cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
Bandits Out of the Marshes: Shuihu zhuan in the Context of Late Imperial Military Historical Fiction
Creators: Minden, Samuel
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

This thesis examines the Chinese Late Imperial novel Shuihu zhuan  (Water Margin) from the perspective of viewing it as a historical representation of the mid-Song Dynasty’s many wars and the ways in which it shares thematic and character-based parallels with other Late Imperial novels set during the Song Dynasty. This paper’s approach to Shuihu zhuan is predominantly based around the final fifty chapters of the 120-chapter edition of the novel, as these chapters deal directly with the historical wars of the mid-Song Dynasty and as such share the most parallels with other stories set in the Song dynasty such as the tales of the Yang Family generals and the Qing dynasty novel Shuo Yue zhuan. The first section of this thesis examines the ways in which these texts depict the foreign wars of the Song against the Liao and later Jin dynasties and the prominent recurring themes regarding these wars that appear in these texts. The second section explores Shuihu zhuan’s depiction of the historical Fang La rebellion and the broader moral quandaries that surround the concept of anti-government resistance in these novels. The final section examines the relationship between Shuihu zhuan, Shuo Yue zhuan, and Sanguozhi tongsu yanyi that exists through their sharing of prominent characters and themes, as well as the broader reasons outside of the text that often have influenced the creations of these allusions. Key themes discussed in this thesis include: the interconnection between strategy and magic in Late Imperial military literature, the villainization of government officials to protect the reputation of the emperor, the issue of just and unjust rebellion, the variations on the theme of sworn brotherhood, and the role of marketing and audience reception in the construction of the Late Imperial novel. The goal of this paper is to offer a comprehensive analysis of the intertextuality of Late Imperial novels set during the Song Dynasty from the starting point of Shuihu zhuan.
TEACHERS ABILITY DURING EFL LESSONS
Creators: name: Ibragimova, Durdona
name: Khaitova, Gulhayo
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024

description: In this article, we discuss the abilities demonstrated by teachers in their teaching activities, their types, and the associated skills. Additionally, we explore "Auxiliary Forms of Education," which are considered relevant today for improving the quality of education, as well as their effectiveness in expanding students' knowledge and preparing them for independent learning.
Time Series and Machine Learning Approach for Forecasting the Demand for Small Equipment, Tools, and Consumables for Industrial Construction Projects
Creators: Jafari, Elnaz
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

The high consumption and utilization of demand for small equipment, tools, and consumables in

construction projects underscores the necessity for effective procurement strategies. Accurate

estimation of these consumables is crucial for moving toward project completion in a timely

manner. With recent advancements in time series analysis, artificial intelligence, and machine

learning, these technologies can be employed to formulate predictive models.

This research aims to explore the advantages of using time series and machine learning—in

combination with historical data from past projects—to identify key factors that impact demand

for these consumables, as well as develop an efficient predictive model that analyzes and learns

from historical data thereby facilitating precise estimations for future projects. The research

involves collecting and analyzing historical data, analyzing current industry practices for

estimating requirements for small equipment, tools, and consumables, and implementing time

series analysis and machine learning algorithms to forecast demand for various types of

consumables in construction projects. This study investigates crucial factors that influence these

items, bridging the gap between literature review and industry practices.

Finally, this research proposes time series and machine learning models capable of predicting

quantities in industrial projects using historical data. The proposed models provide an estimation

of monthly requirements for various types of consumables throughout the project, which assists

project managers in estimating required quantities, offering them accurate insights to help facilitate

effective procurement strategies.
Skin In The Game:Black Participatory Action Research (BPR) and Black Anarchist Coalition Building for Anti-Black Racist Organizing
Creators: Samuel, Belen
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Utilizing a Black Participatory Research (BPR) (Drame & Irby, 2016) methodology, this research convened 10 local Black organizers representing 5 organizations across amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton) to co-investigate and improve our praxis and collective understanding of Black coalition building as a form of anti-Black resistance to anti-Black racism and structural violence. Guided by six emergent and related research questions, BPR data generation included educational sessions with 3 members of the BPR team, 3 focus groups, and 7 interviews with Key Informants. Data was analyzed collectively while drawing from select literature and respective and shared organizing experiences.

Black radical theories centering Afropessimism (Wilderson, 2020) and Black Anarchism (Ervin, 2021) were deemed as inseparable tools for actioning Black personal collective resistances and survivals. BPR calls for an organic strategy of building coalition bonds across Black experiences and asserts that Black anarchist coalition is an essential ideology and pedagogical strategy for strengthening Black organizing and resistance work locally, regionally, and ultimately, for global Black survivals. Black Organizers in this project affirmed the need for a continued commitment for: (1) comprehensive political education; (2) adopting intersectional Black radical praxis; and (3) building community-wide power while prioritizing Black survivals. In realizing the necessity for new/alternative strategies of Black resistance, this project is ultimately concerned with understanding and contributing towards Black coalition formations to resist anti-Black racism and anti-Blackness in perpetuity.
Subseasonal Forecasting of Fire Weather Using Recurrent Neural Networks
Creators: Zerb, Jessica OB
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Fire weather indices are used by fire management agencies around the world to estimate potential wildfire danger. This allows for resources to be allocated effectively and to warn communities of potential wildfire hazards. Currently, monitoring and short-term forecasting of fire weather depends on the use of observed surface and upper air weather and numerical weather prediction systems. Fire weather forecasting at the subseasonal and seasonal time scale has been largely reliant on continued improvements to global circulation models. However, such models may lead to large uncertainties in the prediction of surface meteorology at timescales greater than five to seven days, which may result in low predictive skill for fire weather indices. To resolve this, large scale atmospheric patterns (teleconnections) are frequently used to predict seasonal variations in weather. Here we consider a deep learning data-centric approach to predict fire weather indices on a sub-seasonal time scale (1-5 weeks). This approach uses teleconnections such as the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Atlantic Multidecadal (AMO) as covariates. We apply a long short term memory (LSTM) recurrent neural network for time series forecasting of the Build-Up Index (BUI), an output of the Canadian Fire Weather Index System. Weekly averages of BUI are calculated using the fifth version of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis (ERA5) data. The ERA5 data is aggregated onto 4.87 x 10^5 m^2 hexels across Canada. Active fire season data from April to October is split into training and testing datasets which span 80% (1981 - 2012) and 20% (2013 - 2020) of the total time period respectively. After, hyperparameter tuning the LSTM model showed improved results in 1-3 week forecasts in the western half of Canada when compared to baseline forecasts of climatology and persistence. These model results may assist provincial fire management agencies in long range planning.
CLASSIFICATION OF TODAY'S VARIETIES AND VARIETIES OF COLUMNAR APPLE ORCHARDS IN THE NATIONAL ECONOMY
Creators: name: Nuriddinov, Sohibjon
name: Islomov, Sokhibjon
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024

description: In this article, information about the origin of the columnar apple, the technology of proper agrotechnical activities, the information about the most common varieties of the columnar apple in the world, and the grafts of the columnar apple are widely covered.
Towards a Unified Framework for Sequential Decision Making
Creators: name: Núñez-Molina, Carlos
name: Mesejo, Pablo
name: Fernández-Olivares, Juan
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2023
Subjects: subject: Artificial Intelligence (cs.AI)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences
subject: I.2.8

description: In recent years, the integration of Automated Planning (AP) and Reinforcement Learning (RL) has seen a surge of interest. To perform this integration, a general framework for Sequential Decision Making (SDM) would prove immensely useful, as it would help us understand how AP and RL fit together. In this preliminary work, we attempt to provide such a framework, suitable for any method ranging from Classical Planning to Deep RL, by drawing on concepts from Probability Theory and Bayesian inference. We formulate an SDM task as a set of training and test Markov Decision Processes (MDPs), to account for generalization. We provide a general algorithm for SDM which we hypothesize every SDM method is based on. According to it, every SDM algorithm can be seen as a procedure that iteratively improves its solution estimate by leveraging the task knowledge available. Finally, we derive a set of formulas and algorithms for calculating interesting properties of SDM tasks and methods, which make possible their empirical evaluation and comparison.
description: 10 pages, 0 figures
Nonlinear interactions using neutral atomic gases
Creators: Smith, Benjamin David
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Nonlinearities in quantum systems provide some of the most intriguing physics to be exploited for quantum technologies and for quantum simulations. In this thesis, we explore quantum nonlinearities in two different contexts: The first is an experimental demonstration of coherent microwave-to-optical conversion using a warm $^{87}$Rb atomic vapor located inside a cylindrical microwave cavity. Frequency conversion is essential for transferring quantum information generated in the microwave domain to optical frequencies, where it can be transmitted and networked with minimal propagation loss. A hybrid, second-order nonlinear susceptibility in the vapor enables coherent frequency conversion of single- and multi-channel microwave signals. This conversion is tunable over a large 550(30) MHz range of output optical frequencies due to the thermal Doppler broadening of the excited atomic state. This system also permits phase-correlated amplitude control of select frequency channels, providing an analog to a frequency domain beam splitter across five orders of magnitude in frequency.

The second context is a computational approach for accelerating computational solutions of the nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation. We employ open-source code and readily available graphics processing unit hardware. This allows us to simulate a quasi-2D version of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation, a specific type of the nonlinear Schr\"odinger model, where the nonlinearity arises from density-dependent scattering interactions. The equation describes a trapped, interacting, two-component Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) subject to a spatially dependent interspin coupling. This computational approach lets us probe high-resolution spatial features—revealing an interaction-dependent phase transition—all in a reasonable amount of time.
Application of Natural Polymer-based Nanomaterials in Delivery of Drugs and Other Small Molecules
Creators: Kanemaru, Karen
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Polymers have been a vital component of life since the inception of life itself in the form of DNA, a polymer of nucleotides. However, as the population of our planet has exponentially grown, so has the industrial demand for products, many of which utilize synthetic, non-biodegradable polymers such as plastics. Their accumulation in our ecosystems could have a lasting impact not only on our environment, but potentially our physiology. To make amends, researchers have begun to turn their attention back to the natural world in search of greener alternatives. In the biomedical field for example, natural and biocompatible hybrid polymers have gained particular interest in drug delivery, regenerative medicine, and sensing research. Focusing on drug delivery, not only are many natural-based polymers already biocompatible and biodegradable, but they can also hold stimuli-responsive properties either innately or by modification.This thesis focuses on the development, optimization, and characterization of the unique properties of natural polymer and biocompatible hybrid polymer-based drug delivery systems. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the world of natural polymers, stimuli-responsive polymers, and the vast array of their applications. In Chapter 2, we synthesized a chitosan-glutaraldehyde covalently crosslinked nanogel (CS-GA NG) for the pH and ATP dual-controlled delivery of doxorubicin. This work mainly focuses on the mechanism of ATP-responsivity and how this biomolecule interacts with the drug delivery system. Chapter 3 explores the effect of synthesis parameters on the self-assembly process of pea protein isolate nanoparticles (PPI NP) for the encapsulation of folic acid. Synthesis conditions that were explored include the use of Hofmeister salts, thermal aggregation time, and cooling rate. Chapter 4 includes overall conclusions and future directions for these projects. Finally, Appendix A at the end of this thesis includes supplementary tables and figures for the reader to gain a better understanding of the experimental results in the previous chapters.
Enhanced Flotation of Ultramafic Nickel Ores Using Carbon Dioxide as a Flotation Gas and Sodium Tripolyphosphate as a Serpentine Depressant
Creators: Ezeonyi, Nzubechukwu C
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Challenges in the processing of minerals have been on the rise due to increasing low-grade ores which require to be finely ground to liberate valuable minerals. Low-grade ores like the ultramafic ores contain large amounts of gangue minerals which impacts recovery of the valuable pentlandite minerals. In ultramafic nickel ores, serpentine (MgO-bearing mineral) slime-coats and decreases the recovery of the nickel-bearing pentlandite. To improve the recovery of pentlandite and subsequently suppress serpentine in ultramafic nickel ores, CO2 gas (either as a depressant or a flotation gas) and sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) as a reagent for serpentine depression are used in this study. Phosphate groups in STPP chelate magnesium ions and can facilitate serpentine depression in flotation systems. CO2 can also precipitate divalent cations like magnesium cations, and due to the high solubility of CO2 gas, it can form fine bubbles on hydrophobic valuable minerals to improve their recovery. The surface charge on the serpentine samples were completely reversed upon either the introduction of STPP at above 10 mg/L or by conditioning the suspension with CO2 gas during zeta potential measurements. The resulting negative charge of the serpentine minerals indicates that the heterogeneous agglomeration with pentlandite surface is weakened, which should allow for a more pentlandite floatability. Subsequently, an optimum concentration of 50 mg/L was obtained which was then used to perform XPS analysis and flotation tests. Flotation benefits were achieved as serpentine depression and enhanced pentlandite recovery was observed for both STPP and CO2 cases. STPP was more effective in depressing serpentine by 5%, while the highest pentlandite recovery of 88% was obtained when CO2 was used as a flotation gas, which is a 20% increase in recovery from the baseline case. The more effective STPP depressing ability was validated by XPS results and provides an opportunity to explore the combination of STPP and CO2 in future studies. Results from this study further re-emphasizes the need to explore the decarbonization strategy of using CO2 in flotation circuits and in mineral processing in general, while simultaneously improving recovery. This research also provides some information about the progress of CO2 in the mining industry and will serve as a guide for researchers to perform more experiments in the direction of CO2-assisted flotation.
Improving Verticillium longisporum inoculation protocols and quantifying canola yield losses
Creators: Cui, Ji
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Verticillium stripe, caused by Verticillium longisporum, is an emerging soilborne disease of the Canadian canola (Brassica napus) crop. This study aimed to refine techniques for inoculating the pathogen on canola and to quantify its impact on hybrid canola yield under greenhouse and field conditions in western Canada. Two inoculation methods, root-dip and grain inoculation, were compared in greenhouse experiments with three canola genotypes. Symptoms of Verticillium stripe appeared at early growth stages following root-dip inoculation, resulting in seedling mortalities ranging from 13% to 24% at 35 days post-inoculation. Mortality was significantly greater at higher inoculum concentrations using the root-dip method. Host age at inoculation did not significantly affect disease development in most cases. The grain inoculation method did not cause early-stage mortality, but disease severity at the adult stage differed significantly between control and high inoculum treatments for all host genotypes, with decreases in plant dry weight and height corresponding to increasing inoculum concentration. Grain inoculation may be preferable for large-scale resistance screening or field studies.

The relationship between Verticillium stripe severity and yield was investigated in two canola hybrids at two infested field sites near St. Albert, Alberta, in 2020 and 2021. Moderate levels of disease were observed in both hybrids in 2020, while symptoms were milder in 2021. Regression analysis indicated a decline in seed yield per plant with increasing Verticillium stripe severity in both years, best described by second-degree quadratic equations for both hybrids. At one site in 2020, yield loss per plant exceeded 60% in both hybrids when Verticillium stripe severity was > 3 on a 0-4 scale. Similarly, yield loss per plant often exceeded 50% in both hybrids at both sites in 2021 when disease severity was ≥ 1. These findings suggest that V. longisporum can cause significant yield losses even with relatively mild disease severity.
Shaping the care they deserve: Needs, expectations and recommendations of healthcare provision at the New Canadians Health Centre for Afghan refugee women in Edmonton
Creators: Neves, Cristian Guillermo
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

This qualitative inquiry delved into the healthcare needs and experiences of Afghan refugee women resettled in Canada, addressing three primary research questions. Employing a community-based participatory research approach alongside qualitative narrative inquiry, the study explored the lived experiences of Afghan women refugees accessing healthcare services, at the New Canadians Health Centre (NCHC). Through focus groups with six NCHC staff and semi-structured interviews with three Afghan women clients, a nuanced understanding of their healthcare journeys emerged. The findings underscored the multifaceted nature of their experiences, tracing back to pre-migration challenges in Afghanistan, including societal constraints and disparities in healthcare access. Post-resettlement, the women navigated identity shifts, daily life adjustments, and interactions with the Canadian healthcare system, encountering both positive and challenging experiences. Access to medication and mental health support emerged as crucial post-resettlement needs, while reliance on community networks for health information persisted. Despite obstacles, Afghan refugee women demonstrated resilience and agency, advocating for their health equity. Their insights offered valuable recommendations for culturally sensitive service provision. Ultimately, this study highlighted the imperative of culturally safe healthcare practices and underscored the transformative role of community and empowerment in shaping the healthcare experiences of Afghan refugee women in Canada.
Documentation supporting "Bayesian optimization for multicomponent supramolecular systems"
Creators: name: Jansen, S.A.H.
name: Markvoort, A.J.
name: de Graaf, F.V.
name: Rutten, M.G.T.A.
name: Dankers, P.Y.W.
name: Vantomme, G.
name: de Greef, T.F.A.
name: Meijer, E.W.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024

description: In support of "Bayesian optimization for multicomponent supramolecular systems", we share the following data sets and code:

Python scripts that allow for reproduction of Bayesian optimization of different case studies in the manuscript with simulated data.

Python scripts that were used for experimental Bayesian optimization of different case studies in the manuscript.

Data of the ground truth of simulated Bayesian optimization of assembly landscapes.
The Ecology of Possession: A Kin Study of Elk Island National Park
Creators: Long, Keara
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

This thesis introduces the theory of possessive ecologies, offering a critical alternative to the dominant paradigms of knowledge integration in environmental science, grounded in Moreton-Robinson's ontology of possession and Whyte's Indigenous ecologies. I argue that the field of environmental science plays a crucial role in shaping our understanding of race and property in the colonial context, especially in how landscapes extensively managed by Indigenous peoples have been depicted as untouched or natural. This narrative distortion, along with physical changes made to ecosystems during colonial times, has effectively hidden the rich history and current practices of Indigenous management of these lands.

I challenge the widely accepted split that places Indigenous knowledge on one side and scientific knowledge on the other as largely separate. Instead, I argue that these forms of knowledge as they exist today are deeply intertwined within the colonial context. I stress the significance of Indigenous governance and futurity to critique the way Indigenous knowledge is often oversimplified and romanticized, a result of a knowledge integration approach that keeps Indigenous and scientific knowledge in separate spheres. The knowledge integration approach often avoids questioning or altering either body of knowledge and also limits Indigenous influence to areas deemed cultural or spiritual, thereby limiting their potential material impact on land stewardship and governance.

I delve into case studies in the field of Science and Technology Studies (STS), advocating for what Todd calls "kin study" as a methodology for Indigenous STS. By incorporating Cree ideas, as well as Indigenous and feminist theories, I examine how landscapes and Indigenous roles are portrayed in the environmental plans and interpretative frameworks at Elk Island National Park, viewing these documents as narratives with historical depth. I compare how relationships with soil and fire are understood through Indigenous viewpoints of kinship versus the dominant ecological narratives of cultivation and disturbance/succession. Through stories and research on Indigenous connections with soil and fire, I confront the inaccuracies in how Indigenous roles are depicted in management plans, uncovering the overlooked stories of Indigenous environmental care.

The thesis wraps up with thoughts on how Indigenous peoples might use the language of science strategically to strengthen Indigenous governance in managing the environment. I advocate for a reshaping of environmental science that truly appreciates Indigenous systems of knowledge and governance, and which tackles the often implicit narratives about race and property rights by addressing the impacts of colonialism on how we talk about the environment.
Alberta Teachers’ Innovations in Classroom Practice Arising from Use of Technology in Online Learning as a Result of COVID-19
Creators: Bakker, Darlene J.
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Abstract

In this study, a small sample of Alberta teachers were interviewed about their use of technology in the classroom through three specific time-periods during the COVID-19 pandemic: pre-COVID-19, during COVID-19 and post COVID-19. The Cynefin Framework was used to find changes in technology use by teachers in their classrooms during this time. The Cynefin Framework is a sense-making framework. This framework is ideal to use for analysis of technology use during COVID-19. The Cynefin Framework represents three ontologies: order, disorder, and unorder. My findings show that all of these were present for teachers during COVID-19. Pre-COVID-19 is the ordered ontology which houses the best practices of classroom teaching and Professional Development in the Clear and Complicated Domains. The disordered ontology was the time when governments were ordering schools and some businesses to close. When school boards ordered schools to go online, this imposed ordered is called the unordered ontology. The unordered ontology represents the Chaotic and the Complex Domains. The Complex Domain is the domain where innovations occur. Technology that teachers continued to use post-pandemic was always modified slightly by them to suit their teaching topics or style. This has implications for how teachers should be taught to use various technologies, both in the undergraduate classroom and as Professional Development for the experienced teacher.
Boreal Bias: A Critique of CRM Testing Methodologies in Alberta’s Boreal Forest
Creators: Huber, Maegan Lee
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

This project, conducted in partnership with Ermineskin Cree Nation through the Ermineskin Industrial Relations Department (EIRD), was undertaken to address biases present in Alberta Culture Resource Management (CRM) archaeology that skew the data and perpetuate the conception that boreal archaeological sites are generally small and ephemeral. A comprehensive analysis of archaeological sites in the study area identified site clusters – where two or more archaeological sites have been identified within 100m of each other – to determine whether these previously identified sites are isolated with clearly defined boundaries, or if they could be connected as part of a larger site area. To this end, subsurface testing was conducted on the untested terrain between the previously identified site boundaries (FgPw-37, FgPw-41, and FgPw-43) within site cluster FID1127. The site cluster is located on a large parabolic sand dune near the contemporary Tidewater Gas Plant in the foothills of west-central Alberta. The testing was designed to ascertain whether current CRM methodologies adequately identify cultural material and accurately reflect the special extent of known sites. Identification of cultural material between these known sites supports the theory that current CRM practices in the Alberta boreal forest are missing key archaeological material, and as a result, breaking up larger habitation areas into what appear to be small ephemeral sites. This is not an accurate reflection of past lifeways in this region. Because industrial expansion in the boreal forest shows no evidence of slowing down and archaeological material is not a renewable resource, CRM methodologies and regulations must be continually tested and updated. Failure to do so compromises archaeological resources and contributes to the erasure of Indigenous history in Alberta.
Molecular characterization of Tubifex populations in Alberta, Canada, and their role in the spread of whirling disease
Creators: Turnbull, Alyssa Jean
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Whirling disease is a parasitic infection caused by Myxobolus cerebralis Hofer (Cnidaria: Myxozoa) and is debilitating to the salmonid fish that act as hosts. As of 2016, this parasite has been confirmed in Alberta, Canada. This thesis focused on estimating how long M. cerebralis has been present in the province of Alberta, Canada, and the potential for this parasite to spread in the province through the oligochaete host, Tubifex tubifex (Müller) (Annelida: Naididae).

To discern the introduction date of M. cerebralis into the province I used a combination of eDNA detections utilizing quantitative polymerase chain reactions (qPCR) and soil radioisotope dating. Sediment samples from Johnson Lake in Banff National Park, the location of the first whirling disease-positive fish detected in Alberta, were taken as well as two other waterbodies in the same watershed. These sediment samples were sectioned by depth and assessed for age and M. cerebralis DNA. These methods agreed with the introduction of the parasite to Johnson Lake, AB, around 2016. As a control, Johnson Lake core samples were also assessed for Brook Trout and Rainbow Trout DNA through qPCR, as introduction dates are known to begin after 1900 for this waterbody. Trout DNA was not detected in sediment prior to their introduction, with low DNA detections as early as 1972.9, confirming the reliability of these molecular methods.

To increase our knowledge of the distribution of Tubifex spp. and M. cerebralis in Alberta, I used CoxI barcoding of worms combined with qPCR detections for M. cerebralis DNA and Whole genome sequencing (WGS). Oligochaete samples from southern watersheds in the Crowsnest region of Alberta were taken in 2019. A total of 409 worm samples were sequenced and barcoded, with 156 returning positive qPCR results for M. cerebralis DNA. All positive M. cerebralis detections with >1000 DNA copies belonged to Tubifex sp. 3, corresponding to individuals suspected of shedding triactinomyxons (TAM), the parasite life stage responsible for infecting new fish. Whole genome sequencing was completed for each Tubifex spp. described from Alberta, which allowed mitochondrial genomes to be assembled and compared phylogenetically, expanding on the current understanding of Tubifex spp. and indicating new species in need of descriptions are present in Alberta, Canada. Observations of these Tubifex spp. suggest they differ in susceptibility to M. cerebralis.
XO'JALIK YURITUVCHI SUBYEKTLARNING MOLIYAVIY NATIJALARI TAHLILI
Creators: name: Abdujaborova, Ma'mura
name: Aminova, Guzal
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024

description: Moliyaviy natijalar xo‘jalik yurituvchi subyekt faoliyatining pirovard natijasi bo‘lib, foyda yoki zarar shaklida ifodalanadi. Foyda ijtimoiy ishlab chiqarish barcha bosqichlarining iqtisodiy kategoriyasidir.
Humble Hands in Humble Homes': The Irish Homespun Society, Women's Labour, and Craft Co-operatives in Ireland, 1935-65
Creators: Goddard, Brandi S.
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

This dissertation provides a historical analysis of the Irish Homespun Society (IHS), a female-led craft advocacy group active in Ireland between 1935 and 1965. Established to slow the steady decline of traditional craft manufacture in poverty-stricken western counties, the IHS worked directly with rural artisans to improve the quality of homespun tweed textiles, a significant portion of which were produced by women working and raising families on rural farms. Based on extensive analysis of archival papers, journals and periodicals, exhibition catalogues, and governmental debate transcripts, I contend that the IHS was an intensely ideological organisation guided by nationalist and traditionalist values in line with the governing Fianna Fáil party.

Despite the eventual failure of the IHS in their mission to “Keep Women Spinning in Their Homes,” it should be noted that the system of homespun manufacture advocated for by the organisation bears striking similarity to contemporary calls in the developed world to overhaul our own destructive textile and clothing manufacturing industries. The Irish Homespun Society envisioned a system of homespun manufacture which had crafted objects at the centre of an imbricated nexus of relations; the author has coined this nexus an ecology of homespun. Understood more generally, these ecologies of craft are indicative of an alternative manufacturing vision which foregrounds the tenets of local materials and environments; community and native identity; and a unified treatment of the artisan’s body and mind through stimulating and meaningful education, training, and labour opportunities.

Despite the inevitable loss of cottage-produced homespun, the legacy of the Irish Homespun Society may be its advocacy for a system of manufacture—an ecology of craft—relevant in light of our current catastrophic environmental situation, caused in no small part by our contemporary obsession with clothing and fast-fashion.
Chemical analysis of flotsam ambergris
Creators: name: Rowland, Steven J.
name: Sutton, Paul A.
name: Lewis, C. Anthony
name: Knowles, Timothy
name: Wilde, Michael J.
name: Alves, Filipe
name: Clough, Robert
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Biochemistry
subject: Neuroscience
subject: Pharmacology
subject: Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Ecology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Inorganic Chemistry
subject: FOS: Chemical sciences

description: The natural product ambergris is only found rarely on beaches, as jetsam. Even more scarce, or even absent, are accounts of flotsam ambergris. Here, we report the chemical analysis of a rare, large piece (>100kg) of flotsam found in the Atlantic in 2019. About 95% of subsamples from the outside of the coprolith was soluble in dichloromethane. Of this, FTIR spectroscopy, APCI-MS and GC-MS indicated the presence of ambrein. Radiocarbon dating indicated that the sample was post 1950s in age. The 13C/12C isotope ratio (−22.5 ‰) was typical of those reported to date for whale ‘body’ ambergris. Metals of ambergris have hardly been reported previously. The distribution found here for the flotsam, was dominated by copper and zinc, which is similar to that of several squid species. This is also consistent with the presence of squid beaks in the coprolith. Squid are a major prey species of sperm whales.
title: Challenges and Opportunities in Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation of Joints: A Systematic Literature Review
Creators: name: Zhang, Lei
Publisher: name: Universität Bern
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: 610 Medicine & health

description: Background: Joint allotransplantation (JA) within the field of vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) holds great potential for functional and non-prosthetic reconstruction of severely damaged joints. However, clinical use of JA remains limited due to the immune rejection associated with all forms of allotransplantation. In this study, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of JA through a systematic review of clinical, animal, and immunological studies on this topic.
Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines to identify relevant articles in PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases. The results were analyzed, and potential future prospects were discussed in detail.
Results: Our review included 14 articles describing relevant developments in JA. Currently, most JA-related research is being performed in small animal models, demonstrating graft survival and functional restoration with short-term immunosuppression. In human patients, only six knee allotransplantations have been performed to date, with all grafts ultimately failing and a maximum graft survival of 56 months.
Conclusion: Research on joint allotransplantation has been limited over the last 20 years due to the rarity of clinical applications, the complex nature of surgical procedures, and uncertain outcomes stemming from immune rejection. However, the key to overcoming these challenges lies in extending graft survival and minimizing immunosuppressive side effects. With the emergence of new immunosuppressive strategies, the feasibility and clinical potential of vascularized joint allotransplantation warrants further investigation.
Keywords: joint allotransplantation, knee allotransplantation, elbow allotransplantation, vascularized composite allotransplantation, functional reconstruction.
Traversing the Hyphen: Storying Loneliness, Isolation, and Solitude in the Student-Teacher and New Teacher Journey
Creators: Zoeller, Hessen R.
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Using depth psychological theory, this collection of essays explores the patterns of being and feeling alone and their impact during the education practicum and early years of teaching. The study contemplates how loneliness, isolation, solitude, and associated variants have the potential to colour the experiences of new teachers and ponders the ways early teaching experiences of a solitary nature might be understood through a recognition of one’s inner world. In particular, the work explores aspects of pedagogical loneliness, the solitary nature of shadow recognition, isolation and scapegoating in the school community, and then continues to reflect upon the solitary and often lonely process of embarking on a journey from student to teacher. Each essay, centred upon a learning encounter, offers insights into the variety of ways being alone has the propensity to affect an understanding of their own journey as emerging educators. The collection argues that despite the potentially arduous nature of the student-teacher and beginning teacher journey, such experiences offer opportunities for development, maturation, and growth.

The study seeks to inform beginning and novice teachers, including student-teachers and pre-service teachers, as well as mentor teachers, university faculties, and school boards implementing teacher education. With the intention to make the work accessible, the collection uses storying and personal narrative to embody student-teachers and beginning teachers lived experience of aloneness so the reader may be introduced to teaching realities of the practicum and early years of the profession. The work draws on theory from curricular, pedagogical, and philosophical research, while being informed by a depth psychological perspective.
The Regulation of End Resection in the Repair of DNA Double-Strand Breaks
Creators: Locke, Andrew J
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are considered the most deleterious DNA lesions.  Unrepaired or incorrectly repaired DSBs can lead to cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, or over time, the accumulation of mutations and chromosomal abnormalities that give rise to cancer.  The repair of DSBs by homologous recombination (HR) requires the overall 5’ to 3’ enzymatic trimming of DNA away from the DSB, a process known as DNA end resection.  Using a variety of biochemical and cell biological techniques on cultured human cell lines, the studies herein investigate how DNA end resection is regulated.  This work places emphasis on the impact that post-translational modification (PTM) events, such as the conjugation of phosphoryl, ubiquitin, and SUMO moieties onto target proteins, have on the function of proteins involved in end resection.  The work described in Chapter 3 reveals that BMI-1, a transcriptional repressor belonging to the Polycomb group of proteins, promotes DNA end resection and thus HR.  Mechanistically, BMI-1 promotes end resection through inhibiting RNA polymerase II-dependent transcription, while also facilitating the deposition of ubiquitin onto residue K119 of histone H2A (H2AK119ub).  Depletion of BMI-1 impairs the recruitment of the end resection-promoting factor CtIP to DSBs, and the H2AK119ub mark may mediate CtIP’s accrual on chromatin, as CtIP can bind to ubiquitin directly.  In Chapter 2, we uncover that CtIP itself is a target for modification by SUMO-2, particularly during the S phase of the cell cycle.  CtIP SUMOylation is dependent on the E3 SUMO ligase PIAS4, and occurs primarily on residue K578.  Relative to cells expressing wildtype CtIP, cells expressing CtIP with the K578R substitution mutation are impaired in DNA end resection and HR, are more sensitive to killing by the DSB-inducing drug camptothecin, and defective in protecting stalled replication forks from nucleolytic degradation.  Lastly, in Chapter 4, we demonstrate that the E3 ubiquitin ligase and pro-resection factor RNF138 is modified by ubiquitylation (at residue K158) and cyclin-dependent kinase-dependent phosphorylation (at residue T27).  Preventing the occurrence of either PTM, by arginine and alanine substitution mutations, respectively, strongly reduces the ability for RNF138 to promote end resection and HR.  Together, these findings uncover novel intricacies in the tightly orchestrated process of DNA end resection for the repair of DSBs.
The Injectivity Radius of Souls of Alexandrov Spaces
Creators: name: Mäder-Baumdicker, Elena
name: Seidel, Jona
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2023
Subjects: subject: Differential Geometry (math.DG)
subject: Metric Geometry (math.MG)
subject: FOS: Mathematics
subject: 53C20, 53C23, 53C45

description: A sharp lower bound for the injectivity radius in noncompact nonnegatively curved Riemannian manifolds involving their soul goes back to Šarafutdinov. We generalize this bound to the setting of Alexandrov spaces. Our main theorem reads as follows. If the injectivity radius of an Alexandrov space of nonnegative curvature does not coincide with the one of its souls, then it is at least $ πK^{-1/2} $, where $ K $ is an upper curvature bound. We introduce the soul of Alexandrov spaces in some detail and compare two notions of injectivity radii.
description: Comments are welcome
Frequency Domain Analysis of Nonlinear Series Elastic Actuator via Describing Function
Creators: name: Hirao, Motohiro
name: Kurkcu, Burak
name: Ghanbarpour, Alireza
name: Tomizuka, Masayoshi
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2023
Subjects: subject: Robotics (cs.RO)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: Nonlinear stiffness SEAs (NSEAs) inspired by biological muscles offer promise in achieving adaptable stiffness for assistive robots. While assistive robots are often designed and compared based on torque capability and control bandwidth, NSEAs have not been systematically designed in the frequency domain due to their nonlinearity. The describing function, an analytical concept for nonlinear systems, offers a means to understand their behavior in the frequency domain. This paper introduces a frequency domain analysis of nonlinear series elastic actuators using the describing function method. This framework aims to equip researchers and engineers with tools for improved design and control in assistive robotics.
description: accepted by 2023 IEEE ROBIO conference
RNA therapy for oncogenic NRAS-driven naevi induces apoptosis.
Creators: name: Bryant, Dale
name: Barberan-Martin, Sara
name: Maeshima, Ruhina
name: Del Valle Torres, Ignacio
name: Rabii, Mohammad
name: Baird, William
name: Sauvadet, Aimie
name: Demetriou, Charalambos
name: Jones, Phoebe
name: Knöpfel, Nicole
name: Michailidis, Fanourios
name: Riachi, Melissa
name: Bennett, Dorothy C
name: Zecchin, Davide
name: Pittman, Alan
name: Polubothu, Satyamaanasa
name: Hart, Stephen
name: Kinsler, Veronica A
Publisher: name: The Francis Crick Institute
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: Tumour Biology
subject: Tumour Biology
classificationCode: Genetics & Genomics
subject: Genetics & Genomics
classificationCode: Signalling & Oncogenes
subject: Signalling & Oncogenes
classificationCode: Developmental Biology
subject: Developmental Biology

description: RAS proteins regulate cell division, differentiation and apoptosis via multiple downstream effector pathways. Oncogenic RAS variants are the commonest drivers in cancers, however they also drive many benign lesions predisposing to malignancy, such as melanocytic naevi, thyroid nodules, and colonic polyps. Reversal of these benign lesions could reduce cancer incidence, however the effects of oncogenic RAS have been notoriously difficult to target with downstream pathway inhibitors. Here we show effective suppression of oncogenic and currently undruggable NRASQ61K in primary cells from melanocytic naevi using siRNA targeted to the recurrent causal variant. This results in striking reduction in expression of ARL6IP1, a known inhibitor of endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis not previously linked to NRAS. We go on to show that a single dose of siRNA in primary cells triggers an apoptotic cascade, in contrast to treatment with a MEK inhibitor. Protective packaging of the targeted siRNA into lipid nanoparticles permits successful delivery into a humanised mouse model of melanocytic naevi, and results in variant NRAS knockdown in vivo. These data show that RAS-induced protection from apoptosis is involved in persistence of NRAS-driven melanocytic naevi and anticipate that targeted siRNA could form the basis of clinical trials for RAS-driven benign tumours.
Bensonella undefined-2
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
Bensonella
Bensonella undefined-2

description: Bensonella sp. 2
Material examined.
Thailand • 1 shell; Chiang Rai prov., Tham Tumluang cave, 7 km S, 2 k W of Mae Sai. Around caves, leaf litter; 20°22.1667'N, 99°51.4667'E; 08. May 1988; F. G. Thompson leg.; locality code FGT-4419; UF 380223.
Remarks.
A single, damaged specimen was in this sample which made its identification impossible.
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