bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nanoscale and Macroscale Scaffolds with Controlled-Release Polymeric Systems for Dental Craniomaxillofacial Tissue Engineering.
Authors: Rahman Saeed Ur , Nagrath Malvika , Ponnusamy Sasikumar , Arany Praveen R.
Published: July 2021

Tremendous progress in stem cell biology has resulted in a major current focus on effective modalities to promote directed cellular behavior for clinical therapy. The fundamental principles of tissue engineering are aimed at providing soluble and insoluble biological cues to promote these directed biological responses. Better understanding of extracellular matrix functions is ensuring optimal adhesive substrates to promote cell mobility and a suitable physical niche to direct stem cell responses. Further, appreciation of the roles of matrix constituents as morphogen cues, termed matrikines or matricryptins, are also now being directly exploited in biomaterial design. These insoluble topological cues can be presented at both micro- and nanoscales with specific fabrication techniques. Progress in development and molecular biology has described key roles for a range of biological molecules, such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, to serve as morphogens promoting directed behavior in stem cells. Controlled-release systems involving encapsulation of bioactive agents within polymeric carriers are enabling utilization of soluble cues. Using our efforts at dental craniofacial tissue engineering, this narrative review focuses on outlining specific biomaterial fabrication techniques, such as electrospinning, gas foaming, and 3D printing used in combination with polymeric nano- or microspheres. These avenues are providing unprecedented therapeutic opportunities for precision bioengineering for regenerative applications.
Quantifying Compressibility and Slip in Multiparticle Collision (MPC) Flow Through a Local Constriction
Authors: Akhter Tahmina , Rohlf Katrin
Published: July 2021

The flow of a compressible fluid with slip through a cylinder with an asymmetric local constriction has been considered both numerically, as well as analytically. For the numerical work, a particle-based method whose dynamics is governed by the multiparticle collision (MPC) rule has been used together with a generalized boundary condition that allows for slip at the wall. Since it is well known that an MPC system corresponds to an ideal gas and behaves like a compressible, viscous flow on average, an approximate analytical solution has been derived from the compressible Navier–Stokes equations of motion coupled to an ideal gas equation of state using the Karman–Pohlhausen method. The constriction is assumed to have a polynomial form, and the location of maximum constriction is varied throughout the constricted portion of the cylinder. Results for centerline densities and centerline velocities have been compared for various Reynolds numbers, Mach numbers, wall slip values and flow geometries.
Examining Cardiovascular Symptoms in Adults with Chronic Insomnia
Authors: Fredericks Suzanne , Sidani Souraya , Miranda Joyal , Fox Mary
Published: July 2021

Chronic insomnia is characterised by difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep, waking up too early, non-restorative sleep, and daytime impairment, experienced for 6 or more weeks (American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 2005). Its prevalence is estimated at 50.0% of the general population worldwide (Irish et al, 2015; Kredlow et al, 2015). The experience of chronic insomnia is associated with an increased risk for chronic diseases, cardiovascular diseases in particular (King et al, 2008; Tsunoda et al, 2015). Evidence from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies demonstrates a significant relationship between insomnia and risk of cardiovascular diseases, after controlling for sleep disorders that are physiological in nature (e.g. sleep apnoea) and for other risks of cardiovascular diseases, such as smoking, low levels of physical activity, and alcohol and caffeine consumption (Foley et al, 2004; Phillips et al, 2007; Hoevenaar-Blom et al, 2011). This evidence suggests that non-physiological factors contribute to the risk of cardiovascular diseases in persons with chronic insomnia. Stress, manifested as anxiety and depression, is often experienced by persons with chronic insomnia (Specchio et al, 2004; Taylor et al, 2007), and those with anxiety report cardiovascular symptoms such as chest pain and dyspnea (Ketterer et al, 2008). There is limited research exploring the contribution of psychological (i.e. insomnia, anxiety, and depression) or physical factors (smoking, physical activity, and alcohol and caffeine consumption) to the experience of cardiovascular symptoms (which are indicative of cardiovascular diseases) among adults with chronic insomnia.
Shared Patron-Driven Acquisition Within a Consortium: the OCUL PDA Pilot
Authors: Davis Kate , Jin Lei , Neely Colleen , Rykse Harriet
Published: July 2021

In September 2010 members of the Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL) participated in a patron-driven acquisitions (PDA) pilot to determine how this purchasing model might be adapted to a consortium. OCUL understood that developing a model that would allow patrons to purchase titles for different collections would be complicated. Careful thought went into balancing the needs of individual members with the needs of the consortium. This paper describes the project and examines the results from three distinct perspectives in the hopes of gaining a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities of PDA at a consortial level.
The Effect of a Denser City over the Urban Microclimate: The Case of Toronto
Authors: Berardi Umberto , Wang Yupeng
Published: July 2021

In the last decades, several studies have revealed how critical the urban heat island (UHI) effect can be in cities located in cold climates, such as the Canadian one. Meanwhile, many researchers have looked at the impact of the city design over the urban microclimate, and have raised concerns about the development of too dense cities. Under the effect of the “Places to Growth” plan, the city of Toronto is experiencing one of the highest rates of building development in North America. Over 48,000 and 33,000 new home permits were issued in 2012 and 2013 respectively, and at the beginning of 2015, almost 500 high-rise proposals across the Greater Toronto Area were released. In this context, it is important to investigate how new constructions will affect the urban microclimate, and to propose strategies to mitigate possible UHI effects. Using the software ENVI-met, microclimate simulations for the Church-Yonge corridor both in the current situation and with the new constructions are reported in this paper. The outdoor air temperature and the wind speed are the parameters used to assess the outdoor microclimate changes. The results show that the new constructions could increase the wind speed around the buildings. However, high-rise buildings will somewhat reduce the air temperature during day-time, as they will create large shadow areas, with lower average mean radiant temperature.
Cost-effectiveness of nurse practitioners in primary and specialised ambulatory care: systematic review
Authors: Martin-Misener Ruth , Harbman Patricia , Donald Faith , Reid Kim , Kilpatrick Kelley , Carter Nancy , Bryant-Lukosius Denise , Kaasalainen Sharon , Marshall Deborah A , Charbonneau-Smith Renee , DiCenso Alba
Published: July 2021

Objective: To determine the cost-effectiveness of nurse practitioners delivering primary and specialised ambulatory care. Design: A systematic review of randomised controlled trials reported since 1980.
Data sources: 10 electronic bibliographic databases, handsearches, contact with authors, bibliographies and
websites.
Included studies: Randomised controlled trials that evaluated nurse practitioners in alternative and complementary ambulatory care roles and reported health system outcomes.
Results: 11 trials were included. In four trials of alternative provider ambulatory primary care roles,nurse practitioners were equivalent to physicians in all but care roles,nurse practitioners were equivalent to physicians in all but seven patient outcomes favouring nurse practitioner care and in all but four health system outcomes, one
favouring nurse practitioner care and three favouring physician care. In a meta-analysis of two studies (2689
patients) with minimal heterogeneity and high-quality evidence, nurse practitioner care resulted in lower mean
health services costs per consultation (mean difference: −€6.41; 95% CI −€9.28 to −€3.55; p<0.0001) (2006
euros). In two trials of alternative provider specialised ambulatory care roles, nurse practitioners were
equivalent to physicians in all but three patient outcomes and one health system outcome favouring nurse
practitioner care. In five trials of complementary provider specialised ambulatory care roles, 16 patient/provider
outcomes favouring nurse practitioner plus usual care, and 16 were equivalent. Two health system outcomes
favoured nurse practitioner plus usual care, four favoured usual care and 14 were equivalent. Four studies of
complementary specialised ambulatory care compared costs, but only one assessed costs and outcomes jointly.
Conclusions: Nurse practitioners in alternative provider ambulatory primary care roles have equivalent or better
patient outcomes than comparators and are potentially cost-saving. Evidence for their cost-effectiveness in
alternative provider specialised ambulatory care roles is promising, but limited by the few studies. While some
evidence indicates nurse practitioners in complementary specialised ambulatory care roles improve patient
outcomes, their cost-effectiveness requires further study.
A Review on Breathing Behaviors of Metal-Organic-Frameworks (MOFs) for Gas Adsorption
Authors: Alhamami Mays , Doan Huu , Cheng Chil-Hung
Published: July 2021

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a new class of microporous materials that possess framework flexibility, large surface areas, “tailor-made” framework functionalities, and tunable pore sizes. These features empower MOFs superior performances and broader application spectra than those of zeolites and phosphine-based molecular sieves. In parallel with designing new structures and new chemistry of MOFs, the observation of unique breathing behaviors upon adsorption of gases or solvents stimulates their potential applications as host materials in gas storage for renewable energy. This has attracted intense research energy to understand the causes at the atomic level, using in situ X-ray diffraction, calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations. This article is developed in the following order: first to introduce the definition of MOFs and the observation of their framework flexibility. Second, synthesis routes of MOFs are summarized with the emphasis on the hydrothermal synthesis, owing to the environmental-benign and economically availability of water. Third, MOFs exhibiting breathing behaviors are summarized, followed by rationales from thermodynamic viewpoint. Subsequently, effects of various functionalities on breathing behaviors are appraised, including using post-synthetic modification routes. Finally, possible framework spatial requirements of MOFs for yielding breathing behaviors are highlighted as the design strategies for new syntheses.
A systematic literature review of diabetes self-management education features to improve diabetes education in women of Black African/Caribbean and Hispanic/Latin American ethnicity, Patient Education and Counseling
Authors: Sidani Souraya
Published: July 2021

Abstract: Objective
This systematic literature review aims to identify diabetes self-management education (DSME) features to improve diabetes education for Black African/Caribbean and Hispanic/Latin American women with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Methods
We conducted a literature search in six health databases for randomized controlled trials and comparative studies. Success rates of intervention features were calculated based on effectiveness in improving glycosolated hemoglobin (HbA1c), anthropometrics, physical activity, or diet outcomes. Calculations of rate differences assessed whether an intervention feature positively or negatively affected an outcome.
Results
From 13 studies included in our analysis, we identified 38 intervention features in relation to their success with an outcome. Five intervention features had positive rate differences across at least three outcomes: hospital-based interventions, group interventions, the use of situational problem-solving, frequent sessions, and incorporating dietitians as interventionists. Six intervention features had high positive rate differences (i.e. ≥50%) on specific outcomes.
Conclusion
Different DSME intervention features may influence broad and specific self-management outcomes for women of African/Caribbean and Hispanic/Latin ethnicity.
Practical implications
With the emphasis on patient-centered care, patients and care providers can consider options based on DSME intervention features for its broad and specific impact on outcomes to potentially make programming more effective.
Acoustics of a Music Venue/Bar—A Case Study
Authors: Ramakrishnan Ramani , Dumoulin Romain
Published: July 2021

A vacant unit, once used by a Portuguese Deli, was converted to a bar/music room in Toronto. The unit was divided into two spaces along its north-south axis. The western portion was designed as a music room that would provide a performance space from a solo artist to a Jazz combo to a small rock band. The eastern part was designed as a regular bar/dining area. The plan also called for a microbrewery unit at the back of the unit. The bar music can be loud, while the music room can be pianissimo to forte depending on the type of performance. The acoustical design aspects are critical for the music room. In addition, the acoustical separation between the two spaces is equally important. The music room/bar is currently in use. The design results are compared to actual field measurements. The results showed that the music venue performed satisfactorily. The acoustical separation between the music venue and the bar/restaurant was better than expected other than an installation deficiency of the south side sound lock doors. The background sound along the northern portion was NC-35 or less. However, the southern portion’s background sound exceeded NC-35 due to the hissing of the return air grille. The acoustical design and the performance results of the music venue-bar/restaurant are presented in this paper.
Designing a learning analytics dashboard for Twitter-facilitated teaching
Authors: Gruzd Anatoliy , Conroy Nadia
Published: July 2021

Social media sites are increasingly being adopted to support teaching practice in higher education. Learning Analytics (LA) dashboards can be used to reveal how students engage with course material and others in the class. However, research on the best practices of designing, developing, and evaluating such dashboards to support teaching and learning with social media has been limited. Considering the increasing use of Twitter for both formal and informal learning processes, this paper presents our design process and a LA prototype dashboard developed based on a comprehensive literature review and an online survey among 54 higher education instructors who have used Twitter in their teaching.

Keywords : Learning analytics, teaching, dashboards, survey
Innovation within the Context of Local Economic Development and Planning: Perspectives of City Practitioners
Authors: Phan Selina , Cleave Evan , Arku Godwin
Published: July 2021

Although innovation is a major theme in current local economic development and planning, there is considerable uncertainty of what the concept specifically means, how it is measured, and how outcomes are identified. To date, no study has investigated this glaring gap in scholarship. To address this gap, we interviewed economic development practitioners across cities in Ontario to identify and clarify how they define, apply, and measure innovation within their cities’ economic development strategies. Practitioners indicate that innovation plays a key role in their cities’ economic development strategy, demonstrating the importance of the concept within local governments. Additionally, it is clear that local governments are key facilitators of innovation. While many cities claim to have some form of innovation in their economic development strategies, a wide range of framings and approaches to innovation exist. Cities may not be taking the most efficient approach to fostering local innovation, which is critical with the rise of knowledge-based economic development.

Keywords
cities; economic development; innovation; Ontario; policy; practitioners
Visualizing Information in the Early Stages of Engineering Design
Authors: Salustri Filippo A. , Eng Nathan L. , Weerasinghe Janaka S.
Published: July 2021

The early stages of engineering design are the most crucial for successful product development, yet they are not well supported with computer tools compared to other, downstream stages. This paper will discuss recent efforts by the authors to create visual representations of, and tools for, the non geometric, qualitative information typical in the early stages of engineering design. It appears evident that there is tremendous opportunity to improve the capacity of designers to think both critically and creatively through diagramming in early design, but the field is still embryonic and much work remains to be done.
Predicting aquatic invasion in Adirondack lakes: a spatial analysis of lake and landscape characteristics
Authors: Shaker Richard Ross , Yakubov Artur D. , Nick Stephanie M. , Vennie-Vollrath Erin , Ehlinger Timothy J. , Forsythe K. Wayne
Published: July 2021

Invasive species continue to pose major challenges for managing coupled human-environmental systems. Predictive tools are essential to maximize invasion monitoring and conservation efforts in regions reliant on abundant freshwater resources to sustain economic welfare, social equity, and ecological services. Past studies have revealed biotic and abiotic heterogeneity, along with human activity, can account for much of the spatial variability of aquatic invaders; however, improvements remain. This study was created to (1) examine the distribution of aquatic invasive species richness (AISR) across 126 lakes in the Adirondack Region of New York; (2) develop and compare global and local models between lake and landscape characteristics and AISR; and (3) use geographically weighted regression (GWR) to evaluate non-stationarity of local relationships, and assess its use for prioritizing lakes at risk to invasion. The evaluation index, AISR, was calculated by summing the following potential aquatic invaders for each lake:
Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea), Brittle Naiad (Najas minor), Curly-leaf Pondweed (Potamogeton crispus), Eurasian Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), European Frog-bit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae), Fanwort (Cabomba caroliniana), Spiny Waterflea (Bythotrephes longimanus), Variable-leaf Milfoil (Myriophyllum heterophyllum Water Chestnut (Trapa natans), Yellow Floating Heart (Nymphoides peltata), and Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha). The Getis-Ord Gi_ statistic displayed significant spatial hot and cold spots of AISR across Adirondack lakes. Spearman’s rank (q) correlation coefficient test (rs) revealed urban land cover composition, lake elevation, relative patch richness, and abundance of game fish were the strongest predictors of aquatic invasion. Five multiple regression global Poisson and GWR models were made, with GWR fitting AISR very well (R2 = 76–83%). Local pseudo-t-statistics of key explanatory variables were mapped and related to AISR, confirming the importance of GWR for understanding spatial relationships of invasion. The top 20 lakes at risk to future invasion were identified and ranked by summing the five GWR predictive estimates. The results inform that inexpensive and publicly accessible lake and landscape data, typically available from digital repositories within local environmental agencies, can be used to develop predictions of aquatic invasion with remarkable agreement. Ultimately, this transferable modeling approach can improve monitoring and management strategies for slowing the spread of invading species.
Preliminary Investigation of the Dissolution Behavior, Cytocompatibility, Effects of Fibrinogen Conformation and Platelet Adhesion for Radiopaque Embolic Particles
Authors: Kehoe Sharon , Tremblay Marie-Laurence , Coughlan Aisling , Towler Mark R. , Rainey Jan K. , Abraham Robert J. , Boyd Daniel
Published: July 2021

Experimental embolic particles based on a novel zinc-silicate glass system have been biologically evaluated for potential consideration in transcatheter arterial embolization procedures. In addition to controlling the cytotoxicity and haemocompatibility for such embolic particles, its glass structure may mediate specific responses via dissolution in the physiological environment. In a 120 h in-vitro dissolution study, ion release levels for silicon (Si4+), sodium (Na+), calcium (Ca2+), zinc (Zn2+), titanium (Ti4+), lanthanum (La3+), strontium (Sr2+), and magnesium (Mg2+), were found to range from 0.04 to 5.41 ppm, 0.27–2.28 ppm, 2.32–8.47 ppm, 0.16–0.20 ppm, 0.12–2.15 ppm, 0.16–0.49 ppm and 0.01–0.12 ppm, respectively for the series of glass compositions evaluated. Initial release of Zn2+ (1.93–10.40 ppm) was only evident after 120 h. All compositions showed levels of cell viabilities ranging from 61.31 ± 4.33% to 153.7 ± 1.25% at 25%–100% serial extract dilutions. The conformational state of fibrinogen, known to induce thrombi, indicated that no changes were induced with respect of the materials dissolution by-products. Furthermore, the best-in-class experimental composition showed equivalency to contour PVA in terms of inducing platelet adhesion. The data generated here provides requisite evidence to continue to in-vivo pre-clinical evaluation using the best-in-class experimental composition evaluated.
Journalists’ Use of Social Media to Infer Public Opinion: The citizens’ perspective
Authors: Dubois Elizabeth , Gruzd Anatoliy , Jacobson Jenna
Published: July 2021

Journalists increasingly use social media data to infer and report public opinion by quoting social media posts, identifying trending topics, and reporting general sentiment. In contrast to traditional approaches of inferring public opinion, citizens are often unaware of how their publicly available social media data is being used and how public opinion is constructed using social media analytics. In this exploratory study based on a census-weighted online survey of Canadian adults (N=1,500), we examine citizens’ perceptions of journalistic use of social media data. We demonstrate that: (1) people find it more appropriate for journalists to use aggregate social media data rather than personally identifiable data; (2) people who use more social media are more likely to positively perceive journalistic use of social media data to infer public opinion; and (3) the frequency of political posting is positively related to acceptance of this emerging journalistic practice, which suggests some citizens want to be heard publicly on social media while others do not. We provide recommendations for journalists on the ethical use of social media data and social media platforms on opt-in functionality.
Biochemical Characterization of a Polysialyltransferase from Mannheimia haemolytica A2 and Comparison to Other Bacterial Polysialyltransferases
Authors: Wakarchuk Warren W. , Lindhout Theresa , Bainbridge Cynthia R. , Costain Will J. , Gilbert Michel
Published: July 2021

Polysialic acids are bioactive carbohydrates found in eukaryotes and some bacterial pathogens. The bacterial polysialyltransferases (PSTs), which catalyze the synthesis of polysialic acid capsules, have previously been identified in select strains of Escherichia coli and Neisseria meningitidis and are classified in the Carbohydrate-Active enZYmes Database as glycosyltransferase family GT-38. In this study using DNA sequence analysis and functional characterization we have identified a novel polysialyltransferase from the bovine/ovine pathogen Mannheimia haemolytica A2 (PSTMh). The enzyme was expressed in recombinant form as a soluble maltose-binding-protein fusion in parallel with the related PSTs from E. coli K1 and N. meningitidis group B in order to perform a side-by-side comparison. Biochemical properties including solubility, acceptor preference, reaction pH optima, thermostability, kinetics, and product chain length for the enzymes were compared using a synthetic fluorescent acceptor molecule. PSTMh exhibited biochemical properties that make it an attractive candidate for chemi-enzymatic synthesis applications of polysialic acid. The activity of PSTMh was examined on a model glycoprotein and the surface of a neuroprogenitor cell line where the results supported its development for use in applications to therapeutic protein modification and cell surface glycan remodelling to enable cell migration at implantation sites to promote wound healing. The three PSTs examined here demonstrated different properties that would each be useful to therapeutic applications.
Assessing relative contributions of PAHs to soot mass by reversible heterogeneous nucleation and condensation
Authors: Eaves Nick A. , Dworkin Seth , Thomson Murray J.
Published: July 2021

Given the recent EURO 6 regulations, which include limits on particle number density (and hence size) for soot emissions from land vehicles, soot models must be capable of accurately predicting soot particle sizes. Previous modeling work has demonstrated the importance of the relative strengths of nucleation and condensation in predicting soot primary particle size. Due to this importance, a fundamental reversible model for nucleation and condensation, called the reversible PAH clustering (RPC) model, was developed in previous work through the use of statistical mechanics and the results from several recent works.
In the present work, the RPC model is enhanced to include multiple nucleation (or dimerization) events from 6 different PAH size groups, resulting in 21 unique dimer pairs. In addition, a soot PAH tracking model is developed to track the amount of each PAH size group within soot particles. The addition of this model resulted in reduced computation times and the ability to investigate PAH-PAH reactions within soot particles. The results of the enhanced RPC model demonstrate that smaller PAHs are most important for the nucleation process, while small and large PAHs are important for the condensation process. These results are shown to be due to the relatively
lower reversibility of condensation versus the nucleation process. These findings are discussed in light of recent experimental results in the literature and are shown to be well supported.

Keywords: reversibility, PAH nucleation, PAH condensation, laminar diffusion flame, soot model
Laser Photothermoacoustic Heterodyned Lock-in Depth Profilometry in Turbid Tissue Phantoms
Authors: Fang Ying , Mandelis Andreas , Spirou Gloria , Vitkin I. Alex , Whelan William M.
Published: July 2021

Frequency-domain correlation and spectral analysis photothermoacoustic FD-PTA imaging is a promisingnew technique, which is being developed to detect tumor masses in turbid biological tissue. Unlike conventional biomedical photoacoustics which uses time-of-flight acoustic information induced by a pulsed laser to indicate the tumor size and location, in this research, a new FD-PTA instrument featuring frequency sweep chirp and heterodyne modulation and lock-in detection of a continuous-wave laser source at 1064 nm wavelength is constructed and tested for its depth profilometric capabilities with regard to turbid media imaging. Owing to the linear relationship between the depth of acoustic signal generation and the delay time of signal arrival to the transducer, information specific to a particular depth can be associated with a particular frequency in the chirp signal. Scanning laser-fluence modulation frequencies with a linear frequency sweep method preserves the depth-to-delay time linearity and recovers FD-PTA signals from a range of depths. Combining with the depth information carried by the back-propagated acoustic chirp signal at each scanning position, one could rapidly generate subsurface three-dimensional images of the scanning area at optimal signal-to-noise ratios and low laser fluences, a combination of tasks that is difficult or impossible by use of pulsed photoacoustic detection. In this paper, results of PTA scans performed on tissue mimicking control phantoms with various optical, acoustical, and geometrical properties are presented. A mathematical model is developed to study the laser-induced photothermoacoustic waves in turbid media. The model includes both the scattering and absorption properties of the turbid medium. A good agreement is obtained between the experimental and numerical results. It is concluded that frequency domain photothermoacoustics using a linear frequency sweep method and heterodyne lock-in detection has the potential to be a reliable tool for biomedical depth-profilometric imaging.
On the Finite Element Free Vibration Analysis of Delaminated Layered Beams: A New Assembly Technique
Authors: Erdelyi Nicholas H. , Hashemi Seyed Mohammad
Published: July 2021

The dynamic analysis of flexible delaminated layered beams is revisited. Exploiting Boolean vectors, a novel assembly scheme is developed which can be used to enforce the continuity requirements at the edges of delamination region, leading to a delamination stiffness term. The proposed assembly technique can be used to form various beam configurations with through width delaminations, irrespective of the formulation used to model each beam segment. The proposed assembly system and the Galerkin Finite Element Method (FEM) formulation are subsequently used to investigate the natural frequencies and modes of 2- and 3-layer beam configurations. Using the Euler-Bernoulli bending beam theory and free mode delamination, the governing differential equations are exploited and two beam finite elements are developed. The free bending vibration of three illustrative example problems, characterized by delamination zones of variable length, is investigated. The intact and defective beam natural frequencies and modes obtained from the proposed assembly/FEM beam formulations are presented along with the analytical results and those available in the literature
Aging, Culture, and Memory for Socially Meaningful Item-Context Associations: An East-West Cross-Cultural Comparison Study
Authors: Yang Lixia , Li Juan , Spaniol Julia , Hasher Lynn , Wilkinson Andrea J. , Yu Jing , Niu Yanan
Published: July 2021

Research suggests that people in Eastern interdependent cultures process information more holistically and attend more to contextual information than do people in Western independent cultures. The current study examined the effects of culture and age on memory for socially meaningful item-context associations in 71 Canadians of Western European descent (35 young and 36 older) and 72 native Chinese citizens (36 young and 36 older). All participants completed two blocks of context memory tasks. During encoding, participants rated pictures of familiar objects. In one block, objects were rated either for their meaningfulness in the independent living context or their typicality in daily life. In the other block, objects were rated for their meaningfulness in the context of fostering relationships with others or for their typicality in daily life. The encoding in each block was followed by a recognition test in which participants identified pictures and their associated contexts. The results showed that Chinese outperformed Canadians in context memory, though both culture groups showed similar age-related deficits in item and context memory. The results suggest that Chinese are at an advantage in memory for socially meaningful item-context associations, an advantage that continues from young adulthood into old age.
Vertical phosphorus migration in a biosolids-amended sandy loam soil in laboratory settings: concentrations in soils and leachates
Authors: Markunas Yulia , Bostan Vadim , Laursen Andrew , Payne Michael , McCarthy Lynda
Published: July 2021

The impacts of biosolids land application on soil phosphorus and subsequent vertical migration to tile drainage were assessed in a laboratory setup. Soil, representing typical “nonresponse” Ontario soil as specified by Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), was amended with anaerobically digested biosolids at a rate of 8Mgha−1 (dry weight). Over five months, these amended soil samples from two different depths were sequentially fractionated to determine various inorganic and organic phosphorus pools in order to evaluate phosphorus vertical migration within a soil profile. Soil leachate was analyzed for soluble reactive phosphorus.The results indicated that biosolids application did not significantly affect phosphorus concentrations in soil and did not cause phosphorus vertical migration. The concentrations of soluble reactive phosphorus also were not significantly affected by biosolids.
Heart rate variability and short duration spaceflight: relationship to post-flight orthostatic intolerance
Authors: Blaber Andrew P. , Bondar Roberta L. , Kassam Mahmood S.
Published: July 2021

Background: Upon return from space many astronauts experience symptoms of orthostatic intolerance. Research has implicated altered autonomic cardiovascular regulation due to spaceflight with further evidence to suggest that there might be pre-flight autonomic indicators of post-flight orthostatic intolerance. We used heart rate variability (HRV) to determine whether autonomic regulation of the heart in astronauts who did or did not experience post-flight orthostatic intolerance was different pre-flight and/or was differentially affected by short duration (8 – 16 days) spaceflight. HRV data from ten-minute stand tests collected from the 29 astronauts 10 days pre-flight, on landing day and three days post-flight were analysed using coarse graining spectral analysis. From the total power (PTOT), the harmonic component was extracted and divided into high (PHI:>0.15 Hz) and low (PLO: = 0.15 Hz) frequency power regions. Given the distribution of autonomic nervous system activity with frequency at the sinus node, PHI/PTOT was used as an indicator of parasympathetic activity; PLO/PTOT as an indicator of sympathetic activity; and, PLO/PHI as an estimate of sympathovagal balance.
Re-fashioning fashion: An exploratory study of a live audio described fashion show
Authors: Udo John-Patrick , Fels Deborah
Published: July 2021

This paper presents a process and its analysis for live audio description of a fashion show that contained only music and no dialogue. The findings of this work suggest that using a content expert with a process that combines conventional audio-description techniques with colour commentary techniques to allow emotion and excitement, as well as description of the important visual elements, is enjoyable and entertaining for blind, low-vision and sighted audiences. Following the proposed process, about 60% of the content of the live show could be described in a timely manner. Finally, it was found that the describer added about three times as many descriptions from a prepared script as were omitted.

This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Universal Access in the Information Society. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-009-0156-1
Evaluating Community Engagement through Argumentation Maps : A Public Participation GIS Case Study
Authors: Rinner Claus , Bird Michelle
Published: July 2021

Significant advances in public participation geographic information systems technology and online mapping platforms have not translated into enhanced citizen participation in democratic planning processes. This study contributes to addressing this gap by evaluating the engagement of members of an urban community in sustainable neighbourhood planning through argumentation mapping. The study provided an online public discussion forum, together with a neighbourhood map to which the participants could link their discussion contributions. On the basis of participation statistics, contents of contributions, and responses to a survey, we discuss the participants’ technical and engagement experiences. The sixteen registered participants lived within or near the ‘Queen West Triangle’ in downtown Toronto, Canada. They rated themselves as experienced computer users and consequently found the participation in the online discussion forum to be easy. The contributions showed a great degree of interest and knowledge in the issues of sustainable community development. However, while the majority of participants also rated themselves as comfortable with map reading, they found the handling of the online neighbourhood map difficult and did not use the option to link their comments to the map.
Ultrasound Microbubble Treatment Enhances Clathrin-Mediated Endocytosis and Fluid-Phase Uptake through Distinct Mechanisms
Authors: Fekri Farnaz , Santos Ralph Christian Delos , Karshafian Raffi , Antonescu Costin N.
Published: July 2021

Drug delivery to tumors is limited by several factors, including drug permeability of the target cell plasma membrane. Ultrasound in combination with microbubbles (USMB) is a promising strategy to overcome these limitations. USMB treatment elicits enhanced cellular uptake of materials such as drugs, in part as a result of sheer stress and formation of transient membrane pores. Pores formed upon USMB treatment are rapidly resealed, suggesting that other processes such as enhanced endocytosis may contribute to the enhanced material uptake by cells upon USMB treatment. How USMB regulates endocytic processes remains incompletely understood. Cells constitutively utilize several distinct mechanisms of endocytosis, including clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) for the internalization of receptor-bound macromolecules such as Transferrin Receptor (TfR), and distinct mechanism(s) that mediate the majority of fluid-phase endocytosis. Tracking the abundance of TfR on the cell surface and the internalization of its ligand transferrin revealed that USMB acutely enhances the rate of CME. Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy experiments revealed that USMB treatment altered the assembly of clathrin-coated pits, the basic structural units of CME. In addition, the rate of fluid-phase endocytosis was enhanced, but with delayed onset upon USMB treatment relative to the enhancement of CME, suggesting that the two processes are distinctly regulated by USMB. Indeed, vacuolin-1 or desipramine treatment prevented the enhancement of CME but not of fluid phase endocytosis upon USMB, suggesting that lysosome exocytosis and acid sphingomyelinase, respectively, are required for the regulation of CME but not fluid phase endocytosis upon USMB treatment. These results indicate that USMB enhances both CME and fluid phase endocytosis through distinct signaling mechanisms, and suggest that strategies for potentiating the enhancement of endocytosis upon USMB treatment may improve targeted drug delivery.
A Novel Glass Polyalkenoate Cement for Fixation and Stabilisation of the Ribcage, Post Sternotomy Surgery: An ex-Vivo Study
Authors: Alhalawani Adel M.F. , Curran Declan J. , Pingguan-Murphy Belinda , Boyd Daniel , Towler Mark R.
Published: July 2021

This study investigates the use of gallium (Ga) based glass polyalkenoate cements (GPCs) as a possible alternative adhesive in sternal fixation, post sternotomy surgery. The glass series consists of a Control (CaO–ZnO–SiO2), and LGa-1 and LGa-2 which contain Ga at the expense of zinc (Zn) in 0.08 mol% increments. The additions of Ga resulted in increased working time (75 s to 137 s) and setting time (113 to 254 s). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis indicated that this was a direct result of increased unreacted poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and the reduction of crosslink formation during cement maturation. LGa samples (0.16 wt % Ga) resulted in an altered ion release profile, particularly for 30 days analysis, with maximum Ca2+, Zn2+, Si4+ and Ga3+ ions released into the distilled water. The additions of Ga resulted in increased roughness and decreased contact angles during cement maturation. The presence of Ga has a positive effect on the compressive strength of the samples with strengths increasing over 10 MPa at 7 days analysis compared to the 1 day results. The additions of Ga had relatively no effect on the flexural strength. Tensile testing of bovine sterna proved that the LGa samples (0.16 wt % Ga) are comparable to the Control samples.
Theism, Possible Worlds, and the Multiverse
Authors: Kraay Klaas
Published: July 2021

God is traditionally taken to be a perfect being, and the creator and sustainer of all that is. So, if theism is true, what sort of world should we expect? To answer this question, we need an account of the array of possible worlds from which God is said to choose. It seems that either there is (a) exactly one best possible world; or (b) more than one unsurpassable world; or (c) an infinite hierarchy of increasingly better worlds. Influential arguments for atheism have been advanced on each hierarchy, and these jointly comprise a daunting trilemma for theism. In this paper, I argue that if theism is true, we should expect the actual world to be a multiverse comprised of all and only those universes which are worthy of creation and sustenance. I further argue that this multiverse is the unique best of all possible worlds. Finally, I explain how his unconventional view bears on the trilemma for theism.
Evaluating the Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Craft Beer Industry: An Assessment of Challenges and Benefits of Greenhouse Gas Accounting
Authors: Shin Rachel , Searcy Cory
Published: July 2021

A growing number of companies in the brewery industry have made commitments to measure and reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, many brewers, particularly craft brewers with relatively low rates of production, have not made such commitments. The purpose of this research was to investigate the challenges and benefits of measuring and reducing GHG emissions in the craft brewery industry. The research was conducted in Ontario, Canada, which has seen strong recent growth in the craft brewery industry. A case study and semi-structured interviews among Ontario Craft Brewers were conducted. The case study found that indirect (scope 3 GHGs under the WBCSD & WRI GHG Protocol) GHG sources accounted for 46.4% of total GHGs, with major sources from barley agriculture, malted barley transportation, and bottle production. Direct emissions (scope 1) accounted for only 14.9% of GHGs, while scope 2 emissions, comprised mainly of energy consumption, accounted for 38.7% of GHGs. The case study used case company primary data, and secondary data such as emission factors from external sources. The case study and interviews found that the main challenges in calculating brewery GHGs are secondary data availability, technical knowledge, and finances. The semi-structured interviews, which used prepared interview questions and probes to encourage follow-up answers, also found that the main benefits for Ontario breweries to measure their GHGs include sustainability marketing and preserving the environment. The interviews also found a poor understanding of carbon regulation among Ontario Craft Brewers, which is interesting considering that Ontario implemented a provincial cap and trade program in 2017.
The Crystal and Molecular Structure of (2Z)-2-[3-(4-Methoxybenzoyl)-4,4-dimethyl-1,2-oxazolidin-2-ylidene]-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethanone
Authors: Petrov Anna , Jones Roderick C , Vaughan Douglas G , Lough Alan J , Gossage Robert A
Published: July 2021

The Crystal and Molecular Structure of (2Z)-2-[3-(4-Methoxybenzoyl)-4,4-dimethyl-1,2-oxazolidin-2-ylidene]-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethanone
3-D aluminum nanostructure with microhole array synthesized by femtosecond laser radiation for enhanced light extinction
Authors: Salam Mahmood Abdul , Venkatakrishnan Krishnan , Tan Bo
Published: July 2021

This article presents 3-D aluminum micro-nanostructures for enhanced light absorption. Periodic microhole arrays
were created by firing a train of femtosecond laser pulses at megahertz pulse frequency onto the surface of an
aluminum target at ambient conditions. The laser trains ablated the target surface and created microholes leading
to the generation of deposited nanostructures inside and around the microholes. These micro-nanostructures
showed enhanced light absorption, which is attributed to surface plasmonics induced by the generation of both
nano- and microstructures. These micro-nanostructures may be promising for solar cell applications.
High Frequency Ultrasound Signal Statistics From Mouse Mammary Tissue During Involution
Authors: Tunis A. S. , Spurell D. , McAlduff D. , Giles A. , Hariri M. , Khokha R. , Sherar Michael D. , Czarnota G. J. , Kolios Michael C.
Published: July 2021

We investigate the use of signal envelope statistics to monitor the tissue restructuring process during mouse mammary tissue involution. Using an f/3 transducer operating at a centre frequency of 20 MHz, ultrasound backscatter data were collected from mouse mammary tissue following removal of the litter. The signal envelope statistics were examined by fitting the Rayleigh and generalized gamma distributions. The goodness of fit of the distributions was evaluated by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The goodness of fit of the Rayleigh distribution increased to a maximum at day 3 of involution, roughly corresponding to the peak of apoptosis in the tissue. Similarly, the fit parameters of the generalized gamma distribution indicate that at day 3 the distribution is most Rayleigh like. It is believed that the condensation of the nucleus and reorganization of the tissue structure produced these changes in the statistics of the signal envelope. The results demonstrate that high frequency ultrasound signal envelope statistics can be applied to monitor changes to tissue structure in vivo.
Illusions of Balance and Control in an Always-On Environment: A Case Study of BlackBerry Users
Authors: Middleton Catherine A.
Published: July 2021

This paper presents a qualitative case study of Canadian BlackBerry® users. It begins with a
brief description of the BlackBerry, a handheld wireless mobile email device developed by
Research in Motion1
. BlackBerry users find their devices to be empowering, allowing them more
control over their environments. The BlackBerry does give its users a mechanism to exert
control over the management of daily communication tasks, but by virtue of its always-on,
always-connected nature, it also reinforces cultures that expect people to be accessible outside
normal business hours. Rather than just a tool of liberation for its users, the BlackBerry can also
be understood as an artifact that reflects and perpetuates organisational cultures in which
individual employees have little control and influence. While this case study focuses on
BlackBerry users, it is suggested that the findings are not unique to this device. BlackBerries
and other mobile technologies have been envisioned by some as means of enforcing work-life
boundaries, but this paper concludes that the use of always-on mobile devices can lead to
situations where conflict between work and personal activities is exacerbated rather than
reduced.