cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
Women's advocacy and firearms control: The case of Bill C-68.
Creators: name: O'Leary, Melissa.
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 2000
Subjects: subject: Canadian Studies.

description: Through an examination of the discourse involved in the gun control debate surrounding Bill C-68, this thesis examines the importance of rhetoric in the claims-making process. In particular, it examines the manner in which women's groups used the rhetoric of violence against women to lobby for further restrictions to Canada's gun control laws. The rhetoric used by women's groups is examined through a social constructionist perspective, utilizing Joel Best's model of claims-making. Major sources of data included House of Commons and Senate Committee submissions and transcripts. Through a descriptive analysis, the rhetoric of women's groups is presented; in addition, a content analysis aids in summarizing the broader findings. The principal finding is that a number of specific claims were commonly used by women's groups. These include: the impossibility of separating criminals from law-abiding citizens; the notion of women as defenceless victims; the concept of power; the notion of guns as inherently dangerous; the long-term implications of gun control; and, the assertion that gun control is only one part of a larger solution. While the Ecole Polytechnique killings served as a catalyst to push for increasing controls on firearms, during the debate over Bill C-68, women's groups unanimously choose to highlight the more common plight of the abused woman. The issue of violence against women saved as the common "ground" for woman's groups, who offered different approaches to the issue, but nonetheless presented a common theme in terms of their definition of the problem. During the debate over Canada's most recent gun control legislation, the gendered discourse of violence against women played a key role in the rhetoric of women's groups.
Dreaming of Single Hexachords in an Infinite Expanse: An Analysis of Movement II of Donald Martino’s Notturno and an original composition, Wasted:Awake for string trio, clarinet and electronics
Creators: name: Praznik, James John
Publisher: name: Brandeis University
Year: 2022
Subjects: Notturno

description: Donald Martino’s Notturno (1973) is both his most well known work and is among his most conceptually impenetrable. The composer’s publicly shared observations reveal little of the work’s deep formal and conceptual procedures by describing the work as being “about the diversity of feeling that I undergo daily when I contemplate my life at that moment before sleep.” Naturally this diversity manifests itself in a myriad of formal and conceptual ways representative of the composer’s remarkable mastery of serially derived materials. Identifying these materials on a moment to moment basis is not particularly taxing, but this betrays the underlying logic within the work. Finding a means of observing materials in their most simple incarnation is the best way to discern the musical and emotive instincts behind this work's construction.In my analysis, I limit my scope to the often overlooked second movement of this work and first outline a logical distilling of a (012367) hexachord removed from the music where only one hexachord in a single transposition is functionally possible, and then apply that thought process to specific moments in the second movement of Notturno. Likewise, with this distillation of pitch material, the detailed palindromic construction of the movement is much easier to identify. Once these elements are laid bare it is finally possible to accurately juxtapose Martino’s conceptual observations and glean some new insights into what he may have sought to express.
Clinical manifestations and diagnostic methods in pulmonary angiosarcoma: protocol for a scoping review
Creators: name: Lim, Rachel
name: Harper, Lea
name: Swiston, John
Publisher: name: BioMed Central
Year: 2017

description: Background: Angiosarcoma involving the lung can represent either primary or metastatic malignancy. Due to the rarity of this condition, knowledge surrounding the natural history and clinical presentation is scarce. The aim of this scoping review is to summarize the existing literature on pulmonary angiosarcoma, particularly as it pertains to the clinical presentation and ancillary tests used for diagnosis in addition to histopathology. Methods We will conduct a systematic search using Ovid MEDLINE and EMBASE electronic databases. Two investigators will independently screen identified titles and abstracts to select articles reporting on pulmonary angiosarcoma. The data will be summarized in a narrative fashion and organized according to aspects of epidemiology, risk factors, clinical presentation, diagnostic methods, and treatment. Discussion Scoping reviews are increasingly used to synthesize the evidence on a particular topic, to identify gaps in the literature, and to determine if future systematic reviews are feasible. In order to improve the care of patients with angiosarcoma, earlier recognition and diagnosis is required. This review will be valuable for highlighting the range of clinical presentations and the role of imaging and other diagnostic tools in the diagnosis of metastatic and primary pulmonary angiosarcoma. Systematic review registration PROSPERO registration: CRD42017059052
Applications of Ryu-Takayangi to asymptotically flat spacetimes
Creators: name: Gupta, Divij
Publisher: name: Brandeis University
Year: 2024
Subjects: Black hole
Quantum gravity
Differential Geometry
Holography
Quantum Field Theory
Relativity

description: The Ryu-Takayangi formula provides an important relationship between minimal surfaces in the bulk and entanglement entropies of quantum field theories on the boundary. We provide an extension of this formula to asymptotically flat spacetimes. We first do this for the spherically symmetric Schwarzschild metric by gluing copies of SAdS (Schwarzschild-AdS) to either side using the Israel junction conditions. We then discuss the Brill-Lindquist initial data, which describes N colliding black holes that form an (N + 1)-boundary asymptotically flat wormhole geometry on a time symmetric Cauchy slice. We discuss some important properties and useful coordinates to study the metric, before exploring numerical meth- ods to compute and classify its extremal surfaces. This leads us into applying our RT extension to the asymptotically flat wormholes generated by the Brill-Lindquist metric. An example of this application is explored within the ER=EPR framework, where we study a holographic model for black hole evaporation by taking the Brill-Lindquist wormhole to represent the entanglement geometry of the evaporation pro- cess. The Page curve for the entanglement entropy is recovered for N = 2 and we also discuss properties of the Python’s lunch proposal within this model.
Public policies and the labour market integration of skilled immigrants in Canada and Australia
Creators: name: Opare-Addo, Joyce
Publisher: name: Swinburne
Year: 2024

description: Using a mixed method approach, the thesis analyses macro-national policies (immigration and multiculturalism policies, employment equity legislation), as well as customised National Household Survey data (2011) and ABS census data (2011) to explore the labour market integration of culturally diverse skilled immigrants in Canada and Australia respectively. The research findings show that while the implementation of such policies have facilitated social and labour integration and to ensure equitable labour market outcomes, the integration of skilled immigrants has not been justifiably effective in both countries. The thesis outcomes are beneficial to academics, policy-makers as well as practitioners in the labour market.
Optical properties of gallium arsenide-based self-assembled quantum dots and quantum dot lasers.
Creators: name: Hinzer, Karin.
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 2002
Subjects: subject: Physics, Optics.

description: Three-dimensional confinement of carriers eliminates the problem of thermal spreading of carriers observed in higher-dimensional systems. Uniform self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) are obtained using the spontaneous islanding of highly strained III-V semiconductors grown with standard epitaxy. Visible stimulated emission has been obtained with red-emitting AlInAs QDs in AlGaAs barriers. Continuous (CW) threshold current densities below 100A/cm2 have been measured at low temperatures and QD material gain larger than 1.7 x 104 cm-1 demonstrate good material quality. Room temperature lasing has also been observed for higher threshold current densities. For longer wavelengths where the thermionic emission problem is less important, InAs/GaAs lasers can operate at room temperature for current densities below ∼100A/cm2 for wavelengths around 950 nm. The zero-dimensional transitions between confined electrons and holes in artificial atoms allow the observation of state-filling at relatively low level of material excitation. Lasing is observed in the upper QD shells for small gain media, and progress towards the QD ground states for longer cavity lengths. Gain may also be increased by including multiple layers of QDs in the active region. To understand the shell structure of AlInAs/AlGaAs QDs, we present results of interband spectroscopy of single Al0.36In0.64As/Al 0.33Ga0.67As self-assembled QDs. The single dot spectroscopy has been carried out at low temperature as a function of the excitation power and magnetic field up to 8 T. The emission spectra as a function of excitation power show two distinct groups of transitions which we associate with the recombination from ground and excited QD levels with a spacing of ∼70 meV. The application of magnetic field allows to identify the exciton emission as well as the emission from the bi-exciton, and charged exciton complexes with binding energies of ∼5 meV. The binding energies compare favorably with results of calculations. Artificial molecules are studied using coupled QD ensembles and single QD spectroscopy. The coupling between the zero-dimensional states is varied by changing the distance between two layers of stacked InAs/GaAs QDs. Energy level splitting larger than 30 meV of the symmetric and anti-symmetric states of the lowest confined shell are measured and are compared to theory.
Deformation kinetics of creep.
Creators: name: Akben, Melek G.
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 1977
Subjects: subject: Engineering, Mechanical.

description: The deformation kinetics analysis of room temperature creep of high purity iron indicates two rate controlling mechanisms. The first of these is predominant during the initial part of the creep process and the second in the latter part when the internal stress increases and therefore the effective stress decreases. It is suggested that these mechanisms are associated with the overcoming of the Peierls-Nabarro stress field by the formation of a double kink and the lateral spreading of the kink. Strain rates diminishing to zero are believed to be a possible result of non-negligible backward activation over the double barrier system. It is shown that, for the proposed system of two consecutive barriers, the limiting strain and the limiting effective stress at which the rate becomes zero are proportional to the activation parameters of the kinetics term associated with the backward activation over the double barrier system. This also indicates that the effective stress is not necessarily zero for zero strain rates. A model of exponential strain dependence of the dislocation density has been proposed. The use of this model in the deformation kinetics description explicitly includes the effects of the initial dislocation density, dislocation multiplication, temperature, the initial effective stress and the work hardening coefficient on the calculated creep behavior. Results from this model indicate that the observed sharp levelling off may be due to dislocation multiplication.
Deep multi-wavelength exploration of the fast transient Universe
Creators: name: Andreoni, Igor
Publisher: name: Swinburne
Year: 2024

description: The thesis explores the rapidly changing Universe across the electromagnetic spectrum. While most current surveys search for transient sources that evolve in weeks or months, this thesis work focuses on those transients that become bright and fade away in only a few hours, minutes, or even fractions of seconds. Those include mysterious fast radio bursts and counterparts to gravitational-wave events. We coordinate more than 40 telescopes and multi-messenger detectors that search for rare transient events simultaneously. Research presented in this thesis pushes the boundaries of time-domain astronomy and stresses the importance of collaboration in science.
The Psychological Construction of Domestic Abusers and Monsters in Carrie & The Shining
Creators: name: Reynolds, Laurel
Publisher: name: Brandeis University
Year: 2024
Subjects: Adverse Childhood experiences
domestic abuse
family structures
horror
stephen king
Trauma
Women's Studies

description: This master's paper examines gender roles, sexuality, domestic abuse, and unresolved trauma in Stephen King’s Carrie and The Shining, since they are King’s early novels and came out during the 1970s feminist movement. Though scholars have used various psychoanalytical theories on King’s work, few utilize contemporary psychological research. By using feminist film and literature theory, Adverse Childhood Experiences research, and intergenerational transmission of trauma research, pathways of harm can be traced from one character to the next in the texts. In Carrie, a single mother represses her trauma through religion, leading her to abuse Carrie, leading Carrie to be bullied, and eventually leading Carrie to massacre a town. In The Shining, a father’s personal traumas lead him to become a domestic abuser before spiraling into a family annihilator; in turn, his wife must occupy more masculine spaces to protect herself and her son. In both texts, traumas that happened prior to the plot result in the harm seen in the narratives. Additionally, characters are seen fitting stereotypical gender roles in both texts. By reading these texts together, the family structures become clearer in the novels and that the monsters are constructed through their gender.
Exploring thermodynamic equilibrium and kinetic pathways of colloidal self-assembly
Creators: name: Fang, Huang
Publisher: name: Brandeis University
Year: 2022
Subjects: colloids
kineitc pathways
self-assembly
thermodynamic equilibrium
DNA
Thermodynamics

description: Self-assembly is one of the most promising strategies for synthesizing functional materials at the nanoscale, such as molecular sieves, nanoelectronics, and photonic crystals. However, despite the many self-assembled nanomaterials that have been made, the criteria to design building components that assemble structures with desired geometry and patterns remain unclear. To tackle this challenge, I study the self-assembly of two colloidal systems: DNA-coated particles and DNA-origami particles. I use a combination of microscopy experiments and computer simulations to study both thermodynamic equilibrium and kinetic pathways. I observe rich yet distinct morphologies and dynamic patterns. For DNA-coated colloidal self-assembly, I investigate the crystallization of a binary colloidal suspension constrained to two dimensions. I observe classical one-step crystallization pathways and non-classical two-step pathways that proceed \textit{via} a solid-solid transformation of a crystal intermediate. I also use enhanced sampling to compute the free energy landscapes corresponding to experiments. I show that thermodynamics alone drive both one- and two-step pathways. For DNA-origami colloidal self-assembly, collaborators and I fold triangular subunits with specific, valence-limited interactions using the DNA-origami technique. These DNA-origami particles assemble into tubules with a self-limited width much larger than the size of an individual subunit. I show there exists a wide distribution in the width and chirality of the assembled tubules, which I rationalize by comparing results with a kinetic Monte Carlo simulation that considers the finite bending rigidity of the assembled structure and the closure kinetics. These results extend our understanding of the relationship between self-assembly pathways and the underlying free energy landscapes of the systems. In addition, they could provide new approaches to controlling the self-assembly of materials made from colloids.
Effects of computerized cognitive training on neuroimaging outcomes in older adults: a systematic review
Creators: name: Ten Brinke, Lisanne F.
name: Davis, Jennifer Colleen
name: Barha, Cindy K.
name: Liu-Ambrose, Teresa
Publisher: name: BioMed Central
Year: 2017

description: Background: Worldwide, the population is aging and the number of individuals diagnosed with dementia is rising rapidly. Currently, there are no effective pharmaceutical cures. Hence, identifying lifestyle approaches that may prevent, delay, or treat cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults is becoming increasingly important. Computerized Cognitive Training (CCT) is a promising strategy to combat cognitive decline. Yet, the underlying mechanisms of the effect of CCT on cognition remain poorly understood. Hence, the primary objective of this systematic review was to examine peer-reviewed literature ascertaining the effect of CCT on both structural and functional neuroimaging measures among older adults to gain insight into the underlying mechanisms by which CCT may benefit cognitive function. Methods: In accordance with PRISMA guidelines, we used the following databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL. Two independent reviewers abstracted data using pre-defined terms. These included: main study characteristics such as the type of training (i.e., single- versus multi-domain), participant demographics (age ≥ 50 years; no psychiatric conditions), and the inclusion of neuroimaging outcomes. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale was used to assess quality of all studies included in this systematic review. Results: Nine studies were included in this systematic review, with four studies including multiple MRI sequences. Results of this systematic review are mixed: CCT was found to increase and decrease both brain structure and function in older adults. In addition, depending on region of interest, both increases and decreases in structure and function were associated with behavioural performance. Conclusions: Of all studies included in this systematic review, results from the highest quality studies, which were two randomized controlled trials, demonstrated that multi-domain CCT could lead to increases in hippocampal functional connectivity. Further high quality studies that include an active control, a sample size calculation, and an appropriate training dosage, are needed to confirm these findings and their relation to cognition.
WEBRTC based broadcasting for physical surveillance
Creators: name: Jong, Bih Fei
Publisher: name: Swinburne
Year: 2024

description: This thesis discussed the architecture and implementation of a network recorder system that includes WebRTC as the main streaming technology. The main idea of this proposal is to provide a new streaming concept that enhances users' experience as well as minimizing the processing resources. This thesis includes a comprehensive explanation of WebRTC technology, the architecture of the system and experiments to benchmark performances with another streaming technology: FFserver. Experiment results and future improvements are also included in the final part of this thesis.
Intrinsic neuronal dynamics of randomly clustered networks enable multistability and sequential activity
Creators: name: Breffle, Jordan
Publisher: name: Brandeis University
Year: 2024
Subjects: Attractor Networks
Hippocampus
Neuronal Simulations
Computational Neuroscience
Neuroscience

description: The brain is a dynamical system, wherein neural activity evolves according to the present state of neurons' excitability and the connectivity between them. This connectivity is shaped over time through synaptic plasticity. Hebbian plasticity causes strengthening of connections between co-active neurons, leading to the formation of clustered, attractor-like circuits. Encoding distinct memories with uncorrelated neural representations results in effectively random connections between different neuronal clusters. In this dissertation, we examine the dynamics of networks possessing this kind of random clustered connectivity. In chapter 1, we introduce the idea of random clustered connectivity and briefly review the literature on its formation and function. Such connectivity is prevalent throughout the brain in vivo, develops spontaneously in cultured neurons, and naturally arises from biologically based plasticity rules in simulations of model recurrent networks.
description: In chapter 2, we apply the idea of random clustered connectivity to modeling hippocampal dynamics. The hippocampus exhibits spontaneous sequential neural activity corresponding to recently experienced spatial trajectories. We show that random clustered networks can produce key signatures of hippocampal activity observed experimentally, including place field tuning and reactivation of trajectories, without assuming structured, environment-specific recurrent connectivity. Such networks may represent the default state of the hippocampus with respect to a novel environment, which would then be shaped by plasticity through experience in the environment.
description: In chapter 3, we consider multistability in randomly connected attractor networks. Under certain conditions, networks of randomly connected firing-rate units can store multiple memories as distinct stable attractor states. We extend previous results to show that both finite-size effects and more biologically realistic firing rate functions lead to multistability in parameter regimes not previously predicted to have multistability. Such multistability is a hallmark of many cortical and subcortical regions and is the basis for autoassociative memory retrieval.
description: In chapter 4, we summarize and review our results. We consider future directions needed to further develop our understanding of the functional role of preexisting connectivity in the brain. We focus our discussion of future directions on questions regarding the role of ongoing experience-dependent plasticity in shaping the intrinsic dynamics that result from a random preexisting structure.
Vortex localization in single crystals of Tlb2Bab2CuOb6+[delta] with columnar defects : an empirical model.
Creators: name: Cameron, Daniel Stuart M.
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 1997
Subjects: subject: Physics, Condensed Matter.

description: The peaks and valleys observed by Nowak et al (Phys. Rev. B54, R12725 (1996)) in the local magnetization M(x) and local relaxation rate S(x) in a single crystal of $\rm Tl\sb2Ba\sb2CuO\sb{6+\delta}$ containing columnar defects are well reproduced by an empirical model where the critical current density $j\sb{C}$ is fractionally enhanced in the vicinity of the matching field $B\sb\phi$ and of a multiple of $B\sb\phi$ by superimposing two broad triangular peaks on a continuous dependence of $j\sb{C}$ on the magnetic flux density B. The model fits the variety of M(x) and S(x) data taking $B\sb{S1}$ and $B\sb{S2}$, the flux density at the first and second peaks in $j\sb{C}$, to have a ratio $B\sb{S2}/B\sb{S1}\approx 2.5.$ The model also makes detailed predictions regarding the structure and location of valleys for S(x) versus B(x) descending in magnitude which were not reported in the above article. We demonstrate that a "staircase" type of dependence of $j\sb{C}$ on B proposed by Radzihovsky (Phys. Rev. Letters 74, 4923 (1995)) and exploited by Beauchamp et al, (Phys. Rev. B52, 13025 (1995)) can account for the peak in $\vert M(x)\vert$ adjacent to B = 0 but cannot generate the two peaks encountered when B(x) is ascending in magnitude nor reproduce the two peaks seen at higher fields when B(x) is descending in magnitude. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
Tracking the Development of the Optic Radiations in Infant Primates
Creators: name: Drak, Lilit
Publisher: name: Brandeis University
Year: 2022
Subjects: DTI
optic radiations

description: The optic radiations (OR) is the major white matter tract responsible for relaying visual information to primary visual cortex (V1) (Swienton & Thomas, 2014). We characterized the development of the OR in infant rhesus macaques and infant humans through evaluation of diffusion tensor imaging. We find that for both macaque and human OR there is no evidence for differences in OR volume between the left and right hemispheres. Further, we find that the OR volume compared to whole-brain volume was similar between the two species. We conclude that the development and the volume of the OR is highly conserved between macaques and humans.
D5.7 - RightsApp - Public events
Creators: name: Gonzalez-Conejero, Jorge
name: Rodríguez-Puerta, María José
name: Zapater, Esther
name: Teodoro, Emma
name: Guardiola Lago, María Jesús
name: Casanovas, Pompeu
name: Macías, Mario
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: EU victims' rights, EU citizens empowerment, Mobile technologies, Dissemination

description: This document collects all the information regarding the public events related to the RightsApp project. The information includes name, location, organizer, responsible within the RightsApp project, number of attendants, materials, presentations, among others.
Sorption of heavy metals by biological materials.
Creators: name: Al-Asheh, Sameer.
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 1997
Subjects: subject: Engineering, Chemical.

description: In this work the ability of some plant materials, as potentially new sorbents, to sorb heavy metals from aqueous solutions was investigated. In addition, a new microbial sorbent, that has not been tested before for the sorption of heavy metals, was also considered. The microorganism Aspergillus carbonarius and the following plant materials were found to be able to sorb copper ions from aqueous solutions: canola meal (CM), pine bark, pine needles, pine cones, moss, oak leaves, oak cobs, maple leaves, birch leaves and cider needles. Of these sorbents A. carbonarius, CM, pine bark and moss were considered more extensively in this work. The kinetics of metal uptake by A. carbonarius, CM, bark and moss were studied. Sorption studies using A. carbonarius showed that pre-heating of this biomass to higher temperatures prior to utilizing it in the biosorption tests decreased its metal sorption capacity. The affinity of A. carbonarius for different metal ions followed the order (molar basis): Cu$\sp{2+} >$ Cr$\sp{3+} >$ Cd$\sp{2+}.$ The ability of moss to adsorb various metal ions was examined in a batch sorption process. The affinity of this sorbent toward heavy metals was (molar basis): Cr$\sp{3+}\ >$ Cu$\sp{2+}\ >$ Zn$\sp{2+}\ >$ Ni$\sp{2+}$ Cd$\sp{2+}.$ The performance of moss for metal sorption was also examined in a continuous process using a column packed with this sorbent. Increases in the flow rate or the influent metal concentration resulted in shorter break-through times and higher copper uptakes per unit mass of moss. Pine bark can be used for the sorption of the following metals from aqueous solutions with the following order of capacities (molar basis): Cu$\sp{2+} >$ Zn$\sp{2+} >$ Cd$\sp{2+} >$ Ni$\sp{2+}.$ It can be re-utilized several times for further adsorption processes without regeneration. The performance of CM, bark and moss for the removal of copper from industrial wastewater was tested. The copper concentration in the wastewater was decreased from 36.5 to 2.5, 4.1 and 5.2 ppm by bark, moss and CM, respectively, when the sorbents concentrations were 18.4 mg/mL. Single, binary, ternary and quaternary metal systems of Cu$\sp{2+}$, Ni$\sp{2+}$, Cd$\sp{2+}$ and Pb$\sp{2+}$ were considered. In single metal sorption, the selectivity of the sorbents for each of these metal ions has the following order: Cu$\sp{2+}$: moss $>$ CM $>$ bark; Cd$\sp{2+}$ and Ni$\sp{2+}$: CM $>$ bark $>$ moss; Pb$\sp{2+}$: CM = bark $\approx$ moss. It has been found that, in a mixture of metal ions, the adsorption of one metal was affected by the presence of the others. The global compositional analysis showed that lignin and carbohydrates for bark and moss, and proteins, carbohydtates and phytic acid for CM, are the major components responsible for the sorption of heavy metals. The roles of the carboxyl and amine groups in the sorption process were also examined. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
Science Media Literacy Infographic
Creators: name: Austin, Erica W.
name: Domgaard, Shawn  K.
Publisher: name: Edward R. Murrow Center for Media and Health Promotion Research, Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, Washington State University
Year: 2023
Subjects: Media Literacy
Communications

description: This infographic provides a guide to help the user find accurate and credible messages in the media to make their own best decisions. There are 4 parts to the process, but they do not need to be done in any specific order. This is similar to the more general misinformation infographic available on this site but is modified to be more specific to science information content.
Detection of Movement and Lead-Popping Artifacts in Polysomnography EEG Data
Creators: name: Umbach, David M.
name: Li, Leping
name: Talukder, Amlan
name: Anandanadarajah, Nishanth
name: Yeung, Deryck
name: Li, Yuanyuan
name: Fan, Zheng
Publisher: name: MDPI
Year: 2024

description: Polysomnography (PSG) measures brain activity during sleep via electroencephalography (EEG) using six leads. Artifacts caused by movement or loose leads distort EEG measurements. We developed a method to automatically identify such artifacts in a PSG EEG trace. After preprocessing, we extracted power levels at frequencies of 0.5–32.5 Hz with multitaper spectral analysis using 4 s windows with 3 s overlap. For each resulting 1 s segment, we computed segment-specific correlations between power levels for all pairs of leads. We then averaged all pairwise correlation coefficients involving each lead, creating a time series of segment-specific average correlations for each lead. Our algorithm scans each averaged time series separately for “bad” segments using a local moving window. In a second pass, any segment whose averaged correlation is less than a global threshold among all remaining good segments is declared an outlier. We mark all segments between two outlier segments fewer than 300 s apart as artifact regions. This process is repeated, removing a channel with excessive outliers in each iteration. We compared artifact regions discovered by our algorithm to expert-assessed ground truth, achieving sensitivity and specificity of 80% and 91%, respectively. Our algorithm is an open-source tool, either as a Python package or a Docker.
Limitation of cellulose accessibility and unproductive binding of cellulases by pretreated sugarcane bagasse lignin
Creators: name: Siqueira, Germano
name: Arantes, Valdeir
name: Saddler, J. N. (John N.), 1953-
name: Ferraz, André
name: Milagres, Adriane M. F.
Publisher: name: BioMed Central
Year: 2017

description: Background: The effectiveness of the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose in plant cell wall is strongly influenced by the access of enzymes to cellulose, which is at least in part limited by the presence of lignin. Although physicochemical treatments preceding the enzymatic catalysis significantly overcome this recalcitrance, the residual lignin can still play a role in the process. Lignin is suggested to act as a barrier, hindering cellulose and limiting the access of the enzymes. It can also unspecifically bind cellulases, reducing the amount of enzymes available to act on cellulose. However, the limiting role of the lignin present in pretreated sugarcane bagasses has not been fully understood yet. Results: A set of sugarcane bagasses pretreated by five leading pretreatment technologies was created and used to assess their accessibility and the unproductive binding capacity of the resulting lignins. Steam explosion and alkaline sulfite pretreatments resulted in more accessible substrates, with approximately 90% of the cellulose hydrolyzed using high enzyme loadings. Enzymatic hydrolysis of alkaline-treated (NaOH) and steam-exploded sugarcane bagasses were strongly affected by unproductive binding at the lowest enzyme loading tested. Analysis of the extracted lignins confirmed the superior binding capacity of these lignins. Sulfite-based pretreatments (alkaline sulfite and acid sulfite) resulted in lignins with lower binding capacities compared to the analogue pretreatments without sulfite (alkaline and acidic). Strong acid groups present in sulfite-based pretreated substrates, attributed to sulfonated lignins, corroborated the lower binding capacities of the lignin present in these substrates. A more advanced enzyme preparation (Cellic CTec3) was shown to be less affected by unproductive binding at low enzyme loading. Conclusions: Pretreatments that increase the accessibility and modify the lignin are necessary in order to decrease the protein binding capacity. The search for the called weak lignin-binding enzymes is of major importance if hydrolysis with low enzyme loadings is the goal for economically viable processes.
3066261.pdf
Creators: name: Zhang, Jingyuan Linda
name: Lagoudakis, Konstantinos
name: Tzeng, Yan-Kai
name: Dory, Constantin
name: Radulaski, Marina
name: Kelaita, Yousif
name: Fischer, Kevin
name: Sun, Shuo
name: Shen, Zhi-Xun
name: Melosh, Nicholas
Publisher: name: Optica Publishing Group
Year: 2025
Subjects: Uncategorized

description: supplemental information
Prédire la récidive pour les agents de libération conditionnelle : une analyse de quelques témoignages.
Creators: name: Lemieux, Amélie.
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 2001
Subjects: subject: Sociology, Criminology and Penology.

description: À l'intérieur de ce travail intitulé: «La prédiction de la récidive: une analyse de quelques témoignages», nous souhaitions connaître la façon dont les agents de libération conditionnelle parviennent à prédire la récidive ainsi que leurs perceptions personnelles vis-à-vis cette dimension de leur travail. Sont-ils à l'aise d'effectuer cette tâche qui leur est demandée par le SCC, croient-ils posséder les capacités et les ressources nécessaires pour y arriver, ont-ils la certitude que leurs pronostics sont exacts? Dans un premier temps, pour effectuer notre recherche, nous avons consulté plusieurs ouvrages concernant la dangerosité et la prédiction. La partie sur la dangerosité nous a confirmé qu'il n'existe pas de définition précise pour ce terme. Dans un deuxième temps, pour poursuivre ce travail, le choix de la méthodologie s'imposait. Dans un troisième temps, nous avons été en mesure de découvrir des différences et des similitudes dans les propos des agents. Tout d'abord, nous avons pris note, comme l'exprimaient les auteurs dans le chapitre précédent, que les agents eux-mêmes ne possèdent pas de définitions claires et précises de ce qu'est la récidive et la dangerosité. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
3066261.pdf
Creators: name: Zhang, Jingyuan Linda
name: Lagoudakis, Konstantinos
name: Tzeng, Yan-Kai
name: Dory, Constantin
name: Radulaski, Marina
name: Kelaita, Yousif
name: Fischer, Kevin
name: Sun, Shuo
name: Shen, Zhi-Xun
name: Melosh, Nicholas
Publisher: name: Optica Publishing Group
Year: 2017
Subjects: Uncategorized

description: supplemental information
Finite element calculations of stresses and deformations in buried flexible pipes.
Creators: name: Massicotte, Daniel.
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 2000
Subjects: subject: Engineering, Civil.

description: The objectives of this thesis are (1) to measure the characteristics of an interface between a granular soil and a Polyvinyle Chloride (PVC) surface, (2) to use those characteristics as input parameters for interface elements in a finite element analysis, and (3) to evaluate the effects of interface strength on the behaviour of buried flexible pipe. The work is divided into four main parts. First, a comprehensive literature survey was done for the behaviour of interfaces and for some well-known analytical techniques available for underground flexible pipe structures. Second, an experimental program involving an interface between a PVC plate and stone dust was undertaken. The effects of various parameters such as surface roughness, number of load cycles, normal stress and relative density were investigated Third, numerical analyses were done in order to evaluate the erects of ire elements on the behaviour of a 1500-mm Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) pipe and a 900-mm PVC pipe. Finally, the results of the numerical analyses were compared with those of well known analytical methods. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
A comparative empirical analysis of sentencing trends in Canada: 1983-1984 and 1999-2000.
Creators: name: Scanlon, Angela.
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 2002
Subjects: subject: History, Canadian.

description: This thesis provides a comparative analysis of sentencing patterns in tW0 time periods separated by seventeen years. Research of this type has not been attempted previously, due to the limited availability of historical sentencing data. Using statistics obtained from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's Fingerprint System from 1983--1984 and the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics' Adult Criminal Court Survey for 1999--2000, this study examines whether recommendations made by various federal inquiries into sentencing have affected judicial decision-making at the trial court level. At the core of this discussion is an examination of those initiatives aimed at reducing the use of imprisonment as a sanction. Comparisons reveal that sentencing patterns in 1983--1984 differed significantly from those present in 1999--2000. In some cases, it appears as though the changes were in accordance with recommendations of the federal inquiries whereas in others, the patterns that were discovered seemed to indicate that judges ignored or even defied the directives given. With regard to the promotion of community sanctions, there was an overwhelming increase in the use of probation. In contrast, the findings with respect to the use of imprisonment were more ambiguous; while the overall decrease in the rate of incarceration had been a stated objective, the manner in which this reduction was achieved appears to contradict the recommendations of the inquiries. Essentially, this study shows that, despite the wealth of time and research devoted to the reform of the sentencing process in this country, the impact of these efforts on judicial practices has been minimal.
Regulatory monokines in multiple sclerosis and the effects of IL-10 and IFN-ß1a on their levels.
Creators: name: Graham, Angela L.
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 2000
Subjects: subject: Health Sciences, Pathology.

description: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. MS is believed to be a Th1 inflammatory disease, speculated to be mediated by CD4+ T lymphocytes. The specific contribution of monokines to disease has not been extensively studied in MS. I thus hypothesize that Th1 regulatory monokine levels are elevated in MS patients, and these increased levels correlate to disease severity. This project deals with the quantitation of regulatory monokine mRNA and protein levels in MS patients and their subsequent comparison to healthy control levels. The influence of cytokine-directed immunotherapy, specifically IFN-beta1a and IL-10, on these monokine levels is also addressed. Highly enriched monocytes were isolated and separately cultured for 24 hours in the presence of RPMI media alone, or supplemented with IFN-beta1a or IL-10. Protein and mRNA levels were determined for various monokines by intracellular staining, ELISA, and Riboquant RNase Protection Assay. Increased monokine levels of IL-1, IL-6, IL-12, and TNF-alpha were found to correlate significantly with increased MS disease severity as compared to healthy control levels. IL-10 and IFN-gamma were also detected in MS patient samples, however these levels did not differ significantly from healthy control levels. IL-10 24-hour exposure was found to significantly reduce all elevated MS patient monokine levels. IFN-beta1a showed minimal effects in reducing elevated MS patient monokine levels, and in certain patients boosted their Th1 and proinflammatory monokine levels. These findings suggest a role for monocytes and monokines in the immunopathogenesis of MS, and also indicate further study into IL-10 as a potential MS therapy may be warranted.
The Role of the Small GTPase Rem2 in Synaptic Plasticity
Creators: name: Anjum, Rabia
Publisher: name: Brandeis University
Year: 2025
Subjects: CaMKII
Hippocampus
LTP
Rem2
Plasticity

description: In order to understand learning and memory at the molecular level, we must uncover the mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity. Rem2, a Ras-like GTPase from the RGK (Rad/Rem/Rem2/Gem/Kir) protein family, is an activity-regulated protein that mediates several plastic changes within hippocampal neurons, such as dendritic complexity and excitatory synapse formation, though a role for Rem2 in long-term potentiation (LTP) has not yet been reported. Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is a well-studied serine-threonine kinase that has an established function in LTP induction at the Schaffer Collateral-CA1 (SC-CA1) synapse, and this contributes to learning and memory processes such as spatial learning. While the structure and function of CaMKII is well-understood, and several downstream signaling pathways during LTP have been proposed, there is little known about the negative regulation of CaMKII. Our previous work has shown that Rem2 potently inhibits CaMKII catalytic activity in an in vitro kinase assay. We also demonstrated that mutation of two key amino acid residues in the N-terminus (R79/R80) are required for this inhibition. In the following work, we sought to determine if Rem2 plays a role in CaMKII-dependent SC-CA1 LTP in the hippocampus. To investigate this question, we recorded field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) in the hippocampal CA1 area, and induced LTP using tetanus stimulation. We observed enhanced LTP at the SC-CA1 synapse in the absence of Rem2; this effect is dependent on Rem2 inhibition of CaMKII. Our findings suggest that Rem2 normally functions to restrict LTP, indicating that Rem2 and CaMKII might interact in the postsynaptic density (PSD) of the synapse. To test this hypothesis, we performed 2-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging (2pFLIM) using mCherry-Rem2 and Clover-CaMKII transfected into organotypic hippocampal slices. We observe that Rem2 and CaMKII colocalize in dendritic spines during structural plasticity, establishing that Rem2 can interact with CaMKII during LTP in the hippocampus. We also undertook a series of experiments to determine the acute role for Rem2 inhibition of CaMKII using a Rem2-derived inhibitory peptide in field electrophysiology recordings. Taken together, our data lead us to propose that Rem2 normally serves as a brake on runaway synaptic potentiation via inhibition of CaMKII activity, and is recruited to the PSD during synaptic plasticity.
Stability of cortical synapses across natural sleep and wake in the juvenile rat
Creators: name: Cary, Brian Andrew
Publisher: name: Brandeis University
Year: 2022
Subjects: Cortex
Rat
Sleep
Synapse
Synaptic Plasticity
Electrophysiology
Psychobiology

description: Sleep is important for learning and consolidation of memories. It is believed that sleep’s influence over synaptic plasticity is a core part of this function, but the exact mechanisms underlying this process remain mysterious. An influential but controversial idea proposes that while animals are awake, actively engaging with their environment and forming memories, neural plasticity is dominated by LTP-like processes that lead to a net strengthening of synapses. If left unopposed, this would saturate synapses, and so the hypothesis asserts that a crucial function of sleep is to drive widespread downscaling of excitatory synaptic strengths to homeostatically compensate. In this thesis, I present work that used real-time sleep classification, ex vivo measurements of postsynaptic strength, and in vivo optogenetic monitoring of thalamocortical synaptic efficacy to ask whether sleep and wake states can constitutively drive changes in synaptic strength within the neocortex of juvenile rats. We found that miniature EPSC amplitudes onto L4 and L2/3 pyramidal neurons were stable across sleep and wake dense epochs in both primary visual (V1) and prefrontal cortex (PFC). Further, chronic monitoring of thalamocortical synaptic efficacy in V1 of freely behaving animals revealed stable responses across even prolonged periods of natural sleep and wake. Together these data demonstrate that sleep does not drive widespread downscaling of synaptic strengths during the highly plastic critical period in juvenile animals. Whether this remarkable stability across sleep and wake generalizes to the fully mature nervous system remains to be seen. In summary, this thesis work attempts to reconcile competing ideas over how sleep and other brain states might modulate synaptic plasticity to stabilize and promote learning and memory.
The Compost Connection for Western Agriculture, August 2000
Creators: name: Granatstein, David
Publisher: name: Washington State University Cooperative Extension
Year: 2000
Subjects: composting
Agriculture

description: CERWA Project Wrap Up / Biodynamic Compost: Is it something special? / Teaching composting on the Web - it's hard to smell the ammonia! / Breakeven Hauling Distances for Beef Feedlot Manure in southern Alberta / Pesticide Residues in Yard Debris Compost
Pulse Asia Research Poll: November 2011 Ulat ng Bayan Survey
Creators: name: Pulse Asia Research
Publisher: name: Roper Center for Public Opinion Research
Year: 2020

description: Poverty and living standards (5); personal quality of life (2); state of national economy (3); urgent personal concerns (3); urgent national concerns (3); ratings of officials and government agencies (43); ratings of national administration on select issues (11); trust ratings of government officials and agencies (28); listening to radio programs (5); interest in 2013 elections (1); 2013 senatorial candidates (2); most important characteristics of country's leader (3); political dynasty (1); martial law (1); hopelessness (1); moving to another country (1); Christmas (1); hope for upcoming year (1).
Erratum to: Best practice recommendations for the use of fully implanted telemetry devices in pinnipeds
Creators: name: Horning, Markus
name: Haulena, Martin
name: Tuomi, Pamela A
name: Mellish, Jo-Ann E
name: Goertz, Caroline E
name: Woodie, Kathleen
name: Berngartt, Rachel K
name: Johnson, Shawn
name: Shuert, Courtney R
name: Walker, Kristen A
name: Skinner, John P
name: Boveng, Peter L
Publisher: name: BioMed Central
Year: 2017

Abstract