cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
Tension and Compression Behaviour of Masonry Walls with Shear Connectors
Creators: Romero, Danny J.
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Masonry connectors are used in wythe wall systems to either transfer lateral loads or increase composite behaviour. As future energy code requirements are updated, insulation is increasing which increases the cavity within walls which affects a connector’s behaviour. Due to a lack of masonry research, North American design standards use an empirical design approach based on concrete capacity assumptions for all masonry connectors. Using one approach for all connectors creates overly conservative results for design because connectors with different geometries and material properties behave differently. This study aims to improve the understanding of connector behaviour within a double wythe wall specimen by testing four common connector types which are Z-tie and rectangular ties found in past construction and plated connectors in two different orientations found in modern construction. A novel inclined connector is also tested. 62 connectors are tested under tension and compression loading within a self-reacting testing frame with LVDTs and load cells used to measure the data. The connectors are in miniature double wythe wall specimens comprised of a concrete masonry unit, insulation, cavity, and veneer wythe of either clay or concrete. Another separate thesis program has tested the connectors in shear which discusses the composite behaviour. This study will investigate peak loads, displacements, and failure modes which will be verified to existing equations from previous research. Under tension loading, all tie connectors experienced a type of embedment breakout failure and the plated connectors experienced either breakout or pull-out failure. The utilization of an embedment veneer tie increases the effective concrete breakout area if a higher embedment tension capacity is required. Under compression, most specimens experienced elastic Euler buckling and were compared to the expected Euler buckling load with an effective length of 0.7. The recorded average peak load under tension and compression for all connectors is greater than the P_ult minimum value of 1000 N used for ties in the CSA A370:14 standard.
Getting a Handle on Unmanaged Memory
Creators: name: Wanninger, Nick
name: McMichen, Tommy
name: Campanoni, Simone
name: Dinda, Peter
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Programming Languages (cs.PL)
subject: Operating Systems (cs.OS)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: The inability to relocate objects in unmanaged languages brings with it a menagerie of problems. Perhaps the most impactful is memory fragmentation, which has long plagued applications such as databases and web servers. These issues either fester or require Herculean programmer effort to address on a per-application basis because, in general, heap objects cannot be moved in unmanaged languages. In contrast, managed languages like C# cleanly address fragmentation through the use of compacting garbage collection techniques built upon heap object movement. In this work, we bridge this gap between unmanaged and managed languages through the use of handles, a level of indirection allowing heap object movement. Handles open the door to seamlessly employ runtime features from managed languages in existing, unmodified code written in unmanaged languages. We describe a new compiler and runtime system, ALASKA, that acts as a drop-in replacement for malloc. Without any programmer effort, the ALASKA compiler transforms pointer-based code to utilize handles, with optimizations to reduce performance impact. A codesigned runtime system manages this level of indirection and exploits heap object movement via an extensible service interface. We investigate the overheads of ALASKA on large benchmarks and applications spanning multiple domains. To show the power and extensibility of handles, we use ALASKA to eliminate fragmentation on the heap through compaction, reducing memory usage by up to 40% in Redis.
Eigenvalues of random matrices from compact classical groups in Wasserstein metric
Creators: name: Borda, Bence
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2023
Subjects: subject: Probability (math.PR)
subject: FOS: Mathematics
subject: 60B20, 60F05, 60G55, 49Q22

description: The circular unitary ensemble and its generalizations concern a random matrix from a compact classical group $\mathrm{U}(N)$, $\mathrm{SU}(N)$, $\mathrm{O}(N)$, $\mathrm{SO}(N)$ or $\mathrm{USp}(N)$ distributed according to the Haar measure. The eigenvalues are known to be very evenly distributed on the unit circle. In this paper, we study the distance from the empirical measure of the eigenvalues to uniformity in the quadratic Wasserstein metric $W_2$. After finding the exact value of the expected value and the variance, we deduce a limit law for the square of the Wasserstein distance. We reformulate our results in terms of the $L^2$ average of the number of eigenvalues in circular arcs, and also in terms of the characteristic polynomial of the matrix on the unit circle.
description: 31 pages, 4 tables, 1 figure
A theory of best choice selection through objective arguments grounded in Linear Response Theory concepts
Creators: name: Ausloos, Marcel
name: Rotundo, Giulia
name: Cerqueti, Roy
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Physics and Society (physics.soc-ph)
subject: Statistical Mechanics (cond-mat.stat-mech)
subject: Information Theory (cs.IT)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: In this paper, we propose how to use objective arguments grounded in statistical mechanics concepts in order to obtain a single number, obtained after aggregation, which would allow to rank "agents", "opinions", ..., all defined in a very broad sense. We aim toward any process which should a priori demand or lead to some consensus in order to attain the presumably best choice among many possibilities. In order to precise the framework, we discuss previous attempts, recalling trivial "means of scores", - weighted or not, Condorcet paradox, TOPSIS, etc. We demonstrate through geometrical arguments on a toy example, with 4 criteria, that the pre-selected order of criteria in previous attempts makes a difference on the final result. However, it might be unjustified. Thus, we base our "best choice theory" on the linear response theory in statistical mechanics: we indicate that one should be calculating correlations functions between all possible choice evaluations, thereby avoiding an arbitrarily ordered set of criteria. We justify the point through an example with 6 possible criteria. Applications in many fields are suggested. Beside, two toy models serving as practical examples and illustrative arguments are given in an Appendix.
description: 25 pages, 2 figures, 5 tables, 72 references; accepted in a Special Issue of the journal Physics in honor of Serge Galam for his 70th birthday and 40 years of Sociophysics
Роль бухгалтерського обліку, аудиту та податкової політики у розбудові незалежної України на шляху до Європейського Союзу : зб. праць учасників ІІІ Міжнар. наук.-практ. конф. (7-8 листоп. 2024 р.). Житомир : Поліський національний університет, 2024. 577 с.
Creators: name: Н.М., Малюга
name: О.Ф., Ярмолюк
name: Л.А., Суліменко
name: Т.С., Гайдучок
name: Н.М., Савченко
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 350103
subject: Financial accounting
classificationCode: 350104
subject: International accounting
classificationCode: 350105
subject: Management accounting
classificationCode: 350101
subject: Accounting theory and standards
classificationCode: 350102
subject: Auditing and accountability
classificationCode: 350199
subject: Accounting, auditing and accountability not elsewhere classified

description: У збірнику представлені тези доповідей учасників ІІІ Міжнародної науково-практичної конференції «Роль бухгалтерського обліку, аудиту та податковоїполітики у розбудові незалежної України на шляху до Європейського Союзу»(7-8 листопада 2024 р.). У матеріалах здійснений комплексний науковий розглядактуальних питань в сфері обліку, оподаткування, аналізу та аудиту у площинієвроінтеграційних процесів із залученням зусиль науковців різних країн.
ADVANCE METHOD TO SOLVE FUZZY LINEAR PROGRAMMING PROBLEMS WITH SYMMETRIC TRIANGULAR FUZZY NUMBERS
Creators: name: Gupta, Gaurav
name: Gupta, Deepak
name: Gupta, Akansha
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: FFLPP, Symmetric triangular fuzzy number, Triangular fuzzy number, membership function and crisp product.

description: A method for obtaining the fuzzy optimal solution to the FFLPP with symmetric triangular fuzzy numbersis described in this paper, where its constraint is in the form of an inequality. The proposed technique ishighly e ective in solving FFLPP in day to day life. Some numerical examples have been demonstratingits efficacy.
Examining Implementation of Exercise Oncology Programs
Creators: Parkinson, Joanna F
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Despite the large body of evidence of the benefits of exercise for people with cancer, it is often not part of standard care. This thesis addresses two components that are relevant to the

widespread implementation of exercise oncology programs in clinical practice: cost-effectiveness and symptom burden.

Paper 1: This scoping review identifies and synthesizes the literature on the use of generic utility measures used to evaluate exercise interventions for adults with any type of

cancer, and identifies gaps in the current literature. Of the 2,780 citations retrieved, 10 articles were included in this review. Seven articles included economic evaluations; however, results varied considerably between studies and detailed effectiveness data derived from the generic

utility measure were often not reported. To date, generic utility measures are underutilized in exercise oncology studies. Consideration should be given to the identified research evidence, population, and methodological gaps.

Paper 2: This study explored symptom burden in adults with hematological cancers participating in a community-based exercise program. It is a secondary analysis of the Alberta

Cancer Exercise Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation study, which is 12-week community-based cancer-specific exercise program. Symptom burden was measured using the revised

Edmonton Symptom Assessment System. This study examined the effects of exercise on symptom burden and identified variables associated with 12-week symptom burden and change in symptom burden from baseline to 12 weeks. Three hundred fifty-four adults with hematological cancers were included in the analysis. Statistically significant improvement (p <0.05) was observed for physical symptom burden, but not for total symptom burden. Baseline symptom score, program adherence, number of co-morbidities, and program type (virtual vs. in-person) were associated with post-intervention total symptom burden. Hematological cancer type, baseline physical activity level, treatment status, sex, and employment status were associated with change in total symptom burden from baseline to 12 weeks.

Many barriers to implementing exercise in standard practice have been identified, including lack of standard referral pathways, lack of reimbursement structures for exercise, and

policies directing the inclusion of exercise into standard care. Better economic evidence and evidence to support the creation of referral pathways are both necessary components to bridge the gap between research and practice, and support the implementation of exercise programs for individuals with cancer.
Studies on the regulation of the activity potential of Matrix Metalloproteinase 2
Creators: Sarker, Hassan Z
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2), also known as gelatinase A or 72 kDa type IV collagenase, is a member of a family of 25 different Zn2+-dependent endopeptidases that cleave a broad range of proteins including extracellular matrix proteins (such as collagens, laminin, fibrillin and aggrecan), cell surface receptors (e.g., the insulin receptor), growth factors as well as cytokines and chemokines (such as monocyte chemoattractant protein-3). Excessive and deficient MMP2 activity can contribute to pathogenesis of osteoarthritis, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. Our understanding of the cellular biology of MMPs in the vascular endothelium, vascular smooth muscle, and myocardium has undergone major advances in recent decades. However, the roles of MMPs in the circulatory system have not been clarified. The molecular interactome of MMPs in the blood has not been elucidated. It is unclear whether all MMPs circulate free or bound to endogenous inhibitors or to other proteins found in the blood whose large abundance makes them putative interactors that may influence the activity potential of MMPs in the blood. Clarifying the transport and regulation of MMP2 in the blood circulation was one of the objectives of this research. This research extends the phenotypic characterization of MMP2 deficiency to include circulating levels of cytokines and chemokines, soluble cytokine receptors, angiogenesis factors, bone development factors, apolipoproteins and hormones. Investigations into the interactome of MMP2 in the plasma led to the identification of fibrinogen – an acute phase reactant – as a natural inhibitor of MMP2 exhibiting a mixed-type (combination of competitive and non-competitive) inhibition mechanism. Furthermore, we found that apolipoprotein A1 – the major protein component of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) - allosterically increases the proteolytic activity of MMP2. This finding revealed MMP2 to be an allosteric enzyme. Together, the findings presented in this thesis indicate that a network of blood-borne proteins, including fibrinogen and ApoA1/HDL, may regulate the activity potential of MMP2 in the circulation. We postulate a novel hypothesis: blood-borne proteins, including fibrinogen and ApoA1/HDL, bind MMP2 effectively acting as “transporter and regulator of the activity potential (TRAP)” complexes of MMP2 and may cause MMP2 activity to increase, decrease or remain unchanged—without immediate biological effects—while simultaneously enabling secreted MMP2 in the blood to reach distal target organs and participate in inter-organ communication.
Gene-Environment Transactions between Peer Tobacco Use, Parental Supervision, and Chinese Adolescent Cigarette Smoking Initiation
Creators: Meyer, Zachary
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Following 602 Chinese twin pairs (52% female) from early to middle adolescence at two time points (Mage = 12 and 15), this study examined gene-environment interplay between perceived parental supervision, peer tobacco use, and adolescent cigarette smoking initiation. From early to middle adolescence, genetic influences on cigarette smoking initiation became more pronounced, whereas shared environmental influences that promote similarity between family members diminished. Genetic factors primarily explained the links between parental supervision and cigarette smoking initiation in mid-adolescence. Peer tobacco use displayed stronger associations with and moderating potential in adolescent cigarette smoking initiation than parental supervision. High levels of peer tobacco use amplified genetic risk for cigarette smoking initiation in mid-adolescence. The patterns of gene-environment interplay between peer processes and Chinese adolescent cigarette smoking initiation are dynamic throughout adolescence.
SOccDPT: Semi-Supervised 3D Semantic Occupancy from Dense Prediction Transformers trained under memory constraints
Creators: name: Ganesh, Aditya Nalgunda
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2023
Subjects: subject: Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (cs.CV)
subject: Artificial Intelligence (cs.AI)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: We present SOccDPT, a memory-efficient approach for 3D semantic occupancy prediction from monocular image input using dense prediction transformers. To address the limitations of existing methods trained on structured traffic datasets, we train our model on unstructured datasets including the Indian Driving Dataset and Bengaluru Driving Dataset. Our semi-supervised training pipeline allows SOccDPT to learn from datasets with limited labels by reducing the requirement for manual labelling by substituting it with pseudo-ground truth labels to produce our Bengaluru Semantic Occupancy Dataset. This broader training enhances our model's ability to handle unstructured traffic scenarios effectively. To overcome memory limitations during training, we introduce patch-wise training where we select a subset of parameters to train each epoch, reducing memory usage during auto-grad graph construction. In the context of unstructured traffic and memory-constrained training and inference, SOccDPT outperforms existing disparity estimation approaches as shown by the RMSE score of 9.1473, achieves a semantic segmentation IoU score of 46.02% and operates at a competitive frequency of 69.47 Hz. We make our code and semantic occupancy dataset public.
description: This work has been submitted to the ICRA 2024 IEEE for possible publication
Spectral functions of the honeycomb lattice with both the Hubbard and long-range Coulomb Interactions
Creators: name: Tang, Ho-Kin
name: Yudhistira, Indra
name: Chattopadhyay, Udvas
name: Ulybyshev, Maksim
name: Sengupta, P.
name: Assaad, F. F.
name: Adam, S.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2023
Subjects: subject: Strongly Correlated Electrons (cond-mat.str-el)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: The absence of screening of the non-local Coulomb interaction in Dirac systems at charge neutrality leads to the breakdown of the Fermi liquid and divergence of the Fermi velocity. On the other hand, Mott Hubbard physics and the concomitant formation of local moments is dominated by the local effective Hubbard interaction. Using quantum Monte Carlo methods combined with stochastic analytical continuation, we compute the single particle spectral function of fermions on the honeycomb lattice for a realistic interaction that includes both the Hubbard interaction and long-ranged Coulomb repulsion. To a first approximation, we find that the generic high-energy features such as the formation of the upper Hubbard band are independent of the long-ranged Coulomb repulsion and determined mostly by the local effective Hubbard interaction. The sub-leading effects of adding the long-range interaction include an enhancement of the bandwidth and a decrease of the spin-polaron quasi-particle weight and lifetime.
description: 8 pages, 6 figures
From Color to Current: Interfacing Stimuli-Responsive Polymer-Based Colorimetric Sensors with Electronics
Creators: Fu, Alyssa
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

This thesis describes the interfacing of stimuli-responsive microgel-based etalon devices with electronics for the development of cost-effective, simple, and versatile point-of-need (PON) sensors. First, the etalons’ ability to respond to an applied potential is examined. Next, their ability to transduce their response to an external stimulus into an electrical signal is investigated. The electronic properties of the devices are also explored.Chapter 2 focuses on the ability of the etalons to respond to an applied potential. Etalons composed of pNIPAm-co-AAc microgels demonstrated the ability to undergo a stable, yet reversible, color change upon voltage application. Smaller etalon size and greater magnitudes of applied potential were found to result in faster rates of color change.Chapters 3 and 4 probe the etalons’ potential as metal-insulator-metal (MIM)-type capacitive-based sensors. Etalon devices were found to behave similarly to ideal capacitors in the non-hydrated (dry) state using CV and EIS measurements; in the hydrated state, they exhibited behaviour akin to that of EDLC supercapacitors. In Chapter 3, the capacitive response of dry state etalon devices to humidity changes in their environment appeared to be more sensitive than the colorimetric-based measurement methods traditionally employed by microgel-based etalon sensors (i.e., reflectance peak shifts). In Chapter 4, the capacitive response of hydrated etalon devices to temperature and ionic strength was observed to be directly related to the microgels’ ability to swell and deswell: the greater the ability to swell/deswell, the greater the change in capacitance of the device. This indicates that other stimuli or analytes that are able to induce a conformational change in the microgels have the capacity to induce a capacitive change in the etalons as well.iiOverall, this research demonstrates the possibility of interfacing microgel-based etalon devices with electronics to create low-cost, easy-to-use, highly versatile etalon-based capacitive sensors for quantitative PON applications. By integrating capacitive sensing qualities into well-studied and versatile etalon sensors, this thesis helps to bridge the gap between qualitative colorimetric-based sensing methods and relatively more expensive, quantitative electronic-based sensing methods; this ultimately contributes to the expansion of the potential of stimuli-responsive microgel-based MIM-type etalon devices for sensing and PON applications.
Impact Modeling and Dynamic Failure of Ballistic Steel Structures
Creators: Mao, Luyue
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

In this thesis, an advanced stress-state- and strain-rate-dependent model, Generalized Incremental Stress State dependent damage MOdel (GISSMO), is implemented to predict the ballistic responses of Armox 500T steel under high-velocity impact in finite element solver LS-DYNA/Explicit. The GISSMO is calibrated using tensile simulations against the force-displacement data and validated using the comparisons between quantitative (e.g., projectile residual velocity and hole size after impact) and qualitative experimental measurements (e.g., fracture behaviors with plate spalling and bulging) from the literature. Then, the GISSMO is used to model ballistic responses of a bi-layer Armox 500T steel system. Here, ballistic simulations are conducted to explore the roles of the standoff distance and impact angle of obliquity on impact failure behaviors of bi-layered steel systems. Results indicate that a large increase of the projectile yaw and deflection is observed and measured from plates with no standoff distance and a 20 mm standoff distance under a 30 deg oblique impact from a fragment simulating projectile (FSP) compared with the normal impact. In addition, the standoff distance has a larger influence on projectile residual velocity when the FSP impacts the plate at an oblique angle of 30 deg. Overall, the work from this study demonstrates a better ballistic prediction for Armox 500T steel using the GISSMO and provides novel insights into lightweight and high-performing armor structures.
НОВЫЕ ГОРИЗОНТЫ РАЗВИТИЯ ПАРЛАМЕНТСКОЙ ДИПЛОМАТИИ В УЗБЕКИСТАНЕ
Creators: name: Расулов, Убайдулла
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024

description: Статья посвящена растущей роли парламентской дипломатии как важного инструмента укрепления международного сотрудничества, продвижения демократических ценностей и решения глобальных вызовов. Автор подчеркивает, что парламентская дипломатия становится неотъемлемой частью системы международных отношений, способствуя диалогу, обмену опытом и устойчивому развитию. Особое внимание уделено достижениям Узбекистана в этой сфере, где парламентская дипломатия используется для продвижения демократических реформ и повышения международного авторитета страны. Знаковым событием станет проведение в Ташкенте 150-й Ассамблеи Межпарламентского союза, которое подтверждает приверженность страны принципам открытости, диалога и мирного взаимодействия на международной арене.
Gaussianity and the Kalman Filter: A Simple Yet Complicated Relationship
Creators: name: Uhlmann, Jeffrey
name: Julier, Simon
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Optimization and Control (math.OC)
subject: Statistics Theory (math.ST)
subject: FOS: Mathematics

description: One of the most common misconceptions made about the Kalman filter when applied to linear systems is that it requires an assumption that all error and noise processes are Gaussian. This misconception has frequently led to the Kalman filter being dismissed in favor of complicated and/or purely heuristic approaches that are supposedly "more general" in that they can be applied to problems involving non-Gaussian noise. The fact is that the Kalman filter provides rigorous and optimal performance guarantees that do not rely on any distribution assumptions beyond mean and error covariance information. These guarantees even apply to use of the Kalman update formula when applied with nonlinear models, as long as its other required assumptions are satisfied. Here we discuss misconceptions about its generality that are often found and reinforced in the literature, especially outside the traditional fields of estimation and control.
DISTENDER_D1.2_Data management plan I
Creators: name: San José, Roberto
name: Pérez Camaño, Juan Luis
name: Bachner, Gabriel
name: Dunford-Brown, Rob
name: Bardellini, Marcello
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024

description: This document is the first deliverable of the task 1.5, it is the D1.2 “Data management plan I” of the DISTENDER project. DISTENDER has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101056836. The Data Management Plan (DMP) document provides the overall guidelines and procedures for how the generated data in the project will be organized, stored and shared according to the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles and so define the DISTENDER consortium´s data management policy that will be used with regard to the DISTENDER datasets. It specifies which data will be publicly available through public repositories and which will be available only to the consortium (confidential), as far as this is possible, from the project’s initial stage. The present deliverable is the initial version of the DMP to be delivered at Month 6 (M6). The complex structure of the project, the heterogeneity of climate projects, and the complexity of the workplan will require frequent updates of the DMP that will be consolidated in the deliverables D1.3 M36, it will go into more detail regarding the datasets produces by the DISTENDER project.
Machine Learning the Operator Content of the Critical Self-Dual Ising-Higgs Gauge Model
Creators: name: Oppenheim, Lior
name: Koch-Janusz, Maciej
name: Gazit, Snir
name: Ringel, Zohar
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2023
Subjects: subject: Strongly Correlated Electrons (cond-mat.str-el)
subject: Disordered Systems and Neural Networks (cond-mat.dis-nn)
subject: Statistical Mechanics (cond-mat.stat-mech)
subject: High Energy Physics - Lattice (hep-lat)
subject: High Energy Physics - Theory (hep-th)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We study the critical properties of the Ising-Higgs gauge theory in $(2+1)D$ along the self-dual line which have recently been a subject of debate. For the first time, using machine learning techniques, we determine the low energy operator content of the associated field theory. Our approach enables us to largely refute the existence of an emergent current operator and with it the standing conjecture that this transition is of the $XY^*$ universality class. We contrast these results with the ones obtained for the $(2+1)D$ Ashkin-Teller transverse field Ising model where we find the expected current operator. Our numerical technique extends the recently proposed Real-Space Mutual Information allowing us to extract sub-leading non-linear operators. This allows a controlled and computationally scalable approach to target CFT spectrum and discern universality classes beyond $(1+1)D$ from Monte Carlo data.
Pre-treatment of flowback and produced water brines prior to direct lithium extraction
Creators: Braun, Bennett L.
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Lithium is crucial for battery production and is utilized in electric vehicles and portable

electronics. Among alternative sources of lithium is flowback and produced water (FPW) brines,

which can be recovered utilizing ion-exchange with sorbents such as lithium manganese oxide

spinels. Among challenges to the commercialization of Mn(IV) sorbents is sorbent degradation

due to dissolved organic compounds (DOC) in FPW, which include (1) reductive dissolution of

the Mn(IV) oxide and the loss of Mn(IV) into Mn(II/III) and (2) the physical coating of sorbents

with DOC, inhibiting lithiation or protonation of the sorbent. Lithium-bearing FPW brines

require pre-treatment before entering the ion-exchange process for Li-extraction with a highly

Li-selective Mn(IV) oxide sorbent. Combined aeration and filtration is one approach to remove

DOC to prevent manganese loss from or coating of the sorbent, ultimately improving the Liextraction performance. In this study, we used FPW samples that contained total dissolved solids

(TDS) that exceed 167,000 ppm and lithium concentrations that range from 43-50 ppm. Head-to-head lithium extractions with aerated and untreated FPW samples were conducted to observe the

effect of pre-treatment on lithium extraction performance and sorbent cyclability. In the batch

testing, the treated samples generally yielded higher lithium uptake values compared to the

untreated samples. Improved lithium uptake performance is attributed to removing organics that

coat the sorbent and inhibit lithiation during direct lithium extraction (DLE). The manganese loss

displayed no consistent trend and the untreated samples yielded lower manganese loss compared

to the treated samples. Further research should be completed on the pre-treatment aspects of

FPW to limit manganese loss in order to improve the DLE process.
Prevalence and Correlates of Exercise in Testicular Cancer Survivors
Creators: Allen, Spencer James
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Background: The diagnosis and treatment of testicular cancer is associated with the development of several physical and psychosocial adverse health outcomes in testicular cancer survivors (TCS). Exercise is one positive health behaviour that may address health concerns resulting from the diagnosis and treatment of testicular cancer. However, a significant portion of TCS appear to be insufficiently active and may benefit from further adherence to the combined aerobic and resistance exercise guidelines. No previous studies have examined the correlates of meeting the combined exercise guidelines in TCS using a theory of behaviour. Objective: The purpose of The INTENT Study was to examine the prevalence and correlates of meeting the combined exercise guidelines in TCS using the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Methods: A web-based cross-sectional survey assessing self-reported exercise prevalence (Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire) and exercise correlates (demographic, clinical, behavioural, TPB and perceived physical fitness variables) was administered to TCS in Alberta, Canada. Hierarchical multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the correlates of meeting the combined exercise guidelines in TCS. Hierarchical multiple linear regression was used to examine the correlates of intentions to meet the combined exercise guidelines in TCS. Results: Of 2,065 mailed survey invitations, 158 (7.7%) TCS provided complete responses and were included in the analysis. Self-reported exercise prevalence indicated 58% of TCS failed to meet the combined exercise guidelines. Intention to meet the combined guidelines (OR=1.71, p=0.035) and a history of a retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) (OR=5.15, p=0.016) were independent correlates of meeting the combined exercise guidelines in multivariable analysis. The TPB variables explained 63% of the variance in intention to meet the combined exercise guidelines with higher instrumental attitude (ß =0.42, p<0.001), self-efficacy (ß =0.40, p<0.001) and affective attitude (ß=0.18, p=0.019) being independent correlates. Conclusion:  Findings from the INTENT Study indicate that a significant portion of TCS are insufficiently active and fail to meet the combined exercise guidelines. The TPB appears to be a useful model for understanding the motivational correlates of exercise in TCS. Future intervention studies aiming to increase adherence to the combined exercise guidelines in TCS should focus on developing strong intentions by targeting instrumental attitudes, self-efficacy and affective attitudes.
Bayesian-Guided Generation of Synthetic Microbiomes with Minimized Pathogenicity
Creators: name: Pillai, Nisha
name: Nanduri, Bindu
name: Rothrock, Michael J
name: Chen, Zhiqian
name: Ramkumar, Mahalingam
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Quantitative Methods (q-bio.QM)
subject: Artificial Intelligence (cs.AI)
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: Synthetic microbiomes offer new possibilities for modulating microbiota, to address the barriers in multidtug resistance (MDR) research. We present a Bayesian optimization approach to enable efficient searching over the space of synthetic microbiome variants to identify candidates predictive of reduced MDR. Microbiome datasets were encoded into a low-dimensional latent space using autoencoders. Sampling from this space allowed generation of synthetic microbiome signatures. Bayesian optimization was then implemented to select variants for biological screening to maximize identification of designs with restricted MDR pathogens based on minimal samples. Four acquisition functions were evaluated: expected improvement, upper confidence bound, Thompson sampling, and probability of improvement. Based on each strategy, synthetic samples were prioritized according to their MDR detection. Expected improvement, upper confidence bound, and probability of improvement consistently produced synthetic microbiome candidates with significantly fewer searches than Thompson sampling. By combining deep latent space mapping and Bayesian learning for efficient guided screening, this study demonstrated the feasibility of creating bespoke synthetic microbiomes with customized MDR profiles.
Machine Learning Enabled Prediction of Solvent-Based Reaction Energetics
Creators: Mao, Yiren
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Despite recent advancements in molecular dynamics (MD) methods, the computational costs of \emph{ab initio} molecular dynamics simulations for explicit solvation systems are still too significant. If accuracy is to be left uncompromised, new methods must be employed to reduce computational expenses. This work focuses on the development of machine learning (ML) models as proxy models for Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics (CPMD) metadynamics simulations in condensed-phase biomass reactions.

Explicit solvation CPMD metadynamics simulation data of HMF undergoing protonation in a solution of dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) and water is used to train various model architectures to make time-series predictions of their probability distribution functions (PDFs). For each model architecture, three models were trained to fully predict the system, one for each of the following species: reactants, water and DMSO. Each model was tested assuming an initial simulation had been performed and the proxy models were used to complete the simulation.

The long short-term memory (LSTM) autoencoder and 3D convolutional neural networks (CNN)-LSTM autoencoder architectures failed to accurately capture PDF magnitudes and locations. A binary relevance 3D CNN-LSTM autoencoder, employing different loss functions, showed marginal improvement but struggled to predict probability locations over a large horizon. Models trained on principal component analysis (PCA)-transformed and dynamic PCA (DPCA)-transformed data showed promise in training but failed in testing. Models trained on PDFs without "dead voxels" (zero probability voxels independent of time) and atomic Cartesian coordinates perform well during training but encounter challenges in testing due to teacher forcing. Teacher forcing is a training method that can potentially make the trained model over-reliant on ground truth, which is unavailable if the model is to be used as a proxy. Despite attempts to mitigate teacher forcing effects through scheduled sampling, no model architecture achieves reliable long-term predictions without ground truth data. However, the model trained on Cartesian coordinates demonstrated proficiency in making short-term predictions regarding the atomic configuration of the system.
Megachile Latreille
Creators: name: Raw, Anthony
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2002
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Megachilidae
Megachile

description: Genus Megachile Latreille
Megachile Latreille 1802: 413. Type species: Apis centuncularis Linnaeus 1758. Designation of Curtis 1828: 218.
Anthophora Fabricius 1804 (not Latreille). Type species: Apis centuncularis Linnaeus 1758. Designation of Curtis 1828.
Chalicodoma Lepeletier 1841. Type species: Apis muraria Fabricius 1798. Designation of Girard 1879. (See Michener 1962: 20.). Synonymy of Michener et al 1994: 174, Michener 2000: 534.
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 3, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.71.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/155887
Biodegradation of Polyacrylamide in Oil Sands Tailings by Indigenous Microorganisms
Creators: Batycky, Anya
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

Hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) is a common flocculant used in oil sands tailings dewatering technologies. Although HPAM is regularly used in tailings treatment and will eventually be incorporated into the reclaimed landscape of the oil sands, there are knowledge gaps surrounding the environment fate of HPAM, specifically its susceptibility to microbial degradation. Microcosm studies were established to evaluate the biodegradation of HPAM by indigenous oil sands tailings microorganisms under oxic, sulfate-reducing, and methanogenic conditions. Under each redox condition, the ability of microorganisms to use HPAM as a carbon and/or nitrogen source, or degrade HPAM through co-metabolism was investigated. Biodegradation was assessed using Size-Exclusion Chromatography, while the formation of hydrolytic ammonium indicated the use of HPAM as a nitrogen source.

After 110 days, HPAM experienced the greatest biodegradation when provided as a co-substrate (99%) and nitrogen source (99%) under oxic conditions, with lower molecular weight oligomers (< 6000 g/mol) as biodegradation products. For anoxic conditions, HPAM biodegradation was observed when provided as a co-substrate (77% after 420 days) for sulfate-reducing conditions, and as a co-substrate (60% after 374 days) and nitrogen source (60% after 374 days) for methanogenic conditions. Under anoxic conditions, biodegradation produced oligomers with a molecular weight around 2-4 x 106 g/mol. An increase in ammonium was observed under all redox conditions. When HPAM was provided as a nitrogen source, this decreased the lag time of sulfate-reduction and methane production. HPAM biodegradation was not found to significantly increase acute toxicity towards Aliivibrio fischeri.

Microbial communities identified in HPAM degrading cultures included Pseudomonadaceae, Flavobacteriaceae, Lentimicrobiaceae, and Acholeplasmataceae for oxic conditions, Methanosarcinaceae, Methanosaetaceae, Desulfuromonadia, Acholeplasmataceae, and Hydrogenophilaceae for sulfate-reducing conditions, and Methanosarcinaceae, Flavobacteriaceae, and Pseudomonadaceae for methanogenic conditions. This study demonstrated the conditions in which HPAM biodegradation could potentially occur in oil sands tailings systems or reclamation landscapes, and the bacteria and archaea involved.
The Risks of Workplace Ageism for an Ageing Labour Force
Creators: Lai, Jonathan J
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

As the Canadian population ages, the labour force will also become older. Over the next decade, the contributions of older workers who are aged 55 and older will become more important to the overall productivity of the Canadian economy. The prolonged working life of older workers is viewed by policymakers as a way to retain skills in the labour force and sustain contributions to government programs in Canada. Older workers, however, can face barriers to their participation in the labour force. Ageism has been recognized as a significant barrier to the employability of older workers. The experience of workplace age discrimination can also have a negative effect on the well-being of workers. Previous studies have demonstrated the detrimental effects that workplace age discrimination can have on worker engagement, a positive psychological state wherein individuals experience high levels of energy, absorption in their tasks, and dedication to the work they do while in their job role. Overall, engaged workers tend to be more productive and experience better health than disengaged workers. In the context of an ageing labour force, workplace ageism represents a potential productivity risk for the Canadian labour force. This exploratory research study provided insight into this important issue by asking the following three questions:

• What percentage of workers in Canada experience workplace age discrimination?

• Do positive psychosocial job factors that contribute to worker engagement vary by worker age?

• Is the experience of workplace age discrimination having a negative effect on worker engagement in Canada?

Using a nationally representative sample of 6,956 Canadian workers, this study examined the state of reported workplace age discrimination, positive psychosocial job factors, and worker engagement among young, mid-life, and older workers. Overall, two percent of all part-time and full-time workers aged 25 and older experienced at least one instance of workplace age discrimination in the past 12 months, but the actual prevalence of age discrimination may be underreported. All three age categories of workers experienced similar levels of positive psychosocial job factors associated with work engagement. Older workers reported the highest mean levels of worker engagement. Participation in decision-making for individual workers and social support from colleagues, managers, and supervisors contributed to higher levels of worker engagement. Findings indicate that workplace age discrimination was not having a negative impact on worker engagement in Canada. Ageism remains a persistent barrier to the labour force participation of older workers. As older workers will continue to comprise a greater proportion of the labour force, future research will want to better monitor trends on age discrimination in the workplace. The actual prevalence of workplace age discrimination in Canada is likely higher than the proportion estimated in this study.
A Study of Orthogonality in The Witness
Creators: Abutarab, Faisal U. R.
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

In this thesis, we discuss the video game design concept of orthogonality and provide its operationalization. Our focus is on combinatorial puzzle games---puzzle games in which each puzzle, i.e. level, is composed of object types that are reused across puzzles. For example, in the puzzle game Portal 2, object types include light bridges, lasers and turrets. Given a new object type, orthogonality asks the following: Compared to the existing game and its levels, does the new object type add quality, novel and diverse levels in terms of their gameplay?

Our focus in this thesis is on the popular combinatorial puzzle game The Witness. We use our measure of orthogonality to analyze the existing game of The Witness, and in addition, we use the measure to generate a new type of object in the game. Furthermore, we provide a general definition of orthogonality for combinatorial puzzle games. Our discussion and operationalization of orthogonality builds upon related game design ideas and concepts developed and used in the puzzle game community.
The Nuclear Future and Politics in the Postwar Asian Screens: A Comparative Close Analysis of Four Chinese and Japanese SF Films from 1954 to 1963
Creators: Zhang, Zhounan
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

In this thesis, I undertake a comparative analysis of the portrayal of the power of the nuclear and its envisioned future in four seminal Chinese and Japanese Science Fiction films from 1954 to 1963. These include Shisanling shuiku changxiangqu 十三陵水库畅想曲 (Ballad of the Ming Tombs Reservoir, d. Jin Shan, 1958), Xiaotaiyang 小太阳 (The Little Sun, d. Wang Minsheng, 1963), Gojira ゴジラ (Godzilla, d. Honda Ishiro, 1954), and Sekai daisenso 世界大戦争 (The Last War, d. Matsubayashi Shue, 1961). This comparative study reveals a dualistic perspective on the power of the nuclear in Chinese and Japanese SF films, portraying it as a double-edged sword. While Chinese SF films Ballad of the Ming Tombs Reservoir and The Little Sun highlight its utopian potential for social and human advancement, the Japanese SF films Godzilla and The Last War offer a complex view that weighs the destructive potential of nuclear weapons alongside its possible positive capacities.

Chapter One examines two Chinese and Japanese SF films from the mid-to-late 1950s, Ballad of the Ming Tombs Reservoir contrasts ancient China’s oppression with a nuclear-powered utopian commune in the socialist future, artistically reflects struggles against natural forces and imperialists through a symbolic construction site. Meanwhile, Godzilla sentimentality constructs a poignant narrative, offering a nuanced reflection on the fearful threat of the power of the nuclear in Japan. And Chapter Two delves into the early 1960s, when Chinese SF milestone The Little Sun envisions a hyper-technological China, portraying a utopian dream that symbolize advancements towards a borderless world. Conversely, The Last War revisits the traumatic Hiroshima experience and warns against nuclear devastation, similar in sentimentality to Godzilla, further enhancing the sense of vulnerability and victimization in postwar Japan.
Acentron (Acentron) Mitchell
Creators: name: Raw, Anthony
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2002
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Megachilidae
Acentron

description: Subgenus Acentron Mitchell
Megachile (Acentron) Mitchell 1934: 307. Type species: Megachile albitarsis Cresson 1872. Original designation. Michener et al 1994: 149, Michener 2000: 549.
Pseudocentron (Acentron) Mitchell 1980: 56.
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 3, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.71.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/155887