cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
Parallel HTTP for Video Streaming in Wireless Networks
Creators: name: Ansari, Mohsen
Publisher: name: Graduate Studies
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Computer Science
subject: Video Streaming
subject: Parallel HTTP
subject: Wireless Networks
subject: Dynamic Adaptive Streaming

description: To stream video using HTTP, a client device sequentially requests and receives chunks of the video file from the server over a TCP connection. It is well-known that TCP performs poorly in networks with high latency and packet loss such as wireless networks. On mobile devices, in particular, using a single TCP connection for video streaming is not efficient, and thus, the user may not receive the highest video quality possible. In this thesis, we design and analyze a system called ParS that uses parallel TCP connections to stream video on mobile devices. Our system uses parallel connections to fetch each chunk of the video file using HTTP range requests. We present measurement results to characterize the performance of ParS under various network conditions in terms of latency, loss rate, and bandwidth. Given the limited communication and computational resources of mobile devices, we then focus on determining the minimum number of TCP connections required to achieve high utilization of the wireless bandwidth. We develop a simple model and study its accuracy using ns-3 simulations which confirm the utility of our model for estimating the minimum number of TCP connections required to fully utilize the available bandwidth.
Plasmon excitations in planar sodium clusters
Creators: name: Wang, Bao-Ji
name: Ke, San-Huang
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2012
Subjects: subject: Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics (cond-mat.mes-hall)
subject: Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: The collective electronic excitation in planar sodium clusters is studied by time-dependent density functional theory calculations. The formation and development of the resonances in photoabsorption spectra are investigated in terms of the shape and size of the 2-dimensional (2-D) systems. The nature of these resonances is revealed by the frequency-resolved induced charge densities present on a real-space grid. For long double chains, the excitation is similar to that in long single atomic chains, showing longitudinal modes, end and central transverse modes. However, for 2-D planes consisting of ($n \times n$) atoms with $n$ up to 16, new 2-D characteristic modes emerge regardless of the symmetries considered. For a kick parallel to the plane, besides the equivalent end mode, mixed modes with contrary polarity occur, while for an impulse perpendicular to the plane there will be corner, side center, bulk center, and circuit modes. Our calculation reveals the importance of dimensionality for plasmon excitation and how it evolves from 1-D to 2-D.
description: 6 pages, 9 figures
Automated Construction Worker Performance and Tool-time Measuring Model Using RGB Depth Camera and Audio Microphone Array System
Creators: name: Weerasinghe, Ittepana Payagalage Tharindu Rasanga
Publisher: name: Graduate Studies
Year: 2013
Subjects: subject: Technology
subject: Engineering--Civil
subject: Engineering--System Science
subject: Tool time
subject: Kinect
subject: Worker tracking
subject: Construction Automation
subject: Worker Productivity
subject: Worker Performance
subject: Projects Management
subject: Labor Productivity

description: Construction productivity improvement activities in the industry has seen many developments in terms of new tools, techniques and processes been introduced through research and practices. However, on site studies and literature surveys confirm that a huge potential still exists in the industry for further improvements. The thesis discusses a novel method for developing a sustainable, reliable, integrated, automated and systematic mechanism to extract construction worker tool-time and performance information that assists project managers and planners, in developing strategies for improving labour productivity, labour allocation and developing administrative schemes related to labour performance by using audio and video surveillance techniques addressing the potential drawbacks from the manual observation on construction site. The research proposes a low cost and composite range sensing device (Microsoft Kinect) consisting of RGB camera, depth camera, and microphone array to extract multiple sensing modalities from indoor construction. A user friendly and comprehensive framework is developed to consolidate location aware information of workers, other site personnel and construction activities in order to generate productivity related data. Additionally, this provides information on worker behavioral analysis (i.e. supervisory effect on performance) and breakdown of non-tool time activities which can be used for better labor allocation strategies. The proposed set of algorithms (i.e. worker recognition, construction activity detection, direction of arrival detection and tool-time analysis) has been validated in a real work environment and experimental results witnessed over 90% precision. In brief, validated results reflect the potential for automated assessment of worker tool time in indoor construction environment and each of these implications make an important contribution to the body of knowledge in construction automation.
Assessing Ryanodine Receptor Inhibition and Antioxidant Ability of Carvedilol and its Abilities
Creators: name: Malig, Thomas
Publisher: name: Graduate Studies
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Chemistry--Organic
subject: Metabolites
subject: Antioxidants
subject: Carvedilol

description: The antioxidant ability of the commonly prescribed antiarrhythmic medication carvedilol was assessed using two distinct assays. The first assay monitored the depletion of the stable radical DPPH via hydrogen atom abstraction utilizing UV-VIS spectrophotometry. The second assay involved monitoring the inhibition of a radical chain reaction initiated by UV light. Three metabolites of carvedilol were synthesized and assessed in each assay along with carvedilol and several benchmark antioxidants to ensure assay validity. It was determined that carvedilol possessed negligible antioxidant ability in both assays, while the metabolites possessed moderate-high antioxidant strength. It is therefore concluded that the antioxidant ability of carvedilol originates from the phenolic metabolites and not from carvedilol itself. The primary function of carvedilol to regulate calcium handling in cardiac myocytes was also assessed for each metabolite using a mutant embryonic cell line. It was determined that metabolic deactivation via hydroxylation pathways is minimal.
Waste Reduction in Transportation by Applying ArcGIS Online : A Case Study of the Automotive Parts Transportation Business
Creators: name: Kwankanok Rattanasintaweesuk And Panutporn Ruangchoengchum
Publisher: name: MSMIS Thammasat University
Year: 2564
Subjects: Waste
Transportation
Automotive parts
Geographic information system (GIS)
ArcGIS online

description: Journal of information systems in Business JISB, 7, 2, 75
Spallation in Dual-Shock Quark Nova: A Robust Nucleosynthetic Process
Creators: name: Ouyed Hernandez, Amir Hassan
Publisher: name: Graduate Studies
Year: 2013
Subjects: subject: Nuclear
subject: Astronomy and
subject: Elementary Particles and High Energy
subject: Supernova
subject: Nucleosynthesis
subject: strange matter
subject: quarks
subject: spallation

description: This thesis presents an alternate, spallation, nucleosynthesis mechanism in the context of the dual-shock Quark Nova (dsQN). The dsQN is an evolutionary channel where a core collapse supernova is followed by the detonation of its neutron star - an event that generates nuclear spallation reactions. Spallation produces new, daughter isotopes, by the fragmentation of larger nuclei - in contrast to conventional nucleosynthesis models which are based on the accretion of smaller nuclei and particles into larger nuclei. This spallation nucleosynthesis model is fairly extensive - it can produce abundant isotopes in the A < 130 mass range and therefore solve some of the issues faced by conventional r-process models. Furthermore, the specificities of dsQN spallation might be the key to explain the peculiarities of 44Ti production in the universe. Finally, dsQN spallation nucleosynthesis is fairly robust in relation to the universe’s age and the chemical composition of core-collapse supernovae.
Some Peculiarities of Newton-Hooke Space-Times
Creators: name: Tian, Yu
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2011
Subjects: subject: Mathematical Physics (math-ph)
subject: General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc)
subject: High Energy Physics - Theory (hep-th)
subject: Quantum Physics (quant-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Newton-Hooke space-times are the non-relativistic limit of (anti-)de Sitter space-times. We investigate some peculiar facts about the Newton-Hooke space-times, among which the "extraordinary Newton-Hooke quantum mechanics" and the "anomalous Newton-Hooke space-times" are discussed in detail. Analysis on the Lagrangian/action formalism is performed in the discussion of the Newton-Hooke quantum mechanics, where the path integral point of view plays an important role, and the physically measurable density of probability is clarified.
description: 20 pages, revtex4, a slightly shortened version to appear in IJMPD; v2: added a reference
Prevalence of Sleep Disordered Breathing in Obese Hypoxemic Individuals, and Association of Adherence to Positive Airway Pressure Treatment with Long Term Oxygen Use and Rates of Health Care Utilization in a Single Centre in Alberta Canada
Creators: name: Povitz, Marcus
Publisher: name: Graduate Studies
Year: 2015
Subjects: subject: Medicine and Surgery
subject: Obesity
subject: hypoxemia
subject: sleep apnea

description: Obesity affects 25-30% of Canadians. Obese individuals are at increased risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS), which may cause or complicate chronic hypoxemia. This thesis reports the prevalence of OSA and OHS in a cohort with obesity and chronic hypoxemia referred for sleep testing. Obstructive sleep apnea and OHS were highly prevalent, affecting 80% and 51% respectively. The obesity hypoventilation syndrome was more common than chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in this cohort. Adherence to treatment of OSA and OHS with positive airway pressure therapy was associated with an increase in mean arterial oxygen levels as well as a reduction in the number of individuals requiring oxygen. Adherence with PAP therapy was also associated with a reduction in the rate of hospitalizations though the frequency of outpatient visits rose. These findings support current provincial policies for testing for OSA and OHS in obese hypoxemic individuals.
Rice Value Chain Analysis in the Philippines: Value Addition, Constraints, and Upgrading Strategies
Creators: name: Mataia, Alice B.
name: Beltran, Jesusa C.
name: Manalili, Rowena G.
name: Catudan, Betzaida M.
name: Francisco, Nefriend M.
name: Flores, Adrielle C.
name: Mataia, Alice B.
name: Beltran, Jesusa C.
name: Manalili, Rowena G.
name: Catudan, Betzaida M.
name: Francisco, Nefriend M.
name: Flores, Adrielle C.
Publisher: name: Unknown
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Agribusiness
subject: Productivity Analysis
subject: rice value chain
subject: value addition
subject: constraints
subject: upgrading strategies
subject: competitiveness

description: Using the value chain analysis (VCA) framework, this research analyzed the rice value chain (RVC) in the Philippines, examined the value additions, identified constraints, and proposed upgrading strategies to enhance the competitiveness of the rice industry and the specific segments in the RVC. Primary data were derived from key informant interviews in government and non-government agencies, surveys from farmers, paddy traders, millers, wholesalers, wholesaler-retailers, and retailers in 20 major rice-producing provinces and demand centers. Stakeholders’ workshops were also conducted to validate the preliminary findings and identify upgrading strategies. Descriptive and economic approaches were applied in data analysis. The country’s RVC starts with the provision of inputs to produce paddy, and ends with the consumption of milled rice. The RVC is dominated by a traditional multi-layered supply chain with interconnected chain actors composed of competing farmers, paddy traders, millers, and rice traders in each segment and, oftentimes, with the engagement of brokers in both paddy aggregation and rice distribution, thereby, increasing marketing cost. The major constraints identified in the RVC included high production and marketing costs of paddy and rice attributed to low yield, high labor cost and material inputs, and insufficient crucial infrastructure and market facilities (e.g., modern mills, dryer, cheap transport, and energy), which result in high domestic paddy and rice prices, and low competitiveness of the entire rice VC. To enhance the level of competitiveness, the rice industry should concentrate on generating and promoting yield-increasing, postharvest loss-reducing, and cost-minimizing technologies, as well as those that improve overall efficiency in the RVC such as investments in enabling infrastructure, and facilities for transport, handling, storage, drying and milling.
“I don’t want a handout, I want a hand”: Exploring Mental Health Service Engagement among Partners of Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Creators: name: Beks, Tiffany
Publisher: name: Graduate Studies
Year: 2017
Subjects: subject: Educational Psychology
subject: Education--Guidance and Counseling
subject: Military Studies
subject: Individual and Family Studies
subject: Sociology--Organizational
subject: WomenÕs Studies
subject: Health Care Management
subject: Mental Health
subject: Rehabilitation and Therapy
subject: Psychology--Clinical
subject: Psychology--Developmental
subject: Psychology--Social
subject: Trauma
subject: Military veterans
subject: Partners
subject: Qualitative research
subject: Mental Health Services

description: This study incorporated ecological systems theory, systems of care, and social justice principles to explore mental health service engagement among partners of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PoPVs). Using the exploratory method of the Enhanced Critical Incident Technique, 16 PoPVs were interviewed about the factors that hindered, facilitated, or would have facilitated, mental health service engagement. Data analysis revealed 13 categories: (a) Beliefs and Attitudes; (b) Skills, Competencies, and Roles; (c) Veteran’s State of Readiness; (d) Support from Peers/Family; (e) Media and Communication Technology; (f) Support from First-Contact Care; (g) Health Care System Management; (h) Service Characteristics; (i) Institutional Accountability and Transparency; (j) Cultural and Organizational Influences; (k) Family-Centred Care; (l) Provider Expertise/Competencies; and (m) Therapeutic Alliance and Change. The findings are discussed in relation to the literature on PoPVs’ and PTSD-affected military and veteran families. Recommendations for key stakeholders involved in the care of PTSD-affected veteran families are offered.
Is your phylogeny informative? Measuring the power of comparative methods
Creators: name: Boettiger, Carl
name: Coop, Graham
name: Ralph, Peter
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2011
Subjects: subject: Quantitative Methods (q-bio.QM)
subject: Statistics Theory (math.ST)
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: FOS: Mathematics

description: Phylogenetic comparative methods may fail to produce meaningful results when either the underlying model is inappropriate or the data contain insufficient information to inform the inference. The ability to measure the statistical power of these methods has become crucial to ensure that data quantity keeps pace with growing model complexity. Through simulations, we show that commonly applied model choice methods based on information criteria can have remarkably high error rates; this can be a problem because methods to estimate the uncertainty or power are not widely known or applied. Furthermore, the power of comparative methods can depend significantly on the structure of the data. We describe a Monte Carlo based method which addresses both of these challenges, and show how this approach both quantifies and substantially reduces errors relative to information criteria. The method also produces meaningful confidence intervals for model parameters. We illustrate how the power to distinguish different models, such as varying levels of selection, varies both with number of taxa and structure of the phylogeny. We provide an open-source implementation in the pmc ("Phylogenetic Monte Carlo") package for the R programming language. We hope such power analysis becomes a routine part of model comparison in comparative methods.
description: 19 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables
Impact of the heavy quark matching scales in PDF fits
Creators: name: Bertone, V.
name: Britzger, D.
name: Camarda, S.
name: Cooper-Sarkar, A.
name: Geiser, A.
name: Giuli, F.
name: Glazov, Alexander
name: Godat, E.
name: Kusina, A.
name: Luszczak, A.
name: Lyonnet, F.
name: Olness, F.
name: Placakyte, R.
name: Radescu, V.
name: Schienbein, I.
name: Zenaiev, O.
Publisher: name: Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, DESY, Hamburg
Year: 2017
Subjects: subject: 530
subject: parton: distribution function
subject: scale
subject: quantum chromodynamics: perturbation theory
subject: higher-order: 1
subject: higher-order: 2
subject: DESY HERA Stor
subject: DGLAP equation
subject: strong coupling
subject: heavy quark
subject: charm
subject: bottom
subject: numerical calculations
subject: statistical analysis
subject: data analysis method

description: We investigate the impact of displaced heavy-quark matching scales in a global fit. The heavy-quark matching scale $\mu _{m}$ determines at which energy scale $\mu $ the QCD theory transitions from $N_{F}$ to $N_{F}+1$ in the variable flavor number scheme (VFNS) for the evolution of the parton distribution functions (PDFs) and strong coupling $\alpha _S(\mu )$ . We study the variation of the matching scales, and their impact on a global PDF fit of the combined HERA data. As the choice of the matching scale $\mu _{m}$ effectively is a choice of scheme, this represents a theoretical uncertainty, ideally, we would like to see minimal dependence on this parameter. For the transition across the charm quark (from $N_{F}=3$ to 4), we find a large $\mu _m=\mu _{c}$ dependence of the global fit $\chi ^2$ at NLO, but this is significantly reduced at NNLO. For the transition across the bottom quark (from $N_{F}=4$ to 5), we have a reduced $\mu _{m}=\mu _b$ dependence of the $\chi ^2$ at both NLO and NNLO as compared to the charm. This feature is now implemented in xFitter 2.0.0, an open source QCD fit framework.
Factors Influencing Fine and Gross Motor Development among Children 24 Months of Age: Results from the All Our Families Study
Creators: name: Dodd, Shawn X.
Publisher: name: Graduate Studies
Year: 2017
Subjects: subject: Epidemiology
subject: Human Development
subject: Motor Development
subject: Child Development

description: Objective: The objective of this study was to identify factors influencing fine and gross motor development of Albertan children at 24 months of age. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of data from the All Our Families study, a prospective pregnancy cohort. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors influencing motor development. Results: Early developmental delays, maternal abuse and maternal postpartum drug use were associated with an increased odds of suboptimal gross motor development at 24 months of age. Pregnancy complications were associated with a reduction in risk for gross motor delays. Early developmental delays, NICU admission and maternal postpartum alcohol consumption were associated with an increased risk for delays in fine motor development at 24 months of age. Conclusion: Delayed motor development at 24 months of age may be mitigated through detection and intervention of early cognitive, social and motor developmental delays.
The complex multiferroic phase diagram of Mn$_{1-x}$Co$_x$WO$_4$
Creators: name: Liang, K. -C.
name: Wang, Y. Q.
name: Sun, Y. Y.
name: Lorenz, B.
name: Ye, F.
name: Fernandez-Baca, J. A.
name: Mook, H. A.
name: Chu, C. W.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2012
Subjects: subject: Strongly Correlated Electrons (cond-mat.str-el)
subject: Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: The complete magnetic and multiferroic phase diagram of Mn$_{1-x}$Co$_{x}$WO$_4$ single crystals is investigated by means of magnetic, heat capacity, and polarization experiments. We show that the ferroelectric polarization $\overrightarrow{P}$ in the multiferroic state abruptly changes its direction twice upon increasing Co content, x. At x$_{c1}$=0.075, $\overrightarrow{P}$ rotates from the $b-$axis into the $a-c$ plane and at x$_{c2}$=0.15 it flips back to the $b-$axis. The origin of the multiple polarization flops is identified as an effect of the Co anisotropy on the orientation and shape of the spin helix leading to thermodynamic instabilities caused by the decrease of the magnitude of the polarization in the corresponding phases. A qualitative description of the ferroelectric polarization is derived by taking into account the intrachain ($c-$axis) as well as the interchain ($a-$axis) exchange pathways connecting the magnetic ions. In a narrow Co concentration range (0.1$\leq$x$\leq$0.15), an intermediate phase, sandwiched between the collinear high-temperature and the helical low-temperature phases, is discovered. The new phase exhibits a collinear and commensurate spin modulation similar to the low-temperature magnetic structure of MnWO$_4$.
description: 18 pages, 6 figures
Cardiovascular risk and the neighbourhood built environment in urban settings
Creators: name: Johnson, Mika Zoe
Publisher: name: University of British Columbia
Year: 2010

description: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death, and the greatest contributor to health care costs in Canada. Primary prevention is an important strategy for limiting both disease and costs. Cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality are causally related to physical activity in an inverse, dose-response trend. Physically inactive lifestyles increase and hasten the incidence of CVD. Features of the built environment have been shown to moderate physical activity levels in neighbourhood residents and thus could also be contributing to CVD risk. However, investigation into the association between the built environment and modifiable CVD risk factors is rather limited. The purpose of this investigation is to compare levels of CVD risk factors affected by physical activity in neighbourhoods varying on walkability and number of leisure-time physical activity correlates. Objective measures of several cardiovascular risk factors: BMI, waist girth, systolic blood pressure and HDL-C concentration were collected on participants across British Columbia, Canada. Geographical information system software was used to score a 750m network buffer around each participant’s residence on the Neighbourhood Walkability Index and number of leisure-time physical activity correlates. Participants were also grouped based on their neighbourhood-level median after-tax income. A total of 2999 individuals were included in statistical analyses. Findings revealed significantly lower BMI, waist girth and systolic blood pressure values amongst residents of high (compared to low) walkable neighbourhoods. Individuals living in environments with more leisure-time physical activity correlates also exhibited significantly lower BMI and waist girth values. Higher income groups were associated with significantly less risk for BMI and waist girth. These results contribute to a growing body of research on the effect of the urban built environment at the neighbourhood level on cardiovascular health. This investigation is unique in its analysis of several CVD risk factors which are influenced by physical activity, beyond BMI. Findings of lower waist girths among residents of high walkability neighbourhoods are novel and speak to potential cardiometabolic effects of living in areas which support active transportation and leisure-time physical activity. Furthermore, our data identify low income neighbourhoods with the least physical activity correlates as relatively high risk areas.
Properties of linear integral equations related to the six-vertex model with disorder parameter II
Creators: name: Boos, Hermann
name: Göhmann, Frank
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2012
Subjects: subject: Mathematical Physics (math-ph)
subject: Strongly Correlated Electrons (cond-mat.str-el)
subject: High Energy Physics - Theory (hep-th)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We study certain functions arising in the context of the calculation of correlation functions of the XXZ spin chain and of integrable field theories related with various scaling limits of the underlying six-vertex model. We show that several of these functions that are related to linear integral equations can be obtained by acting with (deformed) difference operators on a master function $Φ$. The latter is defined in terms of a functional equation and of its asymptotic behavior. Concentrating on the so-called temperature case we show that these conditions uniquely determine the high-temperature series expansions of the master function. This provides an efficient calculation scheme for the high-temperature expansions of the derived functions as well.
description: 21 pages, v2 minor changes
Feasibility of a Genipin-Crosslinked Fibrin Gel as a Patch for Annulus Fibrosus Repair in the Intervertebral Disc
Creators: name: Semler, Terri
Publisher: name: Graduate Studies
Year: 2013
Subjects: subject: Engineering--Biomedical
subject: Materials Science
subject: Annulus Fibrosus
subject: tissue engineering
subject: Genipin
subject: Fibrin Gels
subject: Crosslinking
subject: Degenerative Disc Disease
subject: mesenchymal stem cells

description: Tears in the annulus fibrosus (AF) of the intervertebral disc are a significant clinical problem resulting in pain and disability for patients. This thesis investigated a tissue engineering solution using fibrin gels crosslinked with genipin and seeded with mesenchymal stem cells to repair defects in the annulus and promote generation of new tissue. The addition of an antifibrinolytic agent was required to maintain gel stability over 30 days, and gel stiffness was significantly increased by the addition of 0.100mg/mL genipin without affecting cell viability. Gene expression indicated that genipin crosslinking upregulated expression of chondrogenic-specific markers. Cells responded to being placed in a defect in tissue and loading may have promoted a more fibrochondrogenic type of lineage differentiation. Histology showed genipin gels promoted a more fibroblastic type of morphology than fibrin gels. Genipin-crosslinked fibrin gels were shown to have sufficient properties for annulus fibrosus repair and should be investigated further.
Poly(ethylenimine)-Functionalized Pyroxene Nanoparticles Embedded on Diatomite for Removal of Total Organic Carbon from Industrial Wastewater: Batch and Fixed-bed studies
Creators: name: Hethnawi, Afif
Publisher: name: Graduate Studies
Year: 2017
Subjects: subject: Engineering--Chemical
subject: Pyroxene nanoparticles
subject: Functionalized nanoparticles
subject: Batch adsorption
subject: Fixed-bed column adsorption
subject: Rotary drum filter

description: Abstract Providing clean and affordable water to meet the human needs is a big challenge in this century. Globally, the water supply for many industries struggles to keep up with the strong demand. This demand issue is exacerbated by industrialization, which led to water quality deterioration, forming polluted wastewater. Existence of treatment processes to overcome wastewater problems are not efficient and appropriate to maintaining the industrial effluent composition within the standard limits. Specifically, presence of dissolved organic compounds not properly eliminated during the wastewater treatment has a negative impact on human health and the environment. As a novel solution, nanotechnology holds great potential in water and wastewater treatment to improve water quality efficiently. Here, we introduce an innovative technique using environmentally friendly, multifunctional, and effective poly(ethylenimine)-functionalized pyroxene nanoparticles to provide an efficient removal of the dissolved total organic carbon from industrial wastewater in batch and contenuious fixed-bed column studies under various conditions. Our study includes arrays of characterization techniques for the prepared nanoparticles and for Diatomite (commonly used filter aid) before and after embedding it with the nanoparticles at a very low mass ratio (<5 wt%). Diatomite, on its own, has a very low adsorption capacity for the dissolved organic contaminants in field applications. Among these applications is the employment of Diatomite with a rotary drum filter (RDF). Therefore, we embedded the nanoparticles to improve the performance of the Diatomite employed with a rotary drum filter used for the removal of dissolved organic pollutants. This followed our bench scale adsorption experiment using a continuous fixed-bed column that is considered to be the best lab scale model for the rotary drum filter. The experimental results showed that, compared to using activated carbon and magnetic nanoparticles, the prepared nanoparticles were very effective in the removal of dissolved organic contaminants in batch and continuous fixed-bed column experiments. In continuous fixed-bed column experiments, the breakthrough behavior was described using a convection-axial dispersion model that had a good fit with the obtained experimental data. Interestingly, this innovative technique was successfully applied at Executive Mat Ltd, here in Calgary in their rotary drum filter after optimizing some operational conditions.
On the nature of supernovae Ib and Ic
Creators: name: Dessart, Luc
name: Hillier, D. John
name: Li, Chengdong
name: Woosley, Stan
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2012
Subjects: subject: Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR)
subject: Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO)
subject: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Using non-LTE time-dependent radiative-transfer calculations, we study the impact of mixing and non-thermal processes associated with radioactive decay on SN IIb/Ib/Ic light curves (LCs) and spectra. Starting with short-period binary models of \leq5Msun He-rich stars (18-25Msun on the main-sequence), we produce 1.2B ejecta which we artificially mix to alter the chemical stratification. While the total 56Ni mass influences the LC peak, the spatial distribution of 56Ni, controlled by mixing processes, impacts both the multi-band LCs and spectra. With enhanced mixing, our synthetic LCs start their post-breakout re-brightening phase earlier, follow a more gradual rise to peak, appear redder, and fade faster after peak due to enhanced gamma-ray escape. Non-thermal electrons, crucial for the production of HeI lines, deposit a dominant fraction of their energy as heat. Because energy deposition is generally local well after the LC peak, the broad HeI lines characteristic of maximum-light SN IIb/Ib spectra require mixing that places 56Ni and helium nuclei to within a gamma-ray mean-free-path. This requirement indicates that SNe IIb and Ib most likely arise from the explosion of stripped-envelope massive stars (main-sequence masses \leq25Msun) that have evolved through mass-transfer in a binary system, rather than from more massive single WR stars. In contrast, the lack of HeI lines in SNe Ic may result from a variety of causes: A genuine helium deficiency; strongly-asymmetric mixing; weak mixing; or a more massive, perhaps single, progenitor characterized by a larger oxygen-rich core. Our models, subject to different mixing magnitudes, can produce a variety of SN types, including IIb, IIc, Ib, and Ic. As it is poorly constrained by explosion models, mixing challenges our ability to infer the progenitor and explosion properties of SNe IIb/Ib/Ic.
description: 22 pages, 14 figures, accepted to MNRAS
Noise regularization and computations for the 1-dimensional stochastic Allen-Cahn problem
Creators: name: Katsoulakis, Markos A.
name: Kossioris, Georgios T.
name: Lakkis, Omar
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2011
Subjects: subject: Numerical Analysis (math.NA)
subject: Analysis of PDEs (math.AP)
subject: Dynamical Systems (math.DS)
subject: Probability (math.PR)
subject: Pattern Formation and Solitons (nlin.PS)
subject: FOS: Mathematics
subject: FOS: Physical sciences
subject: 35R60 (35B25 35K55 65C30)

description: We address the numerical discretization of the Allen-Cahn prob- lem with additive white noise in one-dimensional space. The discretization is conducted in two stages: (1) regularize the white noise and study the regularized problem, (2) approximate the regularized problem. We address (1) by introducing a piecewise constant random approximation of the white noise with respect to a space-time mesh. We analyze the regularized problem and study its relation to both the original problem and the deterministic Allen-Cahn problem. Step (2) is then performed leading to a practical Monte-Carlo method combined with a Finite Element-Implicit Euler scheme. The resulting numerical scheme is tested against theoretical benchmark results.
description: 28 pages, 16 (4x4) figures, published in 2007; Interfaces and Free Boundaries 2007 vol. 9 (1)
Computational analysis of a mobile path-planning via quarter-sweep two-parameter over-relaxation
Creators: name: Dahalan, A'qilah Ahmad
name: Saudi, Azali
Publisher: name: University of Limerick
Year: 2023
Subjects: classificationCode: 49
subject: Mathematical sciences

description: Over the years, self-reliant navigation has risen to the forefront of research topics. Improving the path-planning competencies is an extremely important component in achieving excellent autonomous navigation. This paper describes a refinement of the proficiency of mobile path-planning through a computational approach, i.e. the quarter-sweep two-parameter over-relaxation (QSTOR), to solving path-planning problems iteratively. The solution of Laplace’s equation (otherwise known as the harmonic functions) is the source for producing the potential function of the configuration space of the mobile robot. Numerical experiments illustrate that, in a given environment, a mobile robot is able to steer towards a particular destination with a smooth and ideal path from any beginning location. Furthermore, it is shown that in terms of the iterations number and computational time, the QSTOR iterative technique outperforms its predecessors in addressing mobile path-planning issues.
Combination chemotherapy with telomerase inhibitors and genotoxic compounds against breast and colorectal cancers
Creators: name: Tamakawa, Raina Ayako
Publisher: name: University of British Columbia
Year: 2010

description: Telomerase is the specialized reverse transcriptase responsible for the de novo synthesis of telomeric repeats at chromosome ends. Telomerase plays important roles in tumor development and is responsible for the indefinite growth phenotype in cancer. Telomerase over-expression is found in more than 85% of human tumors surveyed. In contrast, normal somatic cells have low or undetectable telomerase expression, making the enzyme an appealing target for the development of anticancer therapy. However, there is a significant time lag between the start of telomerase inhibition therapy and growth inhibition effects, restricting the use of telomerase inhibitors in clinical applications. In addition to telomere maintenance, telomerase participates in cellular recovery processes following genotoxic insults. Genetic suppression of the human telomerase catalytic subunit, telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), diminishes cellular DNA repair capability following double-stranded DNA damage induction, suggesting that the enzyme is involved in the regulation of DNA repair response. I hypothesize that transient telomerase inhibition at the time of genotoxic stimulus will increase cytotoxicity in tumor cells. My studies showed that short-term telomerase inhibition potentiates the cytotoxic effects of DNA damage inducing agents in MCF-7 breast cancer and HT29 colorectal cancer cells, in a cell-cycle dependent and DNA damage mechanism-specific manner. Additionally, I found that the Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated kinase may interact with telomerase dependent DNA damage repair pathways to further augment cancer cell death. This study provides new mechanistic insight into the roles of telomerase function in cancer cell survival and impetus to design new telomerase-based clinical therapies against breast and colorectal cancers.
Five-dimensional gauge theory and compactification on a torus
Creators: name: Haghighat, Babak
name: Vandoren, Stefan
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2011
Subjects: subject: High Energy Physics - Theory (hep-th)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We study five-dimensional minimally supersymmetric gauge theory compactified on a torus down to three dimensions, and its embedding into string/M-theory using geometric engineering. The moduli space on the Coulomb branch is hyperkaehler equipped with a metric with modular transformation properties. We determine the one-loop corrections to the metric and show that they can be interpreted as worldsheet and D1-brane instantons in type IIB string theory. Furthermore, we analyze instanton corrections coming from the solitonic BPS magnetic string wrapped over the torus. In particular, we show how to compute the path-integral for the zero-modes from the partition function of the M5 brane, or, using a 2d/4d correspondence, from the partition function of N=4 SYM theory on a Hirzebruch surface.
description: 30 pages, 2 figures; v2: typos corrected, added references, JHEP version
Changing Identities in Changing Times: Gendered Roles and Representations through the Ceramic Figurines of Greater Nicoya
Creators: name: Leullier Snedeker, Natasha
Publisher: name: Graduate Studies
Year: 2013
Subjects: subject: Art History
subject: Archaeology
subject: Ceramic Figurines
subject: Greater Nicoya
subject: Lower Central America
subject: Gender
subject: Ritual
subject: Identity

description: The archaeology of Greater Nicoya is shifting focus from large, exceptional ceramic anthropomorphic figurines, to the smaller, more common specimens found in domestic contexts. Most figurines display obvious sexual and gender characteristics. An analysis of gender identity provides an opportunity to study these objects as part of daily life and ritual that speak of group and individual identities. Data from an almost unstudied collection of figurines from the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology and a sample of fragmented specimens from the site of Santa Isabel (Ni-Ri-44), Nicaragua, will help trace the broader changes in the forms of gender representations from the Bagaces (A.D.300-A.D.800) to the Sapoá (A.D.800-A.D.1350) periods. Roles and representations, along with styles and manufacture, underwent a gradual transition from naturalistic, sexualized and individualized to abstract and gender ambiguous, reflecting major changes in community values and socio-political organization.
MPEC 2023-X71 : 2023 XJ1
Creators: name: Minor Planet Center Staff
Publisher: name: The Minor Planet Center
Year: 2023
Subjects: subject: Small Solar System bodies
valueUri: http://astrothesaurus.org/uat/1469
subject: 2023 XJ1

description: The Minor Planet Electronic Circulars contain information on unusual minor planets, routine data on comets and natural satellites, and occasional editorial announcements.  They are published on behalf of Division F of the International Astronomical Union by the Minor Planet Center, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
Analysis and implementation of the Large Scale Video-on-Demand System
Creators: name: Kanrar, Soumen
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2012
Subjects: subject: Networking and Internet Architecture (cs.NI)
subject: Multimedia (cs.MM)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: Next Generation Network (NGN) provides multimedia services over broadband based networks, which supports high definition TV (HDTV), and DVD quality video-on-demand content. The video services are thus seen as merging mainly three areas such as computing, communication, and broadcasting. It has numerous advantages and more exploration for the large-scale deployment of video-on-demand system is still needed. This is due to its economic and design constraints. It's need significant initial investments for full service provision. This paper presents different estimation for the different topologies and it require efficient planning for a VOD system network. The methodology investigates the network bandwidth requirements of a VOD system based on centralized servers, and distributed local proxies. Network traffic models are developed to evaluate the VOD system's operational bandwidth requirements for these two network architectures. This paper present an efficient estimation of the of the bandwidth requirement for the different architectures.
description: 9 pages, 8 figures
Bio-oil from Wheat Straw and Hydrogen from Aqueous Phase of Bio-oil
Creators: name: Pouralamdari Meibod, Mostafa
Publisher: name: Graduate Studies
Year: 2013
Subjects: subject: Engineering--Chemical
subject: Hydrogen Production
subject: Fast pyrolysis
subject: Catalytic steam reforming
subject: Wheat straw
subject: Bio-oil

description: Hydrogen is currently produced mostly from hydrocarbons, such as naphtha and natural gas; and, the demand for hydrogen in industrial applications, like oil refining, bitumen upgrading or in fuel cells, is increasing natural gas consumption and, consequently, applying pressure on the supply of natural gas. As such, the supply of natural energy resources is becoming a challenging prospect in the 21st century. Renewable energy sources, such as biomass, are therefore presently gaining increased attention. Accordingly, a viable route towards hydrogen production from biomass, such as agricultural residues, has been developed through the process of catalytic steam reforming of the aqueous fraction of biomass pyrolysis oil. This method consists of two stages: generation of bio-oil from biomass via a fast pyrolysis reaction in a fluidized bed reactor in the first stage, followed by application of the catalytic steam-reforming process on the aqueous phase of bio-oil to produce renewable hydrogen in a fixed bed steam reformer unit in the second stage. The overarching aim of this study was evaluation of both stages of this method, thereby improving the efficiency of hydrogen production from biomass. In the first stage, wheat straw as biomass was converted into pyrolytic oil, char and gases under high-temperature conditions in a fluidized bed reactor. The main operating parameters of the pyrolysis process were evaluated for producing high quality bio-oil with maximum yield. Under the optimal conditions of pyrolysis (reaction temperature of about 500°C and wheat straw particle size of less than 0.6 mm), the maximum yield of bio-oil exceeded 50% by weight. In order to evaluate the quality of bio-oil produced through this process, several characterization methods, such as elemental analysis and Karl Fischer titration, were applied. In the second stage (catalytic steam-reforming process), aqueous phases of a commercial bio-oil, as well as the bio-oil produced in the first stage, were converted to hydrogen in a catalytic fixed bed steam reformer. With the commercial bio-oil, the effects of three groups of nickel-alumina based catalysts developed in-house were evaluated in terms of their yield for hydrogen production. Additionally, the operational conditions of the catalytic steam-reforming process were evaluated for a higher hydrogen yield. The highest hydrogen yield of about 65% was achieved by using the most effective catalyst (Ru-Ni/Al2O3 with 14 wt% Ni) in the case of the aqueous commercial bio-oil under the following optimal conditions: temperature of 850°C and a space velocity (WHSv) of 10 h-1. With the aqueous laboratory-made bio-oil, hydrogen was produced with a yield of about 60% over the same catalyst and under similar operational conditions.
On the energy release in solar flares
Creators: name: Pustil'nik, L. A.
name: Ikhsanov, N. R.
name: Beskrovnaya, N. G.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2012
Subjects: subject: Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: High-resolution observations show the fine structure of the global equilibrium magnetic field configuration in solar atmosphere to be essentially different from that assumed in the traditional 'potential + force-free' field scenarios. The interacting large-scale structures of fine field elements are separated by numerous non-force-free elements (tangential discontinuities) which are neglected in the traditional field picture. An incorporation of these elements into the model implies a dynamical rather than statical character of equilibrium of the field configuration. A transition of the system into flaring can be triggered by the ballooning mode of flute instability of prominences or/and coronal condensations. Tearing-mode and MHD instabilities as well as the effects of overheating of the turbulent current sheet prevent the field from stationary reconnection as it is adopted in the traditional scenario. We speculate around the assumption that the energy release in active regions is governed by the same scenario as dynamical current percolation through a random network of resistors in which the saltatory resistance is controlled by local current.
description: published in Proc. of WISAP 2011 Conference 'Waves and Instabilities in Space and Astrophysical Plasmas', P.-L. Sulem & M. Mond (eds.), Eilat, Israel, June 19-24, 2011
Neurobiological Substrates of Age-Associated Decline in Neuronal Excitability - Lipid Peroxidation-Dependent Modulation of Transient Potassium Current Inactivation?
Creators: name: Nelson, Mark A.
Publisher: name: Graduate Studies
Year: 2013
Subjects: subject: Animal Physiology
subject: Neuroscience
subject: Zoology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Neuroscience
subject: Aging
subject: Lymnaea stagnalis
subject: Excitability
subject: Voltage-gated potassium currents
subject: Frequency-dependent spike broadening
subject: Learning and memory
subject: Senescence
subject: Lipid peroxidation
subject: Vitamin E

description: Aging is a universal phenomenon that is observed in almost all organisms within the animal kingdom, yet the biological substrates that underlie the onset and progression of aging are not entirely understood. While aging produces dysfunction in all organ systems, aging of the nervous system can result in severe consequences including age-associated cognitive impairment and deficiencies in learning and memory formation. Long term memory formation often involves repetitive, high frequency periods activity and therefore is affected by electrophysiological properties of the nervous system, including neuronal excitability: excitability of the nervous system declines with age and this may contribute to age-associated cognitive dysfunction. This thesis will investigate age-associated intrinsic neuronal excitability decline in the model system Lymnaea stagnalis, investigate the ionic mechanisms underlying this dysfunction with a focus on voltage gated potassium channels, and seek to implicate oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation with the aging process in these neurons.