new IT-enabled organisational resources, which are capable of generating significant organisational value. The aim of this paper is to understand how this synergy is realised between IT resources and other organisational resources. Based on a synthesis of relevant literature, we propose six enablers and mechanisms which lead to synergy. To assess the content validity of these enablers and mechanisms, we conducted ten one-hour interviews with Business Analytics (BA) experts. The results assisted us in refining and contextualising the enablers and mechanisms for BA systems and led to a clear and comprehensive definition of synergy. The paper concludes with suggestions for empirical research to further refine our definition of synergy.
If Star Scientists do not Patent: an Event History Analysis of Scientific Eminence and the Decision to Patent in the Academic World

This paper contributes to the debate upon the trade-off between science and technology by looking at how the scientific performances of a researcher relate ex-ante to his/her attitude to patent, during his/her academic career. We run an event history analysis explaining the hazard for a scientist to become the inventor of a private-company -assigned patent as depending on publications and on personal, institutional and environmental characteristics. A striking result is that, although either productivity or quality, independently taken, are likely to increase the hazard to patent, top performers scientists, i.e. those scientists that publish a lot on highly-rated journals, are at very low risk.
INDIVIDUAL FACTORS FOR NASCENT DIGITAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP- FIRST HYPOTHESES

Extreme events are a challenge for any economy. That's why the state has an interest in promoting the capacity for innovation that helps to cope with extreme events and their consequences. One part of these innovations that is particularly relevant in the current pandemic is digital startups. Therefore, assessing the starting points for possible interventions to increase the number of digital startups is necessary. To shape policy interventions, this paper provides hypotheses on individual factors that can form the basis for designing these policy interventions. We first identify different factors in the pre-start-up stage influencing the individual to become a nascent entrepreneur cited in general literature and then derive hypotheses promoting nascent digital entrepreneurship. We propose to test these hypotheses in further research, for example, through experimental tests of factor effects. These findings also hold potential for practitioners.
Microbially influenced corrosion in sour environments

Microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) is a costly and poorly understood source of corrosion that plagues many modern industrial processes such as oil extraction and transportation. Throughout the years, many possible mechanisms for MIC have been proposed. One specific proposed mechanism was tested in this thesis: that the metal-binding characteristic of bacterial biofilms enhanced corrosion when it appears in conjunction with an iron sulfide film. Two model biogels were used: calcium alginate, which has this metal-binding property, and agarose, which does not. In pursuit of this hypothesis, iron sulfide films were grown on mild steel coupons. Two distinct forms of iron sulfides were grown: a loose black product at low sulfide concentrations, and an adherent gold product at high sulfide concentrations. Many materials characterization techniques were attempted, and the black corrosion product was found to be a mixture of greigite and marcasite. However, this composition was observed to change irreversibly with the application of a laser that caused the material to either heat and/or dry. The resulting golden-colored corrosion product was found to consist mainly of monosulfides, implying the presence of mackinawite or pyrrhotite. By using electrochemical polarization experiments, it was found that calcium alginate enhanced the rate of corrosion; agarose reduced the rate of corrosion. This is in contrast to previously published literature. Contrary to the initial hypothesis, adding an underlying iron sulfide film did not appreciably alter the measured rate of corrosion. Additionally, it was found that biofilms generated by sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) enhanced corrosion in a manner similar to the calcium alginate gel, and lysing the cells within the biofilm did nothing to alter this effect. This implies that the biofilm itself, even in the absence of active bacterial metabolic activity, can enhance corrosion rates observed in MIC. Thesis Supervisor: Krystyn J. Van Vliet Title: Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering