cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
title: Martin Luther: Perceptions of the Reformer in Popular Culture and Historical Scholarship
Creators: name: Cross, Kathryn R.
Publisher: name: Old Dominion University
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/04zjtrb98
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2008

description: Martin Luther's remarkable life, his impressive body of written work, his dynamic and charismatic personality, and his impact on the world have long been a source of interest in the world of academia and of popular culture. This thesis examines the affect of the scholarly historical research of the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first centuries regarding Luther and its affect on perception of the reformer in popular culture as presented by the media.

The opening section of the thesis presents an examination and evaluation of Lutheran scholarship and how historical trends have affected the reformer's image in the academic world. Documents from the American version of Luther 's Works are used to compare the reformer's own words with the opinions of scholars. The following section addresses the psychological perceptions of Luther using scholarship from the second half of the twentieth century to present day as well as many of the reformer's letters, sermons, and published tracts. Lastly the perceptions cultivated by the media industry are explored using three historical dramas and one documentary based on Luther's life and many websites that feature the reformer in some fashion.

The evidence produces the conclusion that though historical trends have produced an increasingly complex Luther, the outdated and weak great man theory continues to dominate the media's portrayal of him because it resonates with the general public and, in turn, generates interest and income.
Navigating Uncertainty: Harnessing Social Identity Rhetoric for Effective Change Leadership
Creators: Ouyang, Yunzhu
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Leadership is a crucial force in shaping group identity and initiating collective changes within groups, particularly during times of uncertainty. The use of affirmations in rhetoric to convey a clear group identity that reduces uncertain feelings can garner more support for leaders when group members experience heightened uncertainty about self-concept (Gaffney et al., 2019). However, during change initiatives, the employment of affirmational rhetoric may pose a threat to group identity as it conveys the proposed identity unambiguously. In such contexts, negational rhetoric may be a more suitable rhetorical style for leaders to promote collective changes as it conveys the change with less rigidity, alleviating the threat posed to group identity (e.g., Mugny, 1982). The advantage enjoyed by negational rhetoric should be more salient when self-uncertainty is elevated, wherein change-oriented leaders can garner more trust among followers (Rast et al., 2016). Drawing upon the social identity perspectives on leadership (e.g., Hogg, 2001a), the goal of this dissertation is to initiate a line of research that centers around the use of affirmations and negations in leadership rhetoric in constructing a group identity that favors leaders’ visions of change. Three experiments examined the interaction between leader rhetoric and self-uncertainty for a leader advocating for or against a collective change. Study 1 (N = 174) investigated the interactive effect of leader rhetoric and self-uncertainty on leader evaluations for an anti-change leader but failed to replicate the findings in previous research. Study 2 (N = 155) focused on the same interaction for a pro-change leader and provided partial support for the preferential evaluations of a leader using negational rhetoric under high self-uncertainty. Study 3 (N =267) introduced a third predictor variable by incorporating the anti-change and pro-change leader conditions. The results for the anti-change leader also failed to replicate previous findings while the results for the pro-change leader contradicted the findings of Study 2. These conflicting results indicate a need to refine experimental manipulations and test potential moderators in future research.
Resenha: Apollo's Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live
Creators: name: Editores da Revista Biomedinar
Publisher: name: Biomedinar
Year: 2024

description: Resenha do livro "Apollo's Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live" (A Flecha de Apolo: O Impacto Profundo e Duradouro do Coronavírus na Maneira como Vivemos, em tradução livre) de Nicholas A. Christakis, publicado em 2020.

"Apollo's Arrow" é uma obra que se destaca por oferecer uma perspectiva abrangente sobre a pandemia de COVID-19 e suas implicações profundas na sociedade global. Nicholas A. Christakis, médico e sociólogo, combina sua experiência em epidemiologia com insights sociais para examinar não apenas a propagação do vírus, mas também as transformações duradouras que a pandemia provocou em diversas esferas da vida.
The Living Experience of Mortality Among Curriculum Graduate Students: A Heuristic Inquiry
Creators: Jacobs, Nicholas
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Death is an ungraspable phenomenon that will grasp us all, and while humans may go to great lengths to avoid confrontations with death, it inevitably seethes its way into the psyche. The mortal condition of humanity warrants thoughtful and careful consideration, including the ways in which it is woven within curriculum studies. While research has explored how educators might best deal with death and dying in the experience of education, little research has focused on what death is. As such, this study aims to investigate the living experience of mortality among curriculum studies graduate students, and explores the implications of students’ experiences of mortality for curriculum studies. This study approaches the nature of mortality from a depth psychology lens, examining how unconscious processes of mortality relate to experiences of paradox and human creativity, and inform the field of curriculum studies. Heuristic inquiry was utilized to investigate the living experience of mortality, seeking to explore the phenomenon through its phases of engagement, immersion, incubation, illumination, and explication, arriving at a creative synthesis representing the nature of mortality. Data collection involved individual and group interviews with five curriculum studies graduate students and myself, before and after viewing Chernobyl, a mortality-themed televisual text. Data was analyzed based on the tenets of heuristic inquiry and was presented in the form of individual depictions, a composite depiction, and a creative synthesis which was then amplified through a depth psychology lens. The living experience of mortality among curriculum graduate students involved themes of paradox, an opportunity for becoming, a return to one’s humanness, and a relationship to innocence, which are explored and discussed in terms of implications for curriculum studies. The findings from this research assist in explicating a fuller phenomenon of mortality, while examining its implications towards a curriculum of mortality. This study might aid others in applying the findings of this research to applicable aims within curriculum studies and beyond.
Megachile acris Mitchell, new comb.
Creators: name: Raw, Anthony
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2002
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Megachilidae
Megachile
Megachile acris

description: acris Mitchell, new comb.
Megachile acris Mitchell 1930: 297 ­298. Female. Type locality: Villarrica, Paraguay. Based on the description the species is tentatively placed in this subgenus.
affabilis Mitchell, new comb.
Megachile affabilis Mitchell 1930: 301. Female. Type locality: Villarrica, Paraguay. Based on the description the species is tentatively placed in this subgenus.
description: Published as part of Raw, Anthony, 2002, New combinations and synonymies of leafcutter and mason bees of the Americas (Megachile, Hymenoptera, Megachilidae), pp. 1-43 in Zootaxa 71 (1) on page 9, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.71.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/155887
title: Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung
Creators: name: Wippermann, Jonas
Publisher: name: kassel university press
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung (BNE)
subject: Globales Lernen
subject: Biographisches Lernen
subject: Interdisziplinärer Religionsunterricht
subject: Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration
classificationCode: 200
subject: 200
classificationCode: Religionspädagogik
subject: Religionspädagogik
classificationCode: Bildung
subject: Bildung
classificationCode: Entwicklung
subject: Entwicklung
classificationCode: Nachhaltigkeit
subject: Nachhaltigkeit

description:
Angesichts globaler Umweltkrisen, sozialer Ungleichheit und Ressourcenknappheit wächst der Druck auf Bildungseinrichtungen, nachhaltiges Denken und Handeln zu fördern. Doch wie können zentrale Themen wie Klimaschutz, soziale Gerechtigkeit und globale Verantwortung so vermittelt werden, dass sie junge Menschen zum Handeln bewegen? Dieses Buch beleuchtet das Lebenswerk von Tony Rinaudo (Träger des Alternativen Nobelpreises) und seine Methode der Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration, die weltweit als Modell für ökologischen und sozialen Wandel gilt. Rinaudos Ansatz wird hier im Licht der Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung (BNE) und der religiösen Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung (rBNE) betrachtet. BNE und rBNE vereinen Nachhaltigkeit als gemeinsames Bildungsziel und erweitern den klassischen Unterricht durch interdisziplinäre Ansätze, die junge Menschen ermutigen, aktiv an der Gestaltung ihrer Zukunft mitzuwirken. Die Verbindung von Rinaudos Methodik mit diesen Bildungsansätzen verdeutlicht, wie sich Nachhaltigkeitsthemen in den Schulalltag integrieren lassen, welche Bedeutung das biografische Lernen in diesem Kontext hat und wie es zur religiösen Bildung beiträgt.
Exploring Professional Psychology Graduate Students’ Training in Culturally Competent Assessment
Creators: Aquilina, Alexandra M.
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Culture is recognized as a necessary consideration for psychologists to attend to when conducting assessments, the importance of which professional ethical guidelines make clear as well. What is not yet clear from the existing research is if clinical psychology training programs in Canada reflect this shift in awareness to specifically train students to be culturally competent in their assessment practice, particularly from the perspective of those students being trained. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to increase our understanding of professional child psychology graduate students’ training experiences in Canada, as they pertain to culturally competent assessment practices; as well as if and how these graduate students believe their training has prepared them to conduct adequate culturally competent assessments. Participants included ten students enrolled in a full-time, CPA accredited School and/or Clinical Child Psychology graduate program in Canada, who had completed all their required PhD coursework. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted virtually, and each participant was asked questions related to their knowledge of culture and culturally competent assessment, experience conducting culturally competent assessments, graduate training in culturally competent assessment, and opinion on the concept of cultural competence. Overall, although students have been trained and prepared by their programs in various ways to conduct assessments with culturally diverse clients, they feel their training is lacking in numerous areas and they require more training before they would consider themselves able to conduct culturally competent assessments. Implications are discussed, as well as future directions for research and training.
Megachile albopunctata Jorgensen, new comb.
Creators: name: Raw, Anthony
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2002
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Megachilidae
Megachile
Megachile albopunctata

description: albopunctata Jörgensen, new comb.
Megachile albopunctata Jörgensen 1909: 225. Female. Type locality: Chacras de Coria, Mendoza, Argentina. Females in USNM and BNHM which Mitchell compared with the type are members of this subgenus.
description: Published as part of Raw, Anthony, 2002, New combinations and synonymies of leafcutter and mason bees of the Americas (Megachile, Hymenoptera, Megachilidae), pp. 1-43 in Zootaxa 71 (1) on page 9, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.71.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/155887
Affective Hal and the Aesthetic Education of Sorrow in Performing Iranian Classical Music
Creators: Ahmadian, Nasim
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

This thesis explores the aesthetics of sorrow and melancholic expression in Iranian classical music, with special focus on the discursive and performing aspects of its pedagogical tradition. Although barely defined by performers, the ethos of huzn (sorrow) and melancholic ardor of suz (a burning heart) in the expression of hal (ecstatic and meditative state) predominates the aesthetics of Persian classical music and interpretation of affect. It is also prevalent in Persian philosophy, lyric poetry, and Islamic mysticism. Through close imitation and master-disciple interaction within private maktabs (traditional schools of artistry and intellect), performers invest years cultivating the interpretive skills of hal and poetics in their study of the Iranian radif music repertoire.

What are the traditional teaching methods of hal, and how did the socio-political and Islamic boundaries of Iranian society in the 20th century shape these methods? Although the concept of hal has attracted the attention of Western ethnomusicologists before (i.e., During 2012; Caton 2008; Zonis 1973), the aesthetics of affect within pedagogical traditions has remained underexplored, especially by native scholars. Through field-interviews with music teachers, a study of an extensive video archive of Iranian performances, and my autoethnography as a maktab-trained musician, I investigate the aesthetic and ethical pedagogy of hal in the 20th century.

I aim to show how the social and historical changes of modernization and revivalism, followed by the 1979 revolution, formed a dichotomy in methods of transmission and aesthetics of hal in the prominent maktabs. Through my own experiences as a female performer in Iran, I also discuss issues of class and genre stratification within aesthetic education in contemporary Iran.
The Search for Low Mass Dark Matter with the NEWS-G and SBC Experiments
Creators: Durnford, Daniel J
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

The search for particle dark matter has been ongoing for several decades to date, without any conclusive evidence of detection events. While large, tonne-scale experiments accumulate exposure (larger masses and longer data taking) in hopes of finding this elusive signal, other experiments are expanding the search to include novel detector technologies and non-traditional dark matter candidates. Even more so than usual, it is critical to have a robust understanding of the physics of these detectors to make a credible claim of discovery, or to exclude the existence of dark matter. Among these are the NEWS-G and SBC collaborations, which utilize spherical proportional counters (SPCs) and scintillating bubble chambers (SBCs) respectively. This thesis presents the progress made in the characterization and understanding of the physics relevant to both technologies. This includes measurements of the ionization yield of SPCs, the development of novel radon removal systems, and the measurement of the bubble creation efficiency of nuclear recoils in both more traditional C3F8 bubble chambers, as well as a liquid xenon SBC. Also presented is the full analysis and physics results of a NEWS-G dark matter search campaign in pure methane gas, establishing world-leading exclusions limits on low-mass dark matter with a spin-dependent coupling with protons.
Neuromorphic force-control in an industrial task: validating energy and latency benefits
Creators: name: Amaya, Camilo
name: Eames, Evan
name: Palinauskas, Gintautas
name: Perzylo, Alexander
name: Sandamirskaya, Yulia
name: von Arnim, Axel
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Robotics (cs.RO)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: As robots become smarter and more ubiquitous, optimizing the power consumption of intelligent compute becomes imperative towards ensuring the sustainability of technological advancements. Neuromorphic computing hardware makes use of biologically inspired neural architectures to achieve energy and latency improvements compared to conventional von Neumann computing architecture. Applying these benefits to robots has been demonstrated in several works in the field of neurorobotics, typically on relatively simple control tasks. Here, we introduce an example of neuromorphic computing applied to the real-world industrial task of object insertion. We trained a spiking neural network (SNN) to perform force-torque feedback control using a reinforcement learning approach in simulation. We then ported the SNN to the Intel neuromorphic research chip Loihi interfaced with a KUKA robotic arm. At inference time we show latency competitive with current CPU/GPU architectures, and one order of magnitude less energy usage in comparison to state-of-the-art low-energy edge-hardware. We offer this example as a proof of concept implementation of a neuromoprhic controller in real-world robotic setting, highlighting the benefits of neuromorphic hardware for the development of intelligent controllers for robots.
description: Accepted at IROS 2024
Role of Artificial Intelligence in Livestock Production – An Introduction
Creators: name: Dr. R. Saahithya
Publisher: name: The Science world a Monthly e magazine
Year: 2024

description:     As livestock production continues to face challenges such as increased demand for meat products and the need for sustainable practices, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has emerged as a promising solution. This research aims to explore the potential impact of AI in improving livestock production efficiency, animal welfare, and overall profitability. By utilizing AI for tasks such as monitoring animal health, optimizing feeding schedules, and predicting disease outbreaks, farmers can make more informed decisions and mitigate risks. Furthermore, AI can help in reducing environmental impact by optimizing resource utilization and minimizing waste. The advancements in AI have the potential to revolutionize the way livestock is managed, leading to a more sustainable and efficient industry. This study will delve into the various applications of AI in livestock production and assess its benefits and limitations in achieving these objectives.
Erhebungsinstrument "Überzeugungen zum Verhältnis von Theorie und Praxis von Lehramtsstudierenden"
Creators: name: Schneider, Jürgen
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024

description: "Items_und_Subskalen.pdf": Items, Subskalen und Antwortoptionen des Instruments

"intemselection.html": Datenanalysen und Ergebnisse der ersten Phase der Instrumententwicklung. Beinhaltet Berechnungen zur Auswahl der Faktorenanzahl und Reliabilitäten

"validation.html": Datenanalysen und Ergebnisse der zweiten Phase der Instrumententwicklung. Beinhaltet Berechnungen zu konfirmatorischen Faktorenanalysen (inkl. Angaben zur internen Konsistenz) und Validierungsansätzen.

"data_pilot1_intemselection.csv": Daten die der Studie 1 unterliegen und die Basis für alle Analysen im Dokument itemselection.html darstellen (dort als pilot1.csv)

"data_pilot2_validation.csv": Daten die der Studie 2 unterliegen und die Basis für alle Analysen im Dokument validation.html darstellen (dort als pilot2.csv)
Megachile arctos Vachal, new comb.
Creators: name: Raw, Anthony
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2002
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Megachilidae
Megachile
Megachile arctos

description: arctos Vachal, new comb.
Megachile arctos Vachal 1904: 11. Female. Type locality: Chacras de Coria, [Callanga] Peru. Type repository: MNHN. Examined.
description: Published as part of Raw, Anthony, 2002, New combinations and synonymies of leafcutter and mason bees of the Americas (Megachile, Hymenoptera, Megachilidae), pp. 1-43 in Zootaxa 71 (1) on page 9, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.71.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/155887
Erhebungsinstrument "Überzeugungen zum Verhältnis von Theorie und Praxis von Lehramtsstudierenden"
Creators: name: Schneider, Jürgen
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024

description: "Items_und_Subskalen.pdf": Items, Subskalen und Antwortoptionen des Instruments

"intemselection.html": Datenanalysen und Ergebnisse der ersten Phase der Instrumententwicklung. Beinhaltet Berechnungen zur Auswahl der Faktorenanzahl und Reliabilitäten

"validation.html": Datenanalysen und Ergebnisse der zweiten Phase der Instrumententwicklung. Beinhaltet Berechnungen zu konfirmatorischen Faktorenanalysen (inkl. Angaben zur internen Konsistenz) und Validierungsansätzen.
A Specific Construction of a Versal Torsor under a Finite Group G
Creators: Zeng, Zhaowei
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Versal torsors arise as an important tool in algebraic groups and algebraic geometry for the universal perspective they provide on the behaviour and properties of other torsors under the same group. Two classic examples of versal torsors are con- structed from general linear groups and affine spaces, respectively, described in lecture notes of Jean-Pierre Serre. The objective of this thesis is to find an algebraic proof for the second construction under finite groups without the use of heavy machinery from Galois cohomology.

The content of the different chapters is as follows:

Chapter 1 is an introduction to the goals of the thesis.

Chapter 2 is dedicated to give the readers a comprehensive introduction to

 ́etale algebras and Galois algebras.

Chapter 3 and 4 are general discussions on quotients of varieties and torsors,

respectively, followed by their behaviour in our special case.

Chapter 5 presents two classic constructions of versal torsors under finite

groups and lastly gives a new proof for the construction from affine spaces.
Fracture Behavior and Simulation of X52 Steel Pipe SENT Specimens
Creators: Najari, Omid E
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Understanding the fracture behavior of pipeline steel is crucial for ensuring the integrity of pipelines in the energy transportation industry. This comprehensive thesis investigates the fracture toughness properties of API 5L AO Smith X52 pipe steel through a combination of experimental tests and numerical analysis.

The experimental component of the study utilizes Single-Edge Notched Tension (SENT) specimens to examine fracture behavior. The focus is on assessing critical parameters such as Crack Tip Opening Displacement (CTOD), Crack Mouth Opening Displacement (CMOD), and crack growth length (Δa). To achieve precise displacement measurements in small-sized samples, Digital Image Correlation (DIC) is employed. The establishment of resistance curves (R-curves) for SENT specimens is a key aspect, and the results are used to evaluate the fracture toughness properties, including Force-CTOD, Force-CMOD, CTOD-Δa, and J-Δa curves.

The findings reveal consistent fracture behavior across different crack sizes and highlight variations in fracture toughness among different steel grades. This research contributes significantly to the understanding and characterization of pipe steels.

In parallel, the numerical analysis component of the thesis employs the Extended Finite Element Method (XFEM) to predict crack initiation and propagation in SENT specimens fabricated from the same API 5L AO Smith X52 pipe steel. Specific fracture parameters, Maxpe and Gc, are used to enhance prediction accuracy. The XFEM models are rigorously compared with experimental results, focusing on Force-CTOD, Force-CMOD, and Force-Global Displacement curves. The study reaffirms the reliability of XFEM in predicting fracture parameters across varying geometries. This research underscores the critical role of fracture mechanics in pipeline integrity assessment and contributes to advancements in fracture behavior analysis for pipeline steel materials. Future investigations are planned to expand the scope of the study by exploring other loading constraints and specimen geometries of the same steel grade.
Megachile binota Vachal, new comb.
Creators: name: Raw, Anthony
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2002
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Megachilidae
Megachile
Megachile binota

description: binota Vachal, new comb.
Megachile binota Vachal 1908: 225. Female. Type locality: Mendoza [Argentina]. Type repository: MNHN. Examined.
description: Published as part of Raw, Anthony, 2002, New combinations and synonymies of leafcutter and mason bees of the Americas (Megachile, Hymenoptera, Megachilidae), pp. 1-43 in Zootaxa 71 (1) on page 9, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.71.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/155887
Quantifying and Mitigating Antifungal Tolerance in the Pathogenic Yeast Candida auris
Creators: Rasouli Koohi, Samira
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Candida auris is an emerging pathogen that has been detected on five continents and is linked to resistance against the main three classes of antifungal drugs used to treat invasive infections, leading to healthcare-associated outbreaks. Tolerance refers to the ability of a drug-susceptible fungal strain to grow slowly in the presence of an antifungal drug at concentrations above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). This phenomenon can be reversed when the drug pressure is eliminated [1–3].

In this thesis, we examined the presence of tolerant subpopulations against several antifungal drugs, including fluconazole, itraconazole, caspofungin, voriconazole, posaconazole, amphotericin B, and anidulafungin. We obtained five Candida auris isolates from clinical samples collected at the Public Health Lab-Alberta Precision Laboratories.

I employed the microdilution assay to determine the MIC and conducted the disk diffusion assay (DDA) to determine the radius of the zone of inhibition (RAD). Images of the DDA were analyzed using diskImageR and imageJ software to quantify the fraction of growth (FOG) within the zone of inhibition (ZOI). Slow growing colonies within the ZOI were considered as tolerant subpopulations. The FOG within the ZOI served as a variable to quantify the degree of tolerance. Additionally, I measured supra-MIC growth (SMG) as another variable to quantify tolerance, which determined the growth in drug concentrations above MIC.

After 48 hours of drug treatment, an increase in SMG was observed for certain antifungal drug- C. auris isolate combinations. To explore whether tolerance was a non-genetic or genetic trait, I sub-cultured the colonies growing inside and outside the ZOI. I then repeated the DDA, MIC, and SMG experiments. The isolates from inside and outside the ZOI did not exhibit any changes in the RAD, MIC, or SMG. These findings suggests that a non-genetic mechanism may underlie tolerance in C. auris. The potential synergy between various antifungals and an adjuvant, chloroquine, was then assessed against C. auris, C. parapsilosis, and I. orientalis. I found that the antifungal drug fluconazole when combined with the adjuvant chloroquine, reduced or eliminated tolerance in C. auris. Finally, I performed a numerical simulation to investigate the diffusion concentration profile of antifungal drugs within agar media. My findings revealed a concentration gradient, with higher drug concentrations observed near the center of the ZOI and lower concentrations at the periphery of the ZOI, which explains why the tolerant colonies were often observed at the edge of the ZOI; that is that tolerance is a drug-dependent phenomenon.
High-Resolution Stereoscopic Visualization of Pediatric Echocardiography Data on Microsoft HoloLens 2
Creators: Selvamanikkam, Meruja
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Pediatric valve surgery typically requires cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegic arrest, which can have adverse effects on both post-operative recovery and long-term neurological function. However, non-bypass surgical techniques have limitations in pediatric patients, particularly due to challenges associated with the use of inserted devices. Balancing the necessity of bypass surgery with the unique considerations of pediatric cases remains a crucial aspect of pediatric valve surgery. Medical imaging, particularly Three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound (US), is crucial in providing volumetric images and detailed anatomical information for diagnosis and surgical planning. It is a key tool in the medical field to obtain a comprehensive view of the body. Ordinary two-dimensional displays do not provide depth perception and are not ideal for representing volumetric data, necessitating the use of more sophisticated visualization methods. Virtual and augmented reality (AR) displays can be used to improve the visualization of medical images, allowing for a more natural interaction with the environment. To address the issue of performing non-bypass surgery in children, a beating heart valve repair technique using augmented reality displays and three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) is proposed to enhance visualization, offer natural interaction tools and voice commands, and facilitate the widespread use of 3D ultrasound in clinical settings. This study proposes custom software developed using the Unity3D platform to render high-resolution 3DE on the Microsoft HoloLens 2 using a phantom model with internal targets for papillary muscles and the atrioventricular leaflet-annular interface, providing an immersive AR experience for medical professionals. This research focuses on 3DE in children and uses a phantom heart model to mimic a pulsating heart. The volume rendering algorithm utilizes the ray-marching technique, enabling direct volume rendering of high-quality volumetric models. To maintain a satisfactory frame rate, a Holographic Remoting approach is employed to reduce latency and enhance network transmission speed, utilizing the resources of a personal computer (PC). The custom software developed offers voice commands and an intuitive and interactive user interface that allows medical professionals to manipulate and explore 3DE images effectively. The interaction includes the ability to slice, modify the intensity range, and alter the voxel density. The experimental evaluations demonstrate that it is possible to produce a high-quality real-time display with HoloLens 2 and a PC-based remote rendering system, allowing intuitive control and exploration of 3DE. Overall, this research highlights the potential of AR rendering offered through Microsoft HoloLens 2 to advance pediatric 3DE rendering for medical professionals to enhance their decision-making and understanding of medical datasets.
Finite temperature detection of quantum critical points via internal quantum teleportation
Creators: name: Ribeiro, G. A. P.
name: Rigolin, Gustavo
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Quantum Physics (quant-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We show that the teleportation protocol can be efficiently used to detect quantum critical points using finite temperature data even if all resources needed to its implementation lie within the system under investigation. Contrary to a previous proposal, there is no need to use an external qubit as the input state to be teleported to one of the qubits within the system. Here, we use a pair of nearest neighbor spins from an infinite spin-1/2 chain in equilibrium with a heat bath as the entangled resource of the quantum teleportation protocol and a third adjacent qubit within the chain itself as the input state to be teleported. For several spin chain models subjected to an external magnetic field, we show that the efficiency of the teleportation protocol is severely affected as we cross the quantum critical points associated with those spin chains. This abrupt change in efficiency gives us a clear indication of a quantum phase transition.
description: 15 pages, 19 figures, RevTex4; v2: Sec. II expanded; v3: published version
The function and regulation of Snr1 in the Drosophila nervous system
Creators: Keegan, Sophie E
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

The brain is a complex organ made up of diverse cell types that must be precisely assembled for proper function. Regulation of neural stem cells during development is crucial for generating the correct cell types in the correct number at the proper time and location. It is thus unsurprising that multiple layers of regulation govern the proliferation and differentiation of stem cells. Failure to integrate multiple factors can lead to developmental disorders or tumor formation.

 In this thesis, I investigated the role of the chromatin remodelling protein Snr1 in regulating neural stem cells in Drosophila melanogaster during development. A key role for Snr1 was identified in the Drosophila optic lobe, in regulating the transition from neuroepithelial cells into neural stem cells and subsequent differentiation of neural stem cells into the cells needed to build the brain. Loss of Snr1 in neuroepithelial cells (precursors to the neural stem cells) led to premature neural stem cell formation, and loss of Snr1 in neural stem cells resulted in inappropriate perdurance of neural stem cells into adulthood. Using single cell RNA sequencing, it was found that reduced Snr1 expression in neuroepithelial or neural stem cells led to the differential expression of target genes necessary for normal brain development. Snr1 was found to be associated with the promoters of actively transcribed target genes using a CUT&TAG sequencing approach. Thus, Snr1 likely regulates the chromatin accessibility in neuroepithelial cells and maintains the chromatin accessibility in neural stem cells for proper brain development.

The role of post-transcriptional regulation in determining the expression and function of Snr1 was also investigated. The results suggest that expression levels and sub-cellular localization are both required for Snr1 regulation. A novel interaction between the tumor suppressor protein Merlin and Snr1-RNA was investigated as well as the role of the untranslated regions of Snr1-RNA. Together, these results demonstrate the important role of Snr1 during nervous system development, and may help explain how loss of function can contribute to disease.
Revisiting Strategy in Strategic Human Resources Management: Theorizing, Identifying, and Analyzing HR Systems Parallelly Aligned with Organization Systems
Creators: Song, Myungjune
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

In the field of strategic human resources management (SHRM), there has been a vision of human resources (HR) systems that can contribute to firms’ superior competitive advantage. Within these HR systems, HR practices are vertically paralleled with strategic imperatives, propelling an organization towards its goals, while also being horizontally aligned with one another to achieve synergistic effects. However, many HR studies adopt a best-practice approach that deviates from organizational strategy, leading to a “missing strategy” problem in strategic HRM. To bridge this gap, this three-study dissertation embarked on a thorough exploration.

Study 1 put forth a parallel architecture, advocating for an alignment between HR and organization systems. It unveiled three primary HR principles: commitment HR for long-term innovation, performance HR for short-term productivity, and hybrid HR for balance between long-term breakthrough and short-term performance. This study delved deeper into the distinct value operations of entities, highlighting two pivotal organization policies: value creation, which maximizes the value of human capital, and value capture, which minimizes the cost of human capital. This resulted in six distinct HR systems, which are vertically aligned with organizational strategies and horizontally with the ability-motivation-opportunity framework.

Transitioning from the theoretical landscape, Study 2 delved into empirical investigation, revealing real-world applications of theorized HR systems in Study 1. Addressing critiques around the lack of foundational grounding in many HR studies, this study employed a model-based approach using latent profile analysis (LPA). Analyzing data from a South Korean panel study, the LPA results suggested six HR systems, mostly supporting hypothesized HR patterns.

Study 3 probed deeper, investigating the patterns for organizational inclinations towards specific HR systems and the subsequent competitive advantage these choices offer. Findings revealed a pronounced preference for the hybrid capture HR system across firms of various sizes and strategies. This preference illustrates a general organizational aspiration to balance exploration and exploitation. Furthermore, the study examined how HR systems paralleled with organization systems impact company performance over varying durations. The results demonstrated that while HR systems vary significantly across organizations, their strategic alignment doesn't necessarily promise higher firm performances. Instead, specific contexts and HR system combinations seem more poised to drive superior organizational outcomes. Overall contributions to the SHRM literature and future research directions based on limitations are discussed in the final chapter.
Megachile botanicorum Cockerell, new comb.
Creators: name: Raw, Anthony
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2002
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Megachilidae
Megachile
Megachile botanicorum

description: botanicorum Cockerell, new comb.
Megachile botanicorum Cockerell 1923a: 453. Female. Type locality: Botanic Gardens, [Georgetown] British Guiana. Type repository: BNHM 17a2465. Examined.
description: Published as part of Raw, Anthony, 2002, New combinations and synonymies of leafcutter and mason bees of the Americas (Megachile, Hymenoptera, Megachilidae), pp. 1-43 in Zootaxa 71 (1) on page 9, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.71.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/155887
Hemp Yarn for Composites
Creators: Dagur, Rishabh
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

This thesis explores preparation and investigation of the hemp yarns using hemp fibers (Cannabis Sativa L.) sourced from Alberta, Canada. Hemp fibers and yarns are existing eco-friendly alternative with incredible advantages such as improved environmental impact, potential for enhanced mechanical properties, and increased biodegradability in the composite applications. These significant benefits position hemp yarns as a promising and sustainable solution over synthetic yarns (or filaments) in the composite industry. Initially, this research investigates the preparation of hemp fiber by identifying an effective chemical treatment to improve fiber-matrix compatibility and also to enhance their suitability for yarn spinning.

The study demonstrated a detailed comparison between hydrogen peroxide and 3- Glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane (GPTMS) treatments by determining the key parameters such as tensile modulus, strength, and deviations in the lignocellulosic structure of the hemp cell wall post-treatments. The results revealed, GPTMS at a concentration of 1 wt/wt % as the most effective and cost-efficient treatment for the Alberta hemp fibers. Remarkably, the fibers treated with 1wt/wt % GPTMS displayed a significant enhancement in the single fiber tensile strength by showing a 65.08% increment compared to the retted (or untreated) hemp fibers.

Later, we refined and examined a method to fabricate double-plied hemp yarn. This process incorporated a series of pre-spinning treatments—beginning with physical processing using a hackle, followed by fiber decontamination with surfactant, and chemical treatment with a 1% GPTMS chemical treatment. To spin the yarn, we utilized a traditional single-drive spinning wheel, and we successfully spun tightly entangled single yarns, and plied singles pair to create a double-plied yarn. The tensile properties of silane treated yarns revealed a significant 49.87 % improvement in modulus and 32.68 % increment in strength when compared to the untreated hemp yarns.

Our conclusions establish a groundwork to the create pure hemp yarns for sustainable fiber- reinforced composite materials. It is demonstrated that hemp yarns post-treatment acquires enhanced elasticity and tensile strength. Furthermore, this research indicates the possibility of refining chemical treatments to modify hemp fiber characteristics to attain the required application need and to evaluate their life cycle performance. In summary, this study is an effort to make a substantial contribution to the sustainable materials and opens new horizons for future investigations on hemp yarns for the composite materials.
Behavioural response of chub, barbel and brown trout to pulsed direct current electric fields
Creators: name: Moldenhauer-Roth, Anita
name: Selz, Oliver M.
name: Albayrak, Ismail
name: Boes, Robert M.
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Neuroscience
subject: Physiology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Ecology
subject: Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Inorganic Chemistry
subject: FOS: Chemical sciences
subject: Plant Biology

description: Electrified fish guidance and trash racks at water intakes are a promising technology to divert downstream moving fish away from turbines and towards a safe bypass route. Current recommendations on pulsed direct current (pDC) waveforms to electrify such racks are based on a limited number of field studies, and hence investigations comparing pDC waveforms are needed. To this end, systematic tests of electrosensitivity to pDC waveforms were performed with wild caught brown trout (Salmo trutta), chub (Squalius cephalus) and barbel (Barbus barbus) to determine (1) behaviour types and thresholds exhibited by different species and variation within species families, (2) the effect of fish body size, and (3) optimal parameters of pDC waveforms for possible use at electrified bar racks. Both the peak power density threshold triggering immobilization and twitch reactions decreased with increasing fish size according to a power law relation. Increasing frequency led to lower thresholds for immobilization and higher thresholds for twitch reactions. Though some inter-specific variation was observed, a waveform with a pulse duration of 2 ms and a frequency of 10 Hz was determined to be the most promising for all three species to be tested and possibly used at electrified bar racks.
Tomography of near-field radiative heat exchange between mesoscopic bodies immersed in a thermal bath
Creators: name: Herz, Florian
name: Messina, Riccardo
name: Ben-Abdallah, Philippe
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics (cond-mat.mes-hall)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: A tomographic study of near-field radiative heat exchanges between a mesoscopic object and a substrate immersed in a thermal bath is carried out within the theoretical framework of fluctuational electrodynamics. By using the discrete-dipole-approximation method, we compute the power density distribution for radiative exchanges and highlight the major role played by many-body interactions in these transfers. Additionally, we emphasize the close relationship between power distribution and eigenmodes within the solid paving the way to applications for hot-spot targeting at deep sub-wavelength scale by shape optimization.
description: 16 pages, 14 figures
Megachile breviata Vachal, new comb.
Creators: name: Raw, Anthony
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2002
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Megachilidae
Megachile
Megachile breviata

description: breviata Vachal, new comb.
Megachile breviata Vachal 1908: 227. Female. Type locality: Lara, 4000m, Tucuman [Argentina]. Specimens at BBSL determined by Moldenke are members of this subgenus.
description: Published as part of Raw, Anthony, 2002, New combinations and synonymies of leafcutter and mason bees of the Americas (Megachile, Hymenoptera, Megachilidae), pp. 1-43 in Zootaxa 71 (1) on page 9, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.71.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/155887
Shared Dysphoric Experiences Activate Identity Fusion, but not Forever
Creators: name: Rodríguez Fregenal, Sara
name: Bautista Carrasco, Hend
name: Martínez Díaz, Mercedes
name: Vázquez Botana, Alexandra
name: Gómez, Ángel
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Identity Fusion
Sacred values
Extreme behaviour

description: Presentation by Sara Rodríguez Fregenal at the 6th International Congress of the Spanish Scientific Society of Social Psychology entitled "Shared Dysphoric Experiences Activate Identity Fusion, but not Forever".
Assessment of Road Infrastructure Design for Autonomous Vehicles using LiDAR Data
Creators: Abdelkader, Maged K G
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Despite recent advances in automotive research, a fully autonomous system operating in open, unconstrained road environments has not yet been realized. Recently, several types of autonomous vehicle (AV) failures were reported, such as run-of-the-road collisions and failure to stop for occluded road users. Such failures raised concerns about AV compatibility with existing infrastructure. As such, offloading expensive and infeasible computational workloads to smart infrastructure is an active area of research. Representatives from the infrastructure owners/operators (IOOs), the automotive industry, and academia have advocated for new ways to prepare roadways for the deployment of AVs. These recommendations aim to assess and enhance road infrastructure design for AVs by IOOs. These recommendations are threefold. First, improving vehicle-to-infrastructure connectivity (V2I), known as “talking to the road.” Second, enhancing the vehicle’s ability to monitor the driving environment, or “seeing the road.” Finally, “simplifying the road” through modifying roadway and roadside geometric design to support navigation by AVs. Following these recommendations, this thesis explores the gap between existing road infrastructure and AV technologies, specifically i) occlusion due to physical infrastructure, ii) road geometric design, iii) roadside design, iv) pavement markings, and v) traffic signs. In this dissertation, novel simulation-based and quantitative approaches were developed to segment light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data and assess road design performance for AVs using ultra-dense point clouds. The methods utilize point clouds to digitize existing roads and simulate a set of AV systems within this environment. An infrastructure surface model, efficient octree/voxel data structures, and semantic segmentation variants of deep learning methods and heuristic segmentation approaches are used to map design measures and extract locations with substandard conditions for AVs. A framework for improvement solutions is also presented. This work helps infrastructure operators and those in the AV sector make data-driven decisions regarding smart physical and digital infrastructure investments. Methods developed in this research are the first to systemically and quantitatively assess road design for AVs on a large scale.