University of Alberta

Adaptive job scheduling and resource allocation for industrialized construction processes using digital twin and reinforcement learning

Construction processes can be disrupted by unforeseen operational disturbances, such as waiting for shared machines, insufficient workers, material unavailability, and workstation idleness. Such disturbances are difficult to mitigate through predefined schedules alone, as effecti...

Incentives and motivational crowding to address chronic wasting disease: An experiment with Alberta hunters

Abstract Behavioral interventions, for example, through the use of incentives and information, are widely used by policymakers to induce welfare‐improving behavior. When these interventions are used in specific contexts such as environmental conservation, individual knowledge, ex...

RISR assessments: A look at skin tone considerations in radiation therapist assessments in Canada

Background Radiation dermatitis or radiation-induced skin reaction (RISR) is a common side effect of external beam radiation therapy. RISR presents differently across skin tones, yet existing grading tools describe the signs of RISR typical of those seen in white skin. This study...

Minimal Dispersion on the Sphere

Abstract The minimal spherical cap dispersion $${{\,\textrm{disp}\,}}_{\mathcal {C}}(n,d)$$ disp C ( n , d ) is the largest number $$\varepsilon \in (0,1]$$ ε ∈ ( 0 , 1 ] such that, for every n points on the d -dimensional Euclidean unit sphere $$\mathbb {S}^d$$ S d , there exist...

The DLX/Notch axis is necessary for spatiotemporal regulation of neural cell fate

Neuronal-glial cell fate switch during forebrain development is highly regulated. DLX transcription factors are necessary for promoting GABAergic interneuron differentiation and migration but the mechanisms for concomitant repression of glial fate in neural progenitors remain elu...

Privacy-preserving federated reinforcement learning for BESS coordination in distribution networks with voltage regulation

The increasing integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) in distribution networks, particularly battery energy storage systems (BESSs), enables energy trading and operational cost reduction but also introduces challenges for coordinated energy management. Effective coord...

BOLD-100 in Combination with FOLFOX Is a Broadly Effective Therapeutic Strategy for Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer has limited therapeutic options for advanced-stage disease and remains a major contributor to global cancer mortality. BOLD-100, a ruthenium-based compound that inhibits glucose-regulated protein (GRP78), has shown potential to enhance chemotherapy efficacy by disr...

“Prison is routine”: Narrating release and reintegration in settler colonial Canada

This article examines how long-term prisoners in Western Canada narrate their anticipated re-entry to a settler-colonial society using a narrative approach to analyze 147 interviews with federally incarcerated people. The great majority of our participants describe experiencing c...

Comparative Analysis of Ion and Electron Contributions to Ionospheric Ionization at Auroral and Subauroral Latitudes

Abstract Electron and proton precipitation into the nightside ionosphere is a key process in magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling. Although auroral electron precipitation at –10 keV is traditionally considered the main driver of auroral emissions, recent studies show that keV electr...

“As soon as it’s trying to be persuasive, my skepticism kicks in”: A qualitative study to co-design vaccine communication strategies with vaccine hesitant adults in Canada

Vaccine hesitancy continues to impede vaccine uptake in Canada. Few interventions directly engage hesitant adults in co-designing communication materials. This study aimed to co-develop and evaluate digital vaccine communication messages with hesitant adults in Canada to improve...

Perennial and annual cropping sequences differentially influence soil functionality in Luvisolic soils

<title>Abstract</title> Cropping system diversification with perennial herbage seed crops has been proposed as a promising strategy for sustaining soil health and functional agroecosystems. We evaluated the impact of diversified cropping systems on key soil properties important f...

Factors associated with severe COVID-19 outcomes among adults with at least a primary vaccination schedule: A retrospective cohort study from Alberta, Canada

Abstract Background With a large proportion of adults in Canada vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, it is important to identify who remain at risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes after primary vaccination/additional (booster) doses. Methods Adults (≥18 years) who received at least a prim...

“I know how important it is”: A qualitative analysis of participants’ experiences in a vaccine safety study

Specialist immunization clinics can support vaccination counseling for individuals experiencing adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) and research into AEFIs. We sought to describe the experiences of participants from the Canadian Special Immunization Clinic Network COVID...

Med-TDA: Medical Imaging Topological Data Analysis Tool

<ns5:p>Background Topological data analysis (TDA) has gained interest in medical image analysis, but there are no standardized definitions or pipelines to benchmark model performance. Current TDA tools and packages are mainly developed for general machine learning applications, t...

Dr. Tsai et al reply

We appreciate the interest of Drs. Wang and Qu¹ in our work,² and their call for more family-friendly metrics to help convey meaningful quality of life improvements in juvenile idiopathic arthritis ( JIA). After considering the different ideas suggested in t...

Vinyl Functionalization of Ti3C2T x MXene Enables Grafting of Sulfonated Polyelectrolytes for High Salt Rejection in Forward Osmosis Desalination

MXene membranes are promising for aqueous separations but are fundamentally limited by swelling-induced loss of selectivity and structural instability. Here, we report, for the first time, vinyl functionalization of Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets, which enables subsequent grafting of a...

Ser715 PhosphorylationInduces β-HairpinUnfolding and Destabilization of FOXM1 Autoinhibition

Abstract FOXM1 is a cell proliferation-driving transcription factor activated by phosphorylation-induced conformational changes. In its inactive state, an intramolecular β-hairpin within the transactivation domain (TAD) binds the N-terminal repressor domain (NRD), forming a compo...

Physical activity stimulates neurogenesis via sensory neuron activity in postembryonic zebrafish

Physical exercise induces neurogenesis in adult and developing animal brains, but how exactly voluntary movement affects neurogenesis remains unclear. Here, we use two independent methods for immobilization, a physical barrier (gel matrix) or a genetic manipulation (CRISPR/Cas9 m...

Colorblind retreat: how residents make sense of race and relocation from flood-prone areas

Over recent decades, the United States federal government has funded the purchase and demolition of flood-prone housing across the country through a policy known as managed retreat. As this policy has touched down in areas where residents and government actors look to adapt to gr...

Altered Complement and Tubular Mitochondrial Proteins Are Linked to Graft Loss in DSA+ Antibody–Mediated Rejection

Background: Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) is the main driver of late kidney allograft loss. Anti-HLA donor-specific antibodies (DSA) are strongly associated with AMR. However, 30-60% of DSA + patients do not develop AMR, raising the possibility of local tissue adaptations to...