cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
Permafrost Changes Along the Alaska Highway Corridor, Southern Yukon, from Ground Temperature Measurements and DC Electrical Resistivity Tomography
Creators: name: Maxime Arsène, Duguay
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 2013
Subjects: Permafrost
Climate Change
Electrical Resistivity Tomography
Alaska Highway Corridor
Yukon
Boreholes
Global Warming
Environmental Change

description: Permafrost temperatures were measured by the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) in 1977-1981 at boreholes along a proposed pipeline route in the southern Yukon. Analysis of climate station records indicate that mean annual air temperatures in the region have since increased by 0.5-1.0˚C. Renewed interest in the pipeline and the need to develop adaptation strategies for existing highway infrastructure have meant that information on permafrost and geotechnical conditions must be updated. To accomplish this goal, a total of eight GSC boreholes ranging in depth from 5-9 m were located, unblocked of ice and instrumented with thermistor cables and data-loggers to permit renewed ground temperature monitoring. Manual temperature measurements were also taken at four other shallow boreholes. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) surveys were conducted at each site. MAGTs below 1 m at permafrost sites in the study area range from -0.2˚C to -1.5˚C with permafrost depths greater than 25 m. The permafrost at the study sites can be classified as sporadic discontinuous and extensive discontinuous. Ground temperatures indicate that permafrost can persist under warmer climatic conditions as long as it remains protected by its ecosystem properties. Thermal monitoring for 2011-2012 shows an average increase of 0.5-1.0˚C when compared to the original 1978-1981 ground temperatures. This slow rate of ground warming is mainly attributed to a combination of limited climate change, especially in the south of the study area, ground temperatures close to 0˚C, and the possible disturbance of sites from the removal of vegetation prior to the original measurements being made. ERT surveys conducted at most borehole sites show deeper thaw or taliks where the cleared cut-line used for geophysical work in the 1970s is crossed. These results indicate the impacts of climate change and environmental change in the study area over the past three decades. They appear to match the relatively slow rates of ground warming observed elsewhere in northern Canada where permafrost temperatures are close to 0˚C and where warming also requires changes in latent heat due to internal thaw. TTOP equilibrium modelling suggests that if climate change is responsible for the ground warming, most of the change can be attributed to the step-like MAAT increase that occurred between 1975-1976.
From law of the iterated logarithm to Zolotarev distance for supercritical branching processes in random environment
Creators: name: Ye, Yinna
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Probability (math.PR)
subject: FOS: Mathematics
subject: 60J80, 60K37, 60F05, 62E20

description: Consider $(Z_n)_{n\geq0}$ a supercritical branching process in an independent and identically distributed environment. Based on some recent development in martingale limit theory, we established law of the iterated logarithm, strong law of large numbers, invariance principle and optimal convergence rate in the central limit theorem under Zolotarev and Wasserstein distances of order $p\in(0,2]$ for the process $(\log Z_n)_{n\geq0}$.
description: This is a revised version of the original manuscript. The statements and proofs of the main results have been improved, some typos are corrected. Current version: 13 pages. Original version: 14 pages
People Tracking Under Occlusion Using Gaussian Mixture Model and Fast Level Set Energy Minimization
Creators: name: Moradiannejad, Ghazaleh
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 2013
Subjects: People Tracking
occlusion

description: Tracking multiple articulated objects (such as a human body) and handling occlusion between them is a challenging problem in automated video analysis. This work proposes a new approach for accurately and steadily visual tracking people, which should function even if the system encounters occlusion in video sequences. In this approach, targets are represented with a Gaussian mixture, which are adapted to regions of the target automatically using an EM-model algorithm. Field speeds are defined for changed pixels in each frame based on the probability of their belonging to a particular person's blobs. Pixels are matched to the models using a fast numerical level set method. Since each target is tracked with its blob's information, the system is capable of handling partial or full occlusion during tracking. Experimental results on a number of challenging sequences that were collected in non-experimental environments demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach.
Advances in Targeting Cancer-Associated Genes by Designed siRNA in Prostate Cancer
Creators: name: Bahreyni, Amirhossein
name: Luo, Honglin
Publisher: name: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Year: 2021

description: Short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) have provided novel insights into the field of cancer treatment in light of their ability to specifically target and silence cancer-associated genes. In recent years, numerous studies focus on determining genes that actively participate in tumor formation, invasion, and metastasis in order to establish new targets for cancer treatment. In spite of great advances in designing various siRNAs with diverse targets, efficient delivery of siRNAs to cancer cells is still the main challenge in siRNA-mediated cancer treatment. Recent advancements in the field of nanotechnology and nanomedicine hold great promise to meet this challenge. This review focuses on recent findings in cancer-associated genes and the application of siRNAs to successfully silence them in prostate cancer, as well as recent progress for effectual delivery of siRNAs to cancer cells.
Psychosocial Hazards and Mental Ill Health in the UK Rail Industry
Creators: name: CARNALL, LAURENCE ALAN
Publisher: name: University of Surrey
Year: 2021

description: Introduction
description: There have been a number of studies into PTSD in train drivers exposed to “person under train” (PUT) incidents, but these were limited by population and scope. This study examined PTSD, complex-PTSD, depression, and anxiety, in a broad sample of the rail workforce, including a number of exposures termed psychosocial hazards.
description: Method
description: Cross-sectional survey delivered electronically, gathering data around exposure to seven psychosocial hazards (bullying/harassment, verbal abuse, physical assault, sexual assault, hearing about, seeing the aftermath of, and witnessing a fatality), as well as working conditions, physical health, and the impact of Covid-19. The International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ), PHQ-9, and GAD-7 were used as outcome measures. Data were analysed in hierarchical logistic and linear regression models.
description: Results
description: 3912 participants responded. 2.8% met the criteria for PTSD, 7.2% for complex-PTSD. 49.3% reported bullying/harassment, 66.5% verbal abuse, 16.3% physical assault, 4.6% sexual assault, and 12.0% reported having witnessed a fatality. Bullying/harassment was independently associated GAD-7 score, PTSD, and complex-PTSD, whilst hearing about and witnessing a fatality were associated with greater odds of PTSD and complex-PTSD. Physical ergonomics at work, and work intensity, were associated with PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores, whilst better working life perspectives (analogous to job satisfaction) was associated with lower odds of PTSD and complex-PTSD.
description: Discussion
description: The results suggest that bullying/harassment is an important factor in the mental health of the rail workforce, along with a number of working conditions covariates. These associations, seen after controlling for all other variables, may suggest modifiable risk factors, and could drive future research and industry led mental health initiatives to support wellbeing in the rail sector.
Abfüllung von Getränken in Mehrweg- und ökologisch vorteilhaften Einwegverpackungen in Deutschland für die Jahre 2012 und 2013
Creators: name: Heinisch, Jürgen
Publisher: name: My University
Year: 2015
Subjects: subject: MövE-Verpackungen
subject: Getränkeverpackung
subject: Einweg-Getränkeverpackung
subject: Mehrweggetränkeverpackung
subject: Flasche
subject: Blechdose
subject: Verpackungsverordnung
subject: Abfall | Ressourcen
subject: Waste | Resources

description: Zur Bestimmung des Getränkeverbrauchs werden vielfältige Informationen und Daten zusammengetragen und analysiert, insbesondere Daten des Statistischen Bundesamtes, der Getränkeverbände, wichtiger Packmittelhersteller u.v.m., wobei der Ausgangspunkt die im Rahmen der GVM-Getränke-Panelberichte ermittelten Abfüllmengen zum Jahr 2013 darstellen. Ausgehend von der Abfüllung in Deutschland wird unter Abzug der Exporte der Inlandsabsatz bestimmt und mit der Zurechnung der Importe der Getränkeverbrauch ermittelt. Im Ergebnis wurden 2013 46,2 % der Getränke in MövE-Verpackungen in Deutschland verbraucht, davon 45,1 Prozentpunkte als Mehrweggetränkeverpackung und 1,1 Prozentpunkte als övE-Verpackung. Der Anteil der MövE-Verpackungen ist damit ggü. 2012 um 0,8-Prozentpunkte zurückgegangen und hat sich damit im Vergleich zur Entwicklung der letzten Jahre deutlich verlangsamt.
MetaHate: A Dataset for Unifying Efforts on Hate Speech Detection
Creators: name: Piot, Paloma
name: Martín-Rodilla, Patricia
name: Parapar, Javier
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Computation and Language (cs.CL)
subject: Social and Information Networks (cs.SI)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: Hate speech represents a pervasive and detrimental form of online discourse, often manifested through an array of slurs, from hateful tweets to defamatory posts. As such speech proliferates, it connects people globally and poses significant social, psychological, and occasionally physical threats to targeted individuals and communities. Current computational linguistic approaches for tackling this phenomenon rely on labelled social media datasets for training. For unifying efforts, our study advances in the critical need for a comprehensive meta-collection, advocating for an extensive dataset to help counteract this problem effectively. We scrutinized over 60 datasets, selectively integrating those pertinent into MetaHate. This paper offers a detailed examination of existing collections, highlighting their strengths and limitations. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the existing datasets, paving the way for training more robust and adaptable models. These enhanced models are essential for effectively combating the dynamic and complex nature of hate speech in the digital realm.
Insecurity Communities: Technologies of Insecurity Governance Under the European Neighbourhood Policy
Creators: name: Mutlu, Can E.
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 2013
Subjects: Security
European Union
International Relations
Technology
Passports
Containers

description: This dissertation explores the European Union’s (EU) European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) as a technology of insecurity governance in order to better understand insecurity management practices of the EU bureaucracies and policy elites. The central argument of the project is that security communities are insecurity communities. Rather than trying to maintain a state of non-war, insecurity communities establish and further develop a constant productive field of insecurity management that aims to identify and govern threats and unease. The projects core contributions rest with the security community theory and the literature on the EU’s external governance literatures. Empirically, the dissertation focuses on the human mobility and transportation insecurity management practices of the EU in relation to the uses of e-Passports and intermodal containers.
Genetic parameters of body conformation and performance traits of Wielkopolski horses registered in the successive volumes of the herdbook
Creators: name: Kapron, Marian
name: Czerniak, Elzbieta
name: Lukaszewicz, Marek
name: Danielewicz, Agata
Publisher: name: Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Dummerstorf, Germany
Year: 2013
Subjects: subject: 570 Life sciences

description: Archiv Tierzucht 56 (2013) 12, 127-136; ISSN 0003-9438
Supplementary document for Temperature-dependent optical phonon shifts and splitting in cubic 10BP, natBP and 11BP crystals - 5431854.pdf
Creators: name: Zhu, Siqi
name: Zheng, Wei
name: Lu, Xuefang
name: Huang, Feng
Publisher: name: Optica Publishing Group
Year: 2025
Subjects: Uncategorized

description: X-ray diffraction spectra of 10BP, natBP and 11BP single crystals.
Active testing apparatus for force and displacement of the fingers
Creators: name: Shelby, Brian Douglas
Publisher: name: University of Utah
Year: 2013
Subjects: Fingers - Mechanical properties
Electromyography
Prosthesis - Control systems

description: Control of a prosthetic device for amputees should be as natural as possible for optimal integration into daily use. A commonly used source of signal for the control of a prosthetic is the amputee's own electrical activity in muscles, known as electromyogram (EMG) readings. In order for these signals to be correctly interpreted to control the prosthetic, the intended effect of the signals must be understood. A device capable of applying forces and measuring the responses of a finger along a single axis was created with the purpose of gathering data about the mechanical behavior of the hand and relating it to the corresponding EMG signals. Using force and displacement sensors, each device can quantify the behavior of a fingertip. The device is designed such that multiple can be combined into an array for testing several fingers at once, which allows the gathering of complex force and motion data for an entire hand. Data gathered with this device are presented, in which the EMG data are used to predict force, and compared with the actual force. This initial comparison shows the device's ability to gather data which can improve understanding of the relation of EMG signals to complex motion of the fingers, which in turn will lead to a more natural control of prosthetic hands.
Molecular Basis of GATA-4 Expression During the Early Commitment Stage of Cardiomyogenesis
Creators: name: Yilbas, Ayse Elif
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 2015
Subjects: GATA-4
Cardiomyocyte

description: Cardiovascular diseases are among the leading causes of death in North America. Currently, there are no effective treatment options for directly repairing the damaged myocardial tissue. Therefore, cell-based therapies utilizing cardiomyocytes generated from stem cells to replace necrotic tissue will be a promising approach. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating stem cell differentiation into cardiomyocytes are not fully understood. Since GATA-4 is one of the primary regulators of cradiomyogenesis, we investigated the molecular basis of GATA-4 expression during the early stages of stem cell differentiation. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation, we have observed the direct involvement of p300 in GATA-4 gene expression. We have also examined the importance ofhHistone acetylation and acetyltransferase activity on GATA-4 expression during the early stage of cardiomyogensis using the histone deactylase inhibitor Valproic Acid and the acetyltransferase inhibitor Curcumin respectively.
One Style Does Not Regulate All: Moderation Practices in Public and Private WhatsApp Groups
Creators: name: Shahid, Farhana
name: Agarwal, Dhruv
name: Vashistha, Aditya
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Human-Computer Interaction (cs.HC)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: WhatsApp is the largest social media platform in the Global South and is a virulent force in global misinformation and political propaganda. Due to end-to-end encryption WhatsApp can barely review any content and mostly rely on volunteer moderation by group admins. Yet, little is known about how WhatsApp group admins manage their groups, what factors and values influence moderation decisions, and what challenges they face while managing their groups. To fill this gap, we interviewed admins of 32 diverse groups and reviewed content from 30 public groups in India and Bangladesh. We observed notable differences in the formation, members' behavior, and moderation of public versus private groups, as well as in how WhatsApp admins operate compared to those on other platforms. We used Baumrind's typology of 'parenting styles' as a lens to examine how admins enact care and control during volunteer moderation. We identified four styles based on how caring and controlling the admins are and discuss design recommendations to help them better manage problematic content in WhatsApp groups.
Grape selection for resistance to biotic and abiotic environmental factors
Creators: name: Guzun, N. I.
name: Nedov, P. N.
name: Usatov, V. T.
name: Kostrikin, I. A.
name: Meleshko, L. F.
Publisher: name: VITIS - Journal of Grapevine Research
Year: 2015

description: Most of the viticultural regions of the USSR are located under conditions of limiting biotic and abiotic factors, with frosts, drought, fungal diseases, phylloxera, mites, grape berry moths and some others being of primary importance. The main breeding organizations have been creating for more than 40 years new table and wine cultivars with complex resistance according to long-term programs. These cultivars are own-rooted and capable of wintering in outdoor culture with a limited amount of spray treatments, if any. In crossing, Amur grape and its hybrids, cultivars Seibel and Seyve Villard and some others are used as donors of resistance. Using biophysical and cytoembryological methods, gametes are treated with physical and chemical mutagenic factors in order to increase the variability range of F(1) seedlings, aiming at higher efficiency of selection. The process of selection is accelerated if seedlings are grown hydroponically. Analysis of the F(1) hybrid population determines the nature of the inheritance of valuable agricultural characters and the selection of pairs. The in vitro method is used when seedlings are grown from non-vital seeds, callus embryoids and in accelerated propagation of valuable genotypes providing virus and bacteria elimination. More than 50 cultivars with complex resistance have been bred during 35 years. More than 10 of them have been recommended for culture (Moldova, Lyana, Vostorg, Sukholimanski biely, Pervenets Magaracha, and others), while the remainder are being tested in different viticultural regions of the Soviet Union.
description: VITIS - Journal of Grapevine Research, Vol. 29 (1990): Vitis (Special Issue)
Glimmers of hope in the steel industry's darkest hour
Creators: name: Brooks, Geoffrey
Publisher: name: Swinburne
Year: 2024

description: The $1 billion dollar annual loss announced by BlueScope Steel confirmed what is common knowledge: the Australian steel industry is in crisis and fighting for survival. The latest statistics show that steel production in this country has dropped by over 30% since 2011 as the high Australian dollar and low cost imports from China have largely wiped out our export market and created problems in local markets for Arrium and BlueScope. The closure of the giant No. 6 Blast Furnace at Port Kembla last year was a momentous occasion and an acknowledgement that in the current climate, Australian steel simply cannot compete with our cheaper Asian rivals. These problems reflect not just the distortion to our dollar induced by the mining boom but also a failure to innovate and develop products and downstream industries that build on our significant advantages with raw materials and technological know how.
Rett virksomhet på rett sted: Fra teori til praksis
Creators: name: Strømmen, Kathrine
Publisher: name: Proceedings from the Annual Transport Conference at Aalborg University
Year: 2002

description: Notatet viser hvordan forskningsresultater er lagt til grunn for praktisk planlegging i en større norsk by, Trondheim. I Trondheim legges det opp til en mer miljøvennlig byutvikling enn tidligere, blant annet gjennom fortetting og lokalisering av boliger og virksomheter etter prinsippet rett virksomhet på rett sted. Sammen med bevaring av byens grønne lunger er dette de viktigste prinsippene i den nye kommuneplanens arealdel. (Trondheim kommune 2001) Store deler av det teoretiske og empiriske grunnlaget bygger på doktor ingeniøravhandlingen ”Rett virksomhet på rett sted – om virksomheters transportskapende egenskaper” fra NTNU (Strømmen 2001).
description: Proceedings from the Annual Transport Conference at Aalborg University, Vol. 9 No. 1 (2002): Proceedings from the Annual Transport Conference at Aalborg University
Supervision in der Konsumgesellschaft - Tagungsbericht zur "Reflexiven Supervision" vom 18. März 2017
Creators: name: Roth-Vormann, Manuela
Publisher: name: FoRuM Supervision - Zeitschrift für Beratungswissenschaft und Supervision
Year: 2017

description: Konsum hat sich flächendeckend auf alle Subsysteme der Gesellschaft ausgeweitet. Baudrillards Verständnis vom Konstrukt Konsum zeigt sich - in neomarxistischer, strukturalistischer Tradition - als soziales System. Als universales Kommunikations- und Repräsentationssystem erfährt Konsum einen relationalen Sinn, der sich in Distinktionsbemühungen hinsichtlich einer Abgrenzung zu anderen oder ein Dazugehören zu einer bestimmten Gruppe niederschlägt. Über das Konsumieren eines bestimmten Konsumobjektes wird zugleich die jeweilige Signal- und Symbolfunktion des Konsumobjektes angeeignet. Somit findet eine Verortung des Subjekts im sozialen Feld statt - Konsumobjekte sind relativ bedeutungsvoll in Abhängigkeit der anderen gleichen Konsumobjekte (also nur dann relevant, wenn sie im Verhältnis der anderen Konsumobjekte der gleichen Art gesehen werden). Das System der Konsumobjekte korreliert mit dem System der Lebensstile. Beide Systeme befinden sich in einem steten Wandel, so dass diese aufgrund ihrer Komplexität ständig unübersichtlicher werden. Konsum ist kein Anhängsel von Produktion, sondern erfährt die universale Funktion der Relevanz - eigenständig und autonom zeigt sich das System des Konsums als Phänomen, das die Gesellschaft durchdringt und sinngebend bestimmt. Ein Begehren also, dass vermeintlich autonome Menschen in einer ausdifferenzierten Gesellschaft antreibt, ist der Konsum.
description: FoRuM Supervision - Zeitschrift für Beratungswissenschaft und Supervision, 2017: Heft 50 - Konsum - Gesellschaft - Arbeit
Primary snoring in school children: prevalence and neurocognitive impairments.
Creators: name: Brockmann, Pablo E.
name: Urschitz, Michael S.
name: Schlaud, Martin
name: Poets, Christian F.
Publisher: name: Robert Koch-Institut, Epidemiologie und Gesundheitsberichterstattung
Year: 2011
Subjects: subject: Obstructive sleep apnoea
subject: Upper airway resistance syndrome
subject: Polysomnography
subject: School performance
subject: Behaviour
subject: Sleepiness
subject: 610 Medizin

description: Purpose: We aimed to investigate the prevalence of primary snoring (PS) and its association with neurocognitive impairments. Methods: Data from a community-based study in 1,114 primary school children were used to identify children who never (N = 410) or habitually snored (N = 114). In order to separate children with PS from those with upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS) or obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), home polysomnography was conducted in all habitually snoring children. Neurocognitive impairments and poor school performance were compared between children who never snored, PS, and UARS/OSA. Results: Polysomnography was successfully conducted in 92 habitual snorers. Of these, 69 and 23 had PS and UARS/OSA, respectively. Prevalence [95% confidence interval (95% CI)] of PS was 6.1% (4.5–7.7). Compared to children who had never snored, children with PS had more hyperactive (39% vs. 20%) and inattentive behaviour (33% vs. 11%), as well as poor school performance in mathematics (29% vs. 16%), science (23% vs. 12%), and spelling (33% vs. 20%; all P values
Tumours Modulate Fenestrated Vascular Beds, Host Endocrine Status, and Response to Drug-induced Vascular Injury
Creators: name: Hargreaves, Adam
Publisher: name: University of Surrey
Year: 2023
Subjects: Vascular Modulation
Anti-angiogenic
Endocrine
Tumour-Host
Cancer-cachexia
Angiogenesis

description: The study of vascular modulation has received a great deal of attention in recent years, as knowledge has increased around the role of angiogenesis within disease contexts such as cancer. Allograft and xenograft transplantation into a mouse host is frequently utilised to study tumour-associated angiogenesis and the response to anti-angiogenic treatments. Pre-clinical studies employing these models often focus solely upon the intra-tumoural effects of a given treatment, without consideration of systemic toxicity or tumour-host interaction, nor whether this latter relationship could modulate the toxicologic response to therapy. In addition, techniques used to quantify “off-target” drug-induced vascular regression, a process translating into a number of dose-limiting clinical sequelae, have attained relatively modest advancement in the pre-clinical setting.

description:

description: Here, the generation of a novel structural biomarker, which can be incorporated into a number of contemporary image analysis platforms and used to compare tumour versus systemic host tissue vascularity, is demonstrated. By contrasting the measurements obtained, the pre-clinical efficacy of vascular-modulating chemotherapies can be evaluated in light of the predicted therapeutic window (Hargreaves et al., 2017).

description:

description: It is further demonstrated that the implantation and growth of a range of human- and mouse-derived cell lines leads not only to structural vascular and potential functional changes within peripheral endocrine tissues, but also ameliorates the severity of anti-angiogenic-induced fenestrated vessel attenuation. Observations suggest a multi-factorial process, variably involving host- and tumour-derived growth factors/cytokines and the liberation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells. These findings may be of significance in the development of clinical anti-angiogenic “adaptation” and within the “cancer-cachexia” syndrome in man (Hargreaves et al., 2021).
description: Finally, it is shown that the growth of the Calu-6 xenograft is associated with a resistance to Vascular-Modulating Agent-induced mouse peripheral endocrine vascular rarefaction (toxicity), with potential functional impact; notably with respect to mixed Tyrosine Kinase Inhibition.

description:

description: The pathogenesis of these findings indicates a potential role for both tumour- and host-derived Fibroblast Growth Factor, with associated upregulation in the intra-tumoural autotaxin-lysophosphatic acid signalling axis (Hargreaves et al., 2022).
Binary Quantum Control Optimization with Uncertain Hamiltonians
Creators: name: Fei, Xinyu
name: Brady, Lucas T.
name: Larson, Jeffrey
name: Leyffer, Sven
name: Shen, Siqian
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Quantum Physics (quant-ph)
subject: Optimization and Control (math.OC)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences
subject: FOS: Mathematics

description: Optimizing the controls of quantum systems plays a crucial role in advancing quantum technologies. The time-varying noises in quantum systems and the widespread use of inhomogeneous quantum ensembles raise the need for high-quality quantum controls under uncertainties. In this paper, we consider a stochastic discrete optimization formulation of a binary optimal quantum control problem involving Hamiltonians with predictable uncertainties. We propose a sample-based reformulation that optimizes both risk-neutral and risk-averse measurements of control policies, and solve these with two gradient-based algorithms using sum-up-rounding approaches. Furthermore, we discuss the differentiability of the objective function and prove upper bounds of the gaps between the optimal solutions to binary control problems and their continuous relaxations. We conduct numerical studies on various sized problem instances based of two applications of quantum pulse optimization; we evaluate different strategies to mitigate the impact of uncertainties in quantum systems. We demonstrate that the controls of our stochastic optimization model achieve significantly higher quality and robustness compared to the controls of a deterministic model.
Pregnancy toxemia and metabolic changes of transition in small ruminants
Creators: name: Van Saun, Robert J.
Publisher: name: American Association of Bovine Practitioners  Proceedings of the Annual Conference
Year: 2012

description: The objective of the presentation is to reacquaint the practitioner to pregnancy toxemia of small ruminants, and provide an in-depth discussion of metabolic alterations that lead to and are diagnostic for the disease process. Pregnancy toxemia is one of the most common metabolic diseases of small ruminants. The gravid uterus consumes significant glucose in late pregnancy, especially with multiple fetuses, placing the dam in a state of energy imbalance. Subsequent fat mobilization initiates a cascade of events that may ultimately lead to deranged metabolism and clinical disease. Ensuring the diet can adequately provide sufficient energy and protein to support fetal development is the cornerstone of disease prevention. Addressing issues of dietary fiber content and dry matter intake are as important as energy or protein density. Monitoring of dietary composition and animal blood metabolites can be a part of the overall flock health program to prevent significant disease consequences.
description: American Association of Bovine Practitioners Proceedings of the Annual Conference, 2012
A Novel Noise-Aware Classical Optimizer for Variational Quantum Algorithms
Creators: name: Larson, Jeffrey
name: Menickelly, Matt
name: Shi, Jiahao
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Quantum Physics (quant-ph)
subject: Optimization and Control (math.OC)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences
subject: FOS: Mathematics

description: A key component of variational quantum algorithms (VQAs) is the choice of classical optimizer employed to update the parameterization of an ansatz. It is well recognized that quantum algorithms will, for the foreseeable future, necessarily be run on noisy devices with limited fidelities. Thus, the evaluation of an objective function (e.g., the guiding function in the quantum approximate optimization algorithm (QAOA) or the expectation of the electronic Hamiltonian in variational quantum eigensolver (VQE)) required by a classical optimizer is subject not only to stochastic error from estimating an expected value but also to error resulting from intermittent hardware noise. Model-based derivative-free optimization methods have emerged as popular choices of a classical optimizer in the noisy VQA setting, based on empirical studies. However, these optimization methods were not explicitly designed with the consideration of noise. In this work we adapt recent developments from the ``noise-aware numerical optimization'' literature to these commonly used derivative-free model-based methods. We introduce the key defining characteristics of these novel noise-aware derivative-free model-based methods that separate them from standard model-based methods. We study an implementation of such noise-aware derivative-free model-based methods and compare its performance on demonstrative VQA simulations to classical solvers packaged in \texttt{scikit-quant}.
Supplementary Material from Meta-analysis reveals materiomic relationships in major ampullate silk across the spider phylogeny
Creators: name: Craig, Hamish C.
name: Piorkowski, Dakota
name: Nakagawa, Shinichi
name: Kasumovic, Michael M.
name: Blamires, Sean J.
Publisher: name: The Royal Society
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Evolutionary Biology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: 90301 Biomaterials
subject: FOS: Medical engineering
subject: 30402 Biomolecular Modelling and Design
subject: FOS: Chemical sciences

description: Meta Analysis; Table S1. Summary of the phylogenetic generalised least squares regression corresponding with the regressions in Figure 2; Figure S1. PRISMA flow chart showing the inclusion and screening process of papers used within this study. Blue numbers correspond to inclusion and red numbers correspond to removal after screening.; References; R code utilized
Development of silicon carbide monofilaments for the reinforcement of metal matrix composites.
Creators: name: Rix, Michael V.
Publisher: name: University of Surrey
Year: 2020

description: Silicon carbide (SiC) monofilaments are high strength, continuous ceramic fibres produced through chemical vapour deposition (CVD) and used to reinforce metal matrix composites. Such composites have excellent mechanical properties. However, they are expensive to manufacture and the monofilaments must be highly reproducible to ensure reliability of the resulting composite. TISICS Ltd are the sole producers of the material outside of the United States of America and have recently developed two new monofilaments, SM3256 (140 µm diameter) and SM3240 (100 µm diameter) with enhanced mechanical properties and reduced cost of production. These monofilaments and composite panels have been evaluated through tensile testing. They have been found to be highly reproducible over three years of production with the monofilaments possessing an average tensile strength of 4.0±0.2 GPa with a Weibull modulus of 50±10. Recent advances in plasma focussed ion beam (PFIB) milling techniques and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) have been exploited to produce specimens revealing the interior of the monofilaments with unparalleled detail and precision. Raman spectroscopy and Auger spectroscopy have been used to characterise the microstructure and composition of the monofilaments and inform their development. The process for depositing a protective coating on the monofilaments has been improved, resulting in a 17% decrease in the total cost of CVD feedstock chemicals required. Previously unobserved nanoscale voids in the tungsten filament substrate have been identified as a critical process variable potentially responsible for the narrow strength distribution of the monofilaments. Analysis of the monofilament microstructures has indicated the potential for increasing the production speed of SM3256. Experimental trials have resulted in up to 75% faster production however a resulting decrease in performance demonstrates that further work is necessary. This research has resulted in significant cost reductions and has improved the economic viability of the monofilaments. The demonstration of reproducibility of the material properties has contributed to ongoing qualification for their use in aerospace components. The potential for further fundamental improvements to the process has been identified.
Quantifying the impact of COVID-19 control measures using a Bayesian model of physical distancing
Creators: name: Anderson, Sean C.
name: Edwards, Andrew M.
name: Yerlanov, Madi
name: Mulberry, Nicola
name: Stockdale, Jessica E.
name: Iyaniwura, Sarafa
name: Falcao, Rebeca Cardim
name: Otterstatter, Michael
name: Irvine, Michael A.
name: Janjua, Naveed Z.
name: Coombs, Daniel
name: Colijn, Caroline
Publisher: name: Plos
Year: 2021

description: Extensive non-pharmaceutical and physical distancing measures are currently the primary interventions against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) worldwide. It is therefore urgent to estimate the impact such measures are having. We introduce a Bayesian epidemiological model in which a proportion of individuals are willing and able to participate in distancing, with the timing of distancing measures informed by survey data on attitudes to distancing and COVID-19. We fit our model to reported COVID-19 cases in British Columbia (BC), Canada, and five other jurisdictions, using an observation model that accounts for both underestimation and the delay between symptom onset and reporting. We estimated the impact that physical distancing (social distancing) has had on the contact rate and examined the projected impact of relaxing distancing measures. We found that, as of April 11 2020, distancing had a strong impact in BC, consistent with declines in reported cases and in hospitalization and intensive care unit numbers; individuals practising physical distancing experienced approximately 0.22 (0.11–0.34 90% CI [credible interval]) of their normal contact rate. The threshold above which prevalence was expected to grow was 0.55. We define the “contact ratio” to be the ratio of the estimated contact rate to the threshold rate at which cases are expected to grow; we estimated this contact ratio to be 0.40 (0.19–0.60) in BC. We developed an R package ‘covidseir’ to make our model available, and used it to quantify the impact of distancing in five additional jurisdictions. As of May 7, 2020, we estimated that New Zealand was well below its threshold value (contact ratio of 0.22 [0.11–0.34]), New York (0.60 [0.43–0.74]), Washington (0.84 [0.79–0.90]) and Florida (0.86 [0.76–0.96]) were progressively closer to theirs yet still below, but California (1.15 [1.07–1.23]) was above its threshold overall, with cases still rising. Accordingly, we found that BC, New Zealand, and New York may have had more room to relax distancing measures than the other jurisdictions, though this would need to be done cautiously and with total case volumes in mind. Our projections indicate that intermittent distancing measures—if sufficiently strong and robustly followed—could control COVID-19 transmission. This approach provides a useful tool for jurisdictions to monitor and assess current levels of distancing relative to their threshold, which will continue to be essential through subsequent waves of this pandemic.
Counterfactual Thinking and Shakespearean Tragedy: Imagining Alternatives in the Plays
Creators: name: Khan, Amir
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 2013
Subjects: Shakespeare
Shakespeare in the classroom
Shakespearean tragedy
Stanley Cavell
Counterfactuals
Critique of New Historicism
Teaching Shakespeare
Teaching tragedy
Tragedy
Tragic effect
Tragic fate
Northrop Frye
A.C. Bradley
Reader response
Hamlet's delay
Hegel on tragedy
Possible worlds
Present day Shakespeare
Hamlet
Othello
King Lear
Macbeth
The Winter's Tale
Jonathan Dollimore
Radical tragedy

description: This dissertation is the application of counterfactual criticism to Shakespearean tragedy—supposing we are to ask, for example, “what if” Hamlet had done the deed, or, “what if” we could somehow disinherit our knowledge of Lear’s madness before reading King Lear. Such readings, mirroring critical practices in history, will loosely be called “counterfactual” readings. The key question to ask is not why tragedies are no longer being written (by writers), but why tragedies are no longer being felt (by readers). Tragedy entails a certain urgency in wanting to imagine an outcome different from the one we are given. Since we cannot change events as they stand, we feel a critical helplessness in dealing with feelings of tragic loss; the critical imperative that follows usually accounts for how the tragedy unfolded. Fleshing out a cause is one way to deal with the trauma of tragedy. But such explanation, in a sense, merely explains tragedy away. The fact that everything turns out so poorly in tragedy suggests that the tragic protagonist was somehow doomed, that he (in the case of Shakespearean tragedy) was the victim of some “tragic flaw,” as though tragedy and necessity go hand in hand. Only by allowing ourselves to imagine other possibilities can we regain the tragic effect, which is to remind ourselves that other outcomes are indeed possible. Tragedy, then, is more readily understood, or felt, as the playing out of contingency. It takes some effort to convince others, even ourselves, that the tragic effect resonates best when accompanied by an understanding that the characters on the page are free individuals. No amount of foreknowledge, on our part or theirs, can save us (or them) from tragedy’s horror.
Constraints on an Anisotropic Universe
Creators: name: Hertzberg, Mark P.
name: Loeb, Abraham
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO)
subject: General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc)
subject: High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph)
subject: High Energy Physics - Theory (hep-th)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We analyze the possibility of global anisotropy of the universe. We consider an altered Friedmann Lemaitre Robertson Walker metric in which there are different scale factors along the three different axes of space. We construct the corresponding altered Friedmann equations. We show that any initial anisotropies decrease into the future. At late times, the difference in Hubble parameters changes as $1/\sqrt{t}$ in a radiation dominated era and as $1/t$ in a matter dominated era. We use constraints from Big Bang Nucleosynthesis and the Cosmic Microwave Background to constrain the level of anisotropies at early times. We also examine how the approach back in time to the singularity is radically altered; happening much more abruptly, as a function of density, in an anisotropic universe. We also mention improved bounds that can arise from measurements of primordial gravitons, Weakly interacting massive particles, and neutrinos.
description: 10 pages in double column format, 4 figures. V2: Added references. V3: Updated towards version published in Phys. Rev. D
Optimization of Sampling Structure Conversion Methods for Color Mosaic Displays
Creators: name: Zheng, Xiang
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 2014
Subjects: Subpixel rendering
Image down-sampling
Least-squares filter design
SCIELAB

description: Although many devices can be used to capture images of high resolution, there is still a need to show these images on displays with low resolution. Existing methods of subpixel-based down-sampling are reviewed in this thesis and their limitations are described. A new approach to optimizing sampling structure conversion for color mosaic displays is developed. Full color images are filtered by a set of optimal filters before down-sampling, resulting in better image quality according to the SCIELAB measure, a spatial extension of the CIELAB metric measuring perceptual color difference. The typical RGB stripe display pattern is tested to get the optimal filters using least-squares filter design. The new approach is also implemented on a widely used two-dimensional display pattern, the Pentile RGBG. Clear images are produced and color fringing artifacts are reduced. Quality of down-sampled images are compared using SCIELAB and by visual inspection.
title: Environmental risk assessment of nanomaterials in the light of new obligations under the REACH regulation: which challenges remain and how to approach them?
title: Environmental risk assessment of nanomaterials in the light of new obligations under the REACH regulation: which challenges remain and how to approach them?
titleType: AlternativeTitle
Creators: name: Galert, Wiebke
name: Schwirn, Kathrin
name: Völker, Doris
Publisher: name: My University
Year: 2020
Subjects: Nanomaterialien
Umweltrisikobewertung
REACH-System
Klassifikation

description: Within the European regulation on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH, EC No 1907/2006) specific provisions for nanomaterials were included, which have become effective on 1 January 2020. Although knowledge on the peculiarities of testing and assessing fate and effects of nanomaterials in the environment strongly increased in the last years, uncertainties about how to perform a reliable and robust environmental risk assessment for nanomaterials still remain. These uncertainties are of special relevance in a regulatory context, challenging both industry and regulators. The present paper presents current challenges in regulatory hazard and exposure assessment under REACH, as well as classification of nanomaterials, and makes proposals to address them. Still, the nanospecific considerations made here are expected to also be valid for environmental risk assessment approaches in other regulations of chemical safety. Inter alia, these proposals include a way forward to account for exposure concentrations in aquatic toxicity test systems, a discussion of how to account for availability of dissolving nanomaterials in aquatic test systems, and a pragmatic proposal to deduce effect data for soil organisms. Furthermore, it specifies how to potentially deal with nanoforms under the European regulation on Classification, Labelling and Packaging of substances and mixtures (CLP) and outlines the needs for proper exposure assessments of nanomaterials from a regulatory perspective. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;16:706-717. © 2020 The Authors.
A rapid review of home-based activities that can promote mental wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic
Creators: name: Puyat, Joseph H.
name: Ahmad, Haroon
name: Avina-Galindo, Ana Michelle
name: Kazanjian, Arminée, 1947-
name: Gupta, Aanchel
name: Ellis, Ursula
name: Ashe, Maureen C.
name: Vila-Rodriguez, Fidel
name: Halli, Priyanka
name: Salmon, Amy
name: Almeida, Alberto
name: De Bono, Christopher E.
Publisher: name: PLoS
Year: 2021

description: Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, public health measures such as isolation, quarantine, and social distancing are needed. Some of these measures can adversely affect mental health. Activities that can be performed at home may mitigate these consequences and improve overall mental well-being. In this study, home-based activities that have potential beneficial effects on mental health were examined. Methods A rapid review was conducted based on a search of the following databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PyscINFO, Global Health, epistemonikos.org, covid19reviews.org, and eppi.ioe.ac.uk/covid19_map_v13.html. Eligible studies include randomized controlled trials and non-randomized studies published between 1/1/2000 and 28/05/2020 and that examined the impact of various activities on mental health outcomes in lowresource settings and contexts that lead to social isolation. Studies of activities that require mental health professionals or that could not be done at home were excluded. Two review authors performed title/abstract screening. At the full-text review stage, 25% of the potentially eligible studies were reviewed in full by two review authors; the rest were reviewed by one review author. Risk of bias assessment and data extraction were performed by one review author and checked by a second review author. The main outcome assessed was change or differences in mental health as expressed in Cohen’s d; analysis was conducted following the synthesis without meta-analysis guidelines (SWiM). PROSPERO registration: CRD42020186082. Results Of 1,236 unique records identified, 160 were reviewed in full, resulting in 16 included studies. The included studies reported on the beneficial effects of exercise, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, and listening to relaxing music. One study reported on the association between solitary religious activities and post traumatic stress disorder symptoms. While most of the included studies examined activities in group settings, particularly among individuals in prisons, the activities were described as something that can be performed at home and alone. All included studies were assessed to be at risk of bias in one or more of the bias domains examined. Conclusions There is some evidence that certain home-based activities can promote mental wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Guidelines are needed to help optimize benefits while minimizing potential risks when performing these activities.