cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
Elucidating the origin of expiratory abdominal activity during sleep and analysis of its manifestation in conditions of an impaired inspiratory drive
Creators: Pisanski, Annette
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

This dissertation explored respiratory control mechanisms during sleep, with a specific focus on the contribution of the lateral parafacial area (pFL) to the generation of abdominal recruitment. Existing theories posit the preBötzinger complex (preBötC) as the inspiratory oscillator and identify the pFL as the driver of active expiration through abdominal muscle (ABD) recruitment. Despite induced muscle paralysis during REM sleep, ABD recruitment persists, exhibiting correlations with heightened tidal volume and the regularization of respiratory periods. Utilizing chemogenetic modulation of the pFL activity, this study revealed a state-dependent impact: inhibiting the pFL reduced REM events expressing ABD recruitment, while activation increased both the frequency and intensity of such events. Intriguingly, ABD recruitment during NREM sleep and wakefulness remained unaffected. Additionally, this thesis investigated the rostrocaudal localization of the pFL core, addressing the variability in prior studies regarding the pFL response coordinates. Through the measurement of the impact of GABAergic disinhibition on respiration at distinct rostro-caudal sites, this study identified that more rostral pFL locations are pivotal for substantial and enduring changes in ABD recruitment and respiratory responses. Moreover, this dissertation explored the occurrence of ABD recruitment in sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), a health concern with cardio-metabolic implications. By leveraging the Kappa-opioid-receptor-DREADD (KORD) system to depress preBötzinger complex activity in rats, this study observed heightened respiratory disturbances and ABD recruitment during REM sleep following KORD receptor ligand administration. These findings offer valuable insights into the role of the pFL in sleep-related respiratory control, elucidating state-dependent mechanisms and identifying potential therapeutic targets for sleep-related breathing disorders.
Austromegachile (Austromegachile) Mitchell
Creators: name: Raw, Anthony
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2002
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Megachilidae
Austromegachile

description: Subgenus Austromegachile Mitchell
Megachile (Austromegachile) Mitchell 1943: 666. Type species: Megachile montezuma Cresson 1878. Original designation. Michener et al 1994: 149, Michener 2000: 550.
Cressoniella (Austromegachile) Mitchell 1980: 63.
Holcomegachile Moure 1953: 119. Type species: Megachile giraffa Schrottky 1913 a. Original designation. Monotypic.
Megachile (Holcomegachile) Michener et al 1994: 149. Synonymy of Michener 2000: 550.
description: Published as part of Raw, Anthony, 2002, New combinations and synonymies of leafcutter and mason bees of the Americas (Megachile, Hymenoptera, Megachilidae), pp. 1-43 in Zootaxa 71 (1) on page 4, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.71.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/155887
Adaptive Search Control through Meta-Gradient Reinforcement Learning
Creators: Burega, Bradley Thomas
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

In model-based reinforcement learning, an agent can improve its policy by planning: learning from experience generated by a model. Search control is the problem of determining which starting state should be used to generate this experience. Given a limited planning budget, an agent should be efficient in selecting experience, as some states may provide much greater value to learning than others. Particularly in complicated environments with large state spaces, an agent could easily waste time planning in states which have little effect on policy improvement. Thus, search control should carefully select starting states to maximize planning efficiency. In this work, we study effective search control and examine how search control can be designed when an agent has access to either a perfect or imperfect model. We show that in a non-stationary environment, search control can be more effective by focusing updates on states with high value error. While using an imperfect model, it can be effective to avoid learning from states where the model produces erroneous reward predictions. However, in most cases it is not feasible to hand-design a search control strategy for a novel environment.

Towards this end, we introduce a novel algorithm which uses meta-learning to adjust an agent's search control strategy while it learns a policy. We empirically evaluate the ability of this algorithm to improve the efficiency of planning in a stochastic and non-stationary environment. The results demonstrate that this algorithm outperforms several fixed search control approaches and learns behaviours similar to baselines hand-designed to perform well in our test environment.
Integrating Salinity of Flowback Fluid and Flow Data for Fracture Characterization and Production Forecast in Unconventional Reservoirs
Creators: Zhang, Ganxing
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

The complexity inherent in hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas reservoirs demands sophisticated analytical tools for optimal performance and sustainability. The research presented in this study adopts a multi-faceted approach that synergistically combines flow-geochemical models for fracture characterization.

In the initial phase of the research, a coupled flow-geochemical model using commercial simulation software is developed. This model emphasizes the intricate interactions between key components such as oil, original formation water, injected water, and rocks. The model is validated through coreflood experimental data. It provides valuable insights into the complex mechanisms affecting oil recovery during water injection processes with varying salinity. For instance, the model reveals that while ion exchange plays a critical role in high-salinity water flooding, mineral dissolution/precipitation reactions are more dominant in low-salinity scenarios.

Then, the coupled flow-geochemical model is extended to a hydraulically fractured horizontal well model. The modelling results are analyzed to explore the temporal changes in the salinity of flowback fluid and production time. The simulation results are then used to train a set of regression models using Response Surface Modelling (RSM) to predict gas rate and total salinity as a function time for a variety of primary and secondary fracture properties and configurations. Validation exercises demonstrate its robust predictive capabilities, with R2 values consistently above 0.95, confirming the model's reliability and applicability.

In the next phase, the regression models are integrated into an optimization workflow: Genetic Algorithm (RSM-GA) for fracture characterization. Its novelty lies in the integration of salinity in the analysis. The methodology's versatility is assessed across different reservoir and well configurations, including both homogeneous and heterogeneous contexts. It examines the application in different scenarios such as uniform and non-uniform secondary fracture scenarios, heterogeneous fracture patterns, and advanced multi-stage horizontal well frameworks.

Finally, it is found that incorporating fracture parameters estimated from both salinity and rate data, even in the case of multi-stage horizontal wells with non-uniform primary fracture length and spacing or heterogeneous secondary fracture distributions, results in a more accurate representation of the reservoir's behaviour and production history match.
Development of a Large-scale Continuous Carbon Fiber Composite Additive Manufacturing System Based on Fused Granular Fabrication
Creators: Philip, Anish Abraham
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

The thesis details the design and development of a method to additively manufacture continuous carbon fiber in a polyether ether ketone (PEEK) polymer matrix at a large scale. The majority of the additive manufacturing techniques are limited by size and printing time. Furthermore, the mechanical characteristics of typically 3D printed polymers are often inadequate for use in industrial settings. The prevalent technique in polymer additive manufacturing is fused filament fabrication, which necessitates the production of polymer filaments. This raises the cost of raw materials and confines the process to conventional filament dimensions. Considering these shortcomings, the study aims to investigate fused granular fabrication (FGF) based 3D printing which uses polymer in pellet form. A three-axis cartesian gantry based FGF printing system with a screw-based pellet extruder was constructed for studying the process parameters that influence the printing of a performance polymer. For this study, PEEK, an engineering thermoplastic frequently used in the aerospace and medical industry, was used. Employing a design of experiments approach, a study was conducted on printing temperature, bead overlap, layer height, and material throughput rate to obtain the optimal parameters to print parts with near zero porosity and minimal surface deformities. Tensile test was conducted on parts printed with the optimal set of parameters and compared with other manufacturing processes. During the study a variety of challenges involved with 3D printing high performance thermoplastics were resolved, such as issues with delamination, warping, and poor bed adhesion. For the second half of the thesis, a novel nozzle was designed with the capability of 3D printing in-situ impregnated continuous carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CCFRP). Parametric computational fluid dynamics analysis was performed on the design to optimize the temperature distribution and flow behavior of PEEK polymer through the nozzle. In order to utilize the benefits of printing CCFRP by employing nonplanar printing path, a six-axis robotic arm based FGF printer and components were constructed. A newly fabricated nozzle was implemented along with the screw-based pellet extruder on the robotic system and PEEK-CCFRP was printed as a proof of concept.
Megachile constructrix Smith, new comb.
Creators: name: Raw, Anthony
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2002
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Megachilidae
Megachile
Megachile constructrix

description: constructrix Smith, new comb.
Megachile constructrix Smith 1879: 77. Female. Type locality: Villa Nova [Brazil]. Type repository: BNHM 17a2447. Examined.
description: Published as part of Raw, Anthony, 2002, New combinations and synonymies of leafcutter and mason bees of the Americas (Megachile, Hymenoptera, Megachilidae), pp. 1-43 in Zootaxa 71 (1) on page 4, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.71.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/155887
Assessment of current and future needs for entomological extension in agriculture in Alberta
Creators: Domnich, Ilan
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Recent changes to the structure of agricultural extension in Alberta have raised concerns about the effectiveness and efficiency of the system. There is a need to evaluate the effectiveness of the current agricultural extension system to identify opportunities for growth and collaboration. Extension professionals need to understand the priorities of producers, the effectiveness of different extension efforts, and the best modes of communication for efficient exchange of information and technology. This project uses scientific surveys targeted at producers and extension professionals to better understand their priorities, needs, and preferences for entomological information, as well as the pest management issues and opportunities they face. The cost and the loss of chemical controls were identified as the worst pest management issues, while extension issues were viewed as less severe to both producers and extension professionals. In addition to expected pest control priorities, producers also valued conservation of beneficial insects. Producers trusted both traditional communication methods and digital ones but use and trust of resources were not always aligned. Extension professionals reported that funding, accessibility, and coordination of extension efforts were the biggest barriers to extension in the province. Results of this project provide insights into potential opportunities to improve extension in Alberta. In addition, a visual map of online entomology extension efforts in Alberta was created to help extension users find information they need.
Screw-Propelled Omni-Directional Robot: Automation of Waypoint Navigation and Control System Integration
Creators: Jelani Batcha, Mohamed Rizwan
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Helix-25 is a screw-propelled mobile robot designed by Copperstone Technologies® to survey hazardous ponds and fields. Currently this robot is manually operated, which may not be feasible during various circumstances. The control strategies for screw propelled robots have been limited, with a small element of control and they are all focussed on modelling. This project is a first pass effort to automate the movement of Helix -25 through waypoint navigation. A preliminary attempt to implement PID controller for automation of Helix is made as a first pass method, as dwelling into other sophisticated controllers may depend on dynamics of the terrain. In this project, GPS and IMU sensors are integrated into the Helix rover and the sensor data is fused using EK3 filter provided in-built by Pixhawk unit to get the pose estimate, and the ROS drivers provided by Copperstone Technologies® are used to send feedback-controlled commands to the motors based on PID errors. PID algorithms for roll, scroll and omni-directional modes were simulated in Gazebo using ZM robot and Helix model before being applied on field tests. Robots were made to follow preprogrammed Square, Hexagon and Circle trajectories to validate the robustness of control algorithm in various modes.

A trial field test was conducted on beach sand in a volleyball court, and it was found that Helix needs a cohesive medium to exhibit scroll and omnidirectional movement. Based on the inference, field testing is moved to hard surface medium to automate way point navigation in roll mode using the PID control on field test and the Helix is made to follow a 10 m x 10 m square trajectory successfully to prove the appropriate working of the automation controller interface. Later, a refinement in the robotic system and electronic design is suggested based on the field test learnings. Further, this proof of concept and mechatronic system integration builds a pathway for expanding research as well as facilitating tests of more sophisticated autonomous controller development on Helix -25.
Assessing Accent Anxiety: A measure of Non-native English Speakers’ concerns about their Accents
Creators: Xue, Qingyao
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Non-native speakers (NNS) often experience anxiety due to challenges posed by their accented speech. Building on these insights, this paper introduces an instrument, the Accent Anxiety Scale (AAS), specifically designed to assess three sources of NNSs’ accent anxiety, including: (1) NNS’s apprehension about negative evaluations about themselves, personally, tied to their non-standard pronunciation (Fear of Negative Evaluation), (2) concerns about rejection from the native speaker community because of their "foreign" pronunciation (Fear of Intergroup Rejection), and (3) anxieties over potential communication hurdles attributed to their pronunciation (Intelligibility Concerns). We evaluated the psychometric robustness of the AAS by analyzing data from a total of 474 immigrant and international student NNSs at a western Canadian university. Study 1 (N = 203) employed exploratory factor analysis and correlational analysis, Study 2  (N = 153) employed confirmatory factor analysis and replicated validation in study 1, and Study 3  (N = 118) tested temporal consistency and provided further evidence validating the scale. Robust evidence emerges supporting the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the AAS. The findings not only support the use of the AAS in research, they also offer implications for pedagogical strategies aimed at alleviating NNSs’ accent anxiety.
Quantum-grade nanodiamonds for ultrabright spin detection in live cells
Creators: name: Oshimi, Keisuke
name: Nakashima, Hiromu
name: Mandić, Sara
name: Kobayashi, Hina
name: Teramoto, Minori
name: Tsuji, Hirokazu
name: Nishibayashi, Yoshiki
name: Shikano, Yutaka
name: An, Toshu
name: Fujiwara, Masazumi
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2023
Subjects: subject: Applied Physics (physics.app-ph)
subject: Quantum Physics (quant-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Optically accessible spin-active nanomaterials are promising as quantum nanosensors for probing biological samples. However, achieving bioimaging-level brightness and high-quality spin properties for these materials is challenging and hinders their application in quantum biosensing. Here, we demonstrate ultrabright fluorescent nanodiamonds (NDs) containing 0.6-1.3-ppm nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers by spin-environment engineering via enriching spin-less 12C-carbon isotopes and reducing substitutional nitrogen spin impurities. The NDs, readily introduced into cultured cells, exhibited substantially narrow optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) spectra, requiring 16-times less microwave excitation power to give an ODMR depth comparable to that of conventional type-Ib NDs. They show average spin-relaxation times of T1 = 0.68 ms and T_2 = 1.6 us (1.6 ms and 2.7 us maximum) that were 5- and 11-fold longer than those of type-Ib, respectively. The bulk-like NV spin properties and bright fluorescence demonstrated in this study significantly improve the sensitivity of ND-based quantum sensors for biological applications.
Megachile exaltata Smith, new comb.
Creators: name: Raw, Anthony
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2002
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Megachilidae
Megachile
Megachile exaltata

description: exaltata Smith, new comb.
Megachile exaltata Smith 1853: 185. Male. Type locality: Rio Tapajoz, Brazil. Type repository: BNHM 17a2458. Examined.
description: Published as part of Raw, Anthony, 2002, New combinations and synonymies of leafcutter and mason bees of the Americas (Megachile, Hymenoptera, Megachilidae), pp. 1-43 in Zootaxa 71 (1) on page 4, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.71.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/155887
Advancements in Metered-Dose Inhaler Technology: Feasibility of Excipients and Particle Size Prediction
Creators: Minootan, Zahra
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Chronic respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are one of the leading causes of death in the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 262 million people were diagnosed with Asthma in 2019 alone. Among current drug delivery systems for the treatment of such conditions, pulmonary drug delivery is known as the most efficient route for delivery of drugs to the lungs. This thesis focuses on pressurized metered dose inhalers (pMDIs) as one of the most widely used devices in pulmonary drug delivery.

Chapter 1 gives an introduction to current inhaler devices and their advantages and disadvantages before providing further detail about pMDI formulations and designs. Additionally, particle engineering for manufacturing powders used in inhalers is discussed. Finally, methodologies to enhance the performance of pMDIs are reviewed and discussed.

Chapter 2 presents the details of an investigation into different suspension formulations and the feasibility of their use in pMDIs. A short-term accelerated stability study was conducted to investigate the physical stability of spray dried powders in pMDIs. Formulations were compared in terms of their suspension stability and particle morphology. Results of the study showed that factors such as the propellants used and the spray drying manufacturing conditions could affect the physical stability of particles emitted from pMDIs.

Chapter 3 provides a literature review of current models and simulation for predicting the aerosol performance of pMDIs. It then goes further in development of a Monte Carlo simulation to predict aerodynamic particle distribution of residual particles emitted from pMDIs. Using the simulation, various factors influencing APSD of emitted aerosols are discussed, and the potential of the simulation to account for different variables is explored.

In summary, this thesis aims to give a better understanding of pMDIs as established devices for pulmonary drug delivery, explore methods for evaluating their performance, and delve into the development of environmentally friendly inhalers with innovative formulations.
Boysidia paralella Gojšina & Hunyadi & Sutcharit & Tongkerd & Auffenberg & Grego & Vermeulen & Reischütz & Páll-Gergely 2025, comb. nov.
Creators: name: Gojšina, Vukašin
name: Hunyadi, András
name: Sutcharit, Chirasak
name: Tongkerd, Piyoros
name: Auffenberg, Kurt
name: Grego, Jozef
name: Vermeulen, Jaap J.
name: Reischütz, Alexander
name: Páll-Gergely, Barna
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Mollusca
Gastropoda
Stylommatophora
Hypselostomatidae
Boysidia
Boysidia paralella

description: Boysidia paralella (Inkhavilay & Panha, 2016) comb. nov.
Paraboysidia paralella Inkhavilay & Panha in Inkhavilay et al. 2016: 220, figs 1, 3 A – C, 4 C.
Paraboysidia paralella — Inkhavilay et al. 2019: 62, fig. 27 B.
Material examined.
Laos • holotype; CUMZ 7059.
Type locality.
“ Limestone wall near the entrance of Kao Rao Cave, Vieng Phouka District, Luang Namtha Province, Laos (20°43'30.1"N, 101°9'4.3"E), 732 m amsl ”.
Remarks.
This species is assigned to Boysidia because of similar shell shape, surface sculpture and apertural barrier arrangement (especially strong columellar lamella) to some Boysidia species such as B. gittenbergeri, and B. hupeana.
description: Published as part of Gojšina, Vukašin, Hunyadi, András, Sutcharit, Chirasak, Tongkerd, Piyoros, Auffenberg, Kurt, Grego, Jozef, Vermeulen, Jaap J., Reischütz, Alexander & Páll-Gergely, Barna, 2025, A new start? Revision of the genera Anauchen, Bensonella, Gyliotrachela and Hypselostoma (Gastropoda, Eupulmonata, Hypselostomatidae) of Southeast Asia with description of 46 new species, pp. 1-338 in ZooKeys 1235 on pages 1-338, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1235.145281
Regularity Criteria for the Energy Equality to the 3D Magneto-Hydrodynamics Equations
Creators: Pineau, Mark
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

We consider the Cauchy problem to the Magneto-Hydrodynamics Equations (MHD) in R^3, and present specific criteria for which its corresponding energy equality holds. Specifically, we show that very weak solutions to the MHD equations (in the distributional sense) satisfy the energy equality, provided they belong to the space L^r(0, T; L^s(R^3)) with 2/r+2/s = 1 for s ≥ 4. Further, we also consider

regularity criteria on the gradient of the solution to the MHD Cauchy problem. That is, we show very weak solutions to the MHD equations satisfy the energy equality if ∇u, ∇B ∈ L^(8s/(9s−12)) (0, T; L^s(R^3)), for 12/7 < s ≤ 12/5.
Deciding finiteness of bosonic dynamics with tunable interactions
Creators: name: Bruschi, David Edward
name: Xuereb, André
name: Zeier, Robert
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Quantum Physics (quant-ph)
subject: Mathematical Physics (math-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: In this work we are motivated by factorization of bosonic quantum dynamics and we study the corresponding Lie algebras, which can potentially be infinite dimensional. To characterize such factorization, we identify conditions for these Lie algebras to be finite dimensional. We consider cases where each free Hamiltonian term is itself an element of the generated Lie algebra. In our approach, we develop new tools to systematically divide skew-hermitian bosonic operators into appropriate subspaces, and construct specific sequences of skew-hermitian operators that are used to gauge the dimensionality of the Lie algebras themselves. The significance of our result relies on conditions that constrain only the independently controlled generators in a particular Hamiltonian, thereby providing an effective algorithm for verifying the finiteness of the generated Lie algebra. In addition, our results are tightly connected to mathematical work where the polynomials of creation and annihilation operators are known as the Weyl algebra. Our work paves the way for better understanding factorization of bosonic dynamics relevant to quantum control and quantum technology.
description: 32 pages, 5 figures. Comments welcome
Megachile facialis Vachal, new comb.
Creators: name: Raw, Anthony
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2002
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Megachilidae
Megachile
Megachile facialis

description: facialis Vachal, new comb.
Megachile facialis Vachal 1908: 239 ­240. Female. Type locality: R. Mixiollo (1200 m), Huallaga, Peru. Type repository: MNHN. Examined.
description: Published as part of Raw, Anthony, 2002, New combinations and synonymies of leafcutter and mason bees of the Americas (Megachile, Hymenoptera, Megachilidae), pp. 1-43 in Zootaxa 71 (1) on page 4, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.71.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/155887
Megachile fiebrigi Schrottky
Creators: name: Raw, Anthony
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2002
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Megachilidae
Megachile
Megachile fiebrigi

description: fiebrigi Schrottky
Megachile fiebrigi Schrottky 1908: 234 (January). Female. Type locality: São Paulo, Brazil. Type repository: MZSP.
Megachile planiceps Friese 1909: 237. Female. Type locality: S. Bernadino, Paraguay. Type repository: Museum fur Naturkunde, Humboldt­Universitat, Berlin. Synonymy of Schrottky 1913a: 154.
Megachile (Austromegachile) fiebrigi Mitchell 1943b: 667.
Megachile tergina Vachal 1908: 223 (December). Female. Type locality: Huallaga, Peru. Type repository: MNHN. Examined. NEW SYNONYMY.
description: Published as part of Raw, Anthony, 2002, New combinations and synonymies of leafcutter and mason bees of the Americas (Megachile, Hymenoptera, Megachilidae), pp. 1-43 in Zootaxa 71 (1) on page 4, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.71.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/155887
Exploring Methods for Generating and Evaluating Skill Targeted Reading Comprehension Questions
Creators: von der Ohe, Spencer McIntosh
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

It takes skilled teachers a significant amount of time and effort to create high

quality reading comprehension questions, often making it impractical to target

a particular reader’s weaknesses. Recently, language models have been

proposed as a tool to help teachers fill this gap, allowing these teachers to

generate questions targeting specific skill types.

In this thesis, we propose SoftSkillQG, a new soft-prompt based language

model for generating skill targeted reading comprehension questions that does

not require any manual effort to target new skills. We compare SoftSkillQG

against a variety of strong baselines and show that it outperforms existing

techniques on four out of five question quality metrics for the SBRCS dataset

and human evaluation of Context Specificity on the QuAIL dataset. However,

on the QuAIL dataset, T5 WTA, a previously proposed method using

manually created prompts, outperforms SoftSkillQG in terms of perplexity

and these same five metrics.

We investigate why SoftSkillQG performs poorly relative to T5 WTA, a

method using manually created “hard” prompts, on the QuAIL dataset by

examining both the data size and prompt initialization on SoftSkillQG’s performance.

We show that dataset size may be affecting performance, but augmenting

training with silver data from the SQuAD dataset did not improve

performance. On the other hand, initializing the prompt of SoftSkillQG using

the same prompt as T5 WTA yielded nearly the same perplexity on the QuAIL

dataset.

Finally, we perform a first of its kind analysis using the human annotations

from our previous experiments to compare five different methods for evaluating

sets of generated questions. We find that: MS-Jaccard4 best captures the

diversity of a set of questions, Best Reference Evaluation aligns mostly

closely with human judgement of Answerability; Cartesian Product evaluation

aligns most closely with Context-Specificity; and Fr´echet BERT Distance

aligns mostly closely with Fluency.
Language, Culture and Context: Perspectives of Canadian Service Providers on Immigrant Women's Understandings and Experiences of Violence within Intimacy
Creators: Rajan, Nirupama
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Immigrant women from ethnocultural communities often have differing definitions and experiences of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Domestic Violence (DV), and these processes are heavily influenced by language, culture and political contexts. However, the dominant conceptions of partner or family violence and the responses deemed appropriate to it within mainstream Canadian discourses do not account for this diversity. In turn, this creates a gap between the nature of services that many of these immigrant survivors have access to and those that they actually desire, thereby frequently discouraging them from seeking formal support. This thesis uses the framework of feminist standpoint epistemology to explore the various linguistic, cultural and contextual factors (such as immigration itself) that play overlapping roles in determining how immigrant women understand and respond to violence in diverse ways. Through interviews of six service providers from Edmonton who engage with immigrant survivors, it also shines a light on what many immigrant women look for when they approach support workers, why the existing system is not set up to cater to their specific needs, and how this creates a situation where immigrant survivors do not have equitable access to quality care and support within Canada. Finally, it suggests several areas for future research that could contribute towards more culturally-informed understandings of violence and offers some recommendations for improvements that can be made within the existing support system.
"Let Them Play...But Not with Me": Exploring Student-Athlete's Attitudes Towards Trans* Participation in Varsity Sport
Creators: Davis, Adriana A
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

The debate on whether transgender athletes should be ‘allowed’ to participate in elite sport, and in which gender category, has been increasing in recent years. Transgender individuals experience discrimination and rejection in physical activity and sport at a higher degree than their lesbian, gay, and bisexual counterparts. The current study identifies and describes the current attitudes of varsity athletes from three schools in Western Canada towards transgender athletes' participation in varsity sport. Participants, varsity athletes, were recruited from three Western Canada universities following preliminary conversations with each university’s athletic director. A total of 86 participants completed measures including a demographic questionnaire, the Attitudes Towards Transgender Men and Transgender Women (ATTMW) Scale, two questions specific to transgender athletes, the Shortened Right-Wing Authoritarianism Scale (RWA-S), the Revised Religious Fundamentalism Scale (R-RFS), and the Self-Compassion Scale – Short Form (SCS-SF). It was hypothesized that individuals who indicate religious fundamentalism, right-wing authoritarianism, lower self-compassion, and a conservative political orientation would express negative attitudes towards transgender individuals and would disagree with the two questions specific to transgender athletes. Results from hierarchical regressions indicate binary gender to be a predictor of attitudes towards trans* individuals and participation in sport. Cisgender women expressed less favourable attitudes towards trans* individuals and trans* participation in sport compared to cisgender male participants. Participants with more favorable attitudes towards trans* individuals and their participation in sports exhibited lower levels of RWA and RF, indicating an association between traditional values and negative views on trans* individuals in sports. The study also observed a preference for trans* men over trans* women, possibly influenced by perceived athletic advantages and higher perceived threat of trans women, reflecting underlying sexism and transphobia. Furthermore, the research revealed a nuanced relationship between gender, athletic identity, and attitudes in the context of transgender participation in sports, potentially shaped by perceptions of competition and feminism.
Initial Trigger Strategy for the P-ONE Detector
Creators: Miro Trejo, Santiago J
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

This thesis presents a comprehensive analysis of trigger algorithm efficiency for neutrino event detection in the Pacific Ocean Neutrino Experiment (P-ONE) detector. Investigating muon, electron, and tau neutrinos, the study highlights distinctive interaction characteristics. Beginning with a detailed theoretical background, the research covers the design and components of P-ONE, including the STRAW pathfinder and principles governing muon track and cascade detection. Using a software framework, simulations modeled a muon neutrino flux, monoenergetic muons, and full energy spectra for neutrinos. Trigger algorithm development, reconstructable event selection, and string spacing optimization are discussed. Efficiency analyses, reveal a 70% muon neutrino detection at 10TeV and over 90% efficiency for electron and tau neutrinos at 10TeV. The muon efficiency could also be increased to 85% if a second level trigger algorithm with a factor 50 or more rate reduction can be developed.
Supplementary file 1 from Late Triassic †Cryptovaranoides microlanius is a squamate, not an archosauromorph
Creators: name: Whiteside, David Ian
name: Chambi-Trowell, Sofía A. V.
name: Benton, Michael J
Publisher: name: The Royal Society
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 310401
subject: Animal systematics and taxonomy
classificationCode: 310411
subject: Plant and fungus systematics and taxonomy

description: Supplementary methods and data tables.
Megachile futilis Mitchell, new comb.
Creators: name: Raw, Anthony
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2002
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Megachilidae
Megachile
Megachile futilis

description: futilis Mitchell, new comb.
Megachile futilis Mitchell 1930: 254 ­255. Male. Type locality: Tapyta, Bolivia. Based on the description the species is tentatively placed in this subgenus.
description: Published as part of Raw, Anthony, 2002, New combinations and synonymies of leafcutter and mason bees of the Americas (Megachile, Hymenoptera, Megachilidae), pp. 1-43 in Zootaxa 71 (1) on page 5, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.71.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/155887
Analytical Model for Atomic Relaxation in Twisted Moiré Materials
Creators: name: Ezzi, Mohammed M. Al
name: Pallewela, Gayani N.
name: De Beule, Christophe
name: Mele, E. J.
name: Adam, Shaffique
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Strongly Correlated Electrons (cond-mat.str-el)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: By virtue of being atomically thin, the electronic properties of heterostructures built from two-dimensional materials are strongly influenced by atomic relaxation. The atomic layers behave as flexible membranes rather than rigid crystals. Here we develop an analytical theory of lattice relaxation in twisted moiré materials. We obtain analytical results for the lattice displacements and corresponding pseudo gauge fields, as a function of twist angle. We benchmark our results for twisted bilayer graphene and twisted WSe$_2$ bilayers using large-scale molecular dynamics simulations. Our \textit{single-parameter} theory is valid in graphene bilayers for twist angles $θ~\gtrsim 0.7^\circ$, and in twisted WSe$_2$ for $θ~\gtrsim 1.6^\circ$. We also investigate how relaxation alters the electronic structure in twisted bilayer graphene, providing a simple extension to the continuum model to account for lattice relaxation.
Restart uncertainty relation for monitored quantum dynamics
Creators: name: Yin, Ruoyu
name: Wang, Qingyuan
name: Tornow, Sabine
name: Barkai, Eli
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Statistical Mechanics (cond-mat.stat-mech)
subject: Quantum Physics (quant-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We introduce a novel time-energy uncertainty relation within the context of restarts in monitored quantum dynamics. Initially, we investigate the concept of ``first hitting time'' in quantum systems using an IBM quantum computer and a three-site ring graph as our starting point. Previous studies have established that the mean recurrence time, which represents the time taken to return to the initial state, is quantized as an integer multiple of the sampling time, displaying pointwise discontinuous transitions at resonances. Our findings demonstrate that, the natural utilization of the restart mechanism in laboratory experiments, driven by finite data collection time spans, leads to a broadening effect on the transitions of the mean recurrence time. Our newly proposed uncertainty relation captures the underlying essence of these phenomena, by connecting the broadening of the mean hitting time near resonances, to the intrinsic energies of the quantum system and to the fluctuations of recurrence time. This work not only contributes to our understanding of fundamental aspects related to quantum measurements and dynamics, but also offers practical insights for the design of efficient quantum algorithms with mid-circuit measurements.
description: Main text 12 pages, 7 figures; Supplementary Information 15 pages, 19 figures
Renormalization Group Flows for Superfluid 3He under Confinement
Creators: Attar, Adil A
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

We theoretically investigate the effect of fluctuations in the order parameter on the

phase transition of 3He under nanoscale confinement of one spatial dimension realized

in recent experiments. We derive a new quasi two-dimensional free energy that relies

on a 3×2 complex matrix instead of the 3×3 complex matrix order parameter found

in the three-dimensional system. We minimize the quasi two-dimensional free energy

and present two energetically degenerate phases that are predicted: the A-phase and

the planar phase.

Beyond the mean-field approximation, we calculate the RG flow in the three-dimensional, two-dimensional, and quasi two-dimensional limits. We derive the perturbative flow equations for all quartic coupling constants with non-trivial kinetic

factor. We find that the B-phase is energetically favoured in the three-dimensional

system in agreement with experiment. In contrast, in the quasi two-dimensional

limit, weak-coupling perturbative renormalization group predicts the planar phase to

be energetically favoured. However, strong-coupling corrections favour the A-phase

observed in experiment.

We derived FRG flow equations for the 3D, 2D and quasi-2D cases with non-trivial

kinetic factor. In the quasi-2D limit, we found that the A-phase was favoured over

the planar phase for certain levels of confinement. These confinement scales were

also confirmed to have a prominent Fermi liquid to A-phase transition in experiment.

Due to the unstable fixed point, we find that under confinement there is a fluctuation-induced first-order transition to the A-phase.
Megachile incongrua Smith, new comb.
Creators: name: Raw, Anthony
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2002
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Megachilidae
Megachile
Megachile incongrua

description: incongrua Smith, new comb.
Megachile incongrua Smith 1879: 78. Female. Type locality: Tunantins [Amazonas, Brazil]. Type repository: BNHM 17a2501. Examined.
description: Published as part of Raw, Anthony, 2002, New combinations and synonymies of leafcutter and mason bees of the Americas (Megachile, Hymenoptera, Megachilidae), pp. 1-43 in Zootaxa 71 (1) on page 5, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.71.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/155887
Cancer Recurrence and Survival Prediction and Evaluation using Machine Learning
Creators: Farrokh, Mahtab
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

As cancer is the leading global cause of death, an ongoing challenge is predicting an individual's cancer progression accurately, to facilitate personalized treatment planning. Individuals diagnosed with cancer may succumb to the illness or face cancer recurrence post-treatment. The first part of this thesis focuses on predicting prostate cancer recurrence using tissue images. Roughly 30% of men with prostate cancer who undergo radical prostatectomy (RP) will suffer biochemical cancer recurrence (BCR). Unfortunately, no current method can effectively predict which patients will experience BCR after RP. We develop and evaluate PathCLR, a novel semi-supervised method that learns a model that can use tissue images along with clinicopathological features to predict prostate cancer recurrence within five years after RP. We built and evaluated models using two prostate cancer datasets: CPCTR and JHU. PathCLR’s (10-fold cross-validation) F1 score was 0.61 for CPCTR and 0.85 for JHU, which were statistically superior to the best-learned model that relied solely on clinicopathological features. This finding suggests that there is essential predictive information in tissue images at the time of surgery that goes beyond the knowledge obtained from reported clinicopathological features, helping predict the patient’s five-year outcome.The second part of this dissertation focuses on effective survival prediction and evaluation for cancer patients. In the context of deploying individual survival prediction models, a pivotal question emerges: Are we striving to compare survival durations between patients (i.e., ‘Who survives longer between patients A and B?’)  or are we endeavoring to estimate a specific patient's survival time (i.e., ‘How long will patient A survive?’), among other scenarios. We address this fundamental inquiry and conduct a comprehensive evaluation of such predictive models. We consider 9 common solid tumors (breast, lung, prostate, etc.) using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. We consider several different possible goals of a survival prediction model and connect each goal to a specific evaluation metric. We propose modified versions of the Mean Absolute Error (MAE) measure tailored to address a query about a patient’s expected survival duration. Here, we trained multiple models (including both conventional and advanced machine learning models) on various cancer types and rigorously evaluated those models using the proposed metrics. We demonstrate that a model might be effective for one goal but ineffective for another, and show that we can determine this based on the measure used. Our findings underscore the importance of selecting the evaluation measure that is aligned with the primary objective of a study. This research sets a path for future research that seeks to further refine predictive models for oncological prognostication.
Children with medical complexity in the emergency department: Parent experiences and information needs
Creators: Lysak, Danielle M
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

When your child needs emergency health care, as a parent, you typically drop what you are doing and drive to the hospital or call 911.  For parents of children with medical complexity, an emergency department visit is more often a calculated decision after exhausting all other options- it has been described as “the last resort”.  Children with complex medical needs constitute a growing number of pediatric patients that utilize the emergency department, disproportionately more than children outside of this category.  Parents of these children are often the key source of information, lead care coordinators for their child, and best understand their specific clinical signs predictive of decompensation. The unique challenges these parents face when accessing emergency healthcare are highlighted in this study and their expertise in their child reinforced. The objective of this patient-oriented study is to explore information needs and experiences of parents accessing emergency health care for their child with medical complexity. The first chapter of this paper-based thesis provides context as to why further exploration into experiences of parents of this pediatric population is warranted.  The second chapter houses the manuscript that will be prepared for consideration for journal publication, post-defense. The final chapter presents a general discussion of the study and its implications for nursing and future study. Our findings from the parent interviews yielded valuable insight to inform a future knowledge translation tool to improve outcomes for these children and their parents accessing the emergency department healthcare. A qualitative approach to understanding the experiences and information needs of this population successfully demonstrated the priorities and perspectives of the families who access our healthcare system the most.
Improvement in the Functionality & 3D Printability of Pea Protein Gels Prepared by Plasma Activated Microbubble Water
Creators: Chembakasseri Menon, Sreelakshmi
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Three-dimensional (3D) food printing is one of the emerging processing technologies that enables the construction of complex food structures and customization. Although various food ingredients have been explored for their 3D printability, pea protein is among the plant proteins that have not been studied extensively on its 3D printability, owing to its native inability to hold shape and structure following extrusion. This study investigated the effect of plasma activated microbubble (PAMB) treatment on the thermal gelation and 3D printability of pea protein isolate (PPI). PAMB treatments with different combinations of discharge gases (80% argon and 20% air, 90% argon and 20% air, 100% argon, and 100% air) were applied to prepare PPI suspensions. These suspensions were then heated at 85°C for 30 and 60 min, followed by immediate cooling to prepare PPI gels. The viscoelastic measurements and mechanical properties of PPI gels indicated that this combined application was suitable for 3D printing, with a notable increase in storage modulus (G’), loss modulus (G’’) and compressive strength in PPI-PAMB gels. The 3D printed PPI gels prepared using PAMB treatment exhibited better structure retention, resistance to deformation, and stability during storage. The treatment using PAMB prepared by the combination of argon and air, i.e., 80% argon and 20% air and 90% argon and 10% air, resulted in PPI gels with better rheological properties, mechanical stability and 3D printability. Freeze drying was investigated as a possible post 3D printing processing operation to enhance the shelf life and storage stability of 3D printed PPI gels. The moisture content, water activity and textural properties of the freeze dried 3D printed PPI were investigated. With further studies, freeze dried 3D printed PPI gels can be utilised in protein rich breakfast foods.