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Charles Augustus Dean fonds, 1864-1921, n.d.
Get PDFCharles Augustus Dean (1844-1921) was from Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. He served in the 8th Vermont Infantry during the Civil War. In 1864 he moved to Cincinnati where he worked in the factory of paper bag manufacturer Nixon, Chatfield & Woods. He later worked as a traveling salesman for the same company. In 1871 he moved to Rochester, N.Y., and continued to work in the paper industry. In 1875 he moved to Boston and worked for Hollingsworth & Whitney Co. Inc., where he served as vice-president from 1882 to 1892, and then as president. He retired in 1911 but continued to serve as a company director. He married Minnie Palmer in 1875. After his death in 1921 he was survived by his wife and a daughter.The fonds consists of approximately 175 letters written by Charles Dean to his friend Everett Walker of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. Several letters refer to places and events in the Niagara region. Dean visited Niagara Falls and describes his visit in detail a letter dated August 11, 1869. He also comments on the Fenian uprising in two separate letters, and compares the suspension bridge being built over the Ohio River to the suspension bridge over the Niagara River. Many of his letters also refer to the American Civil War. One letter includes a gypsum sample he procured after a visit to Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. A book on the 8th Regiment Vermont Volunteers is also included
Attention-Based Generative Model in Deep Evolutionary Learning: A Many-Objective Approach to Multi-Target SMILES Fragment-Based Drug Design for Cancer
Get PDFCancer remains a global health challenge, necessitating novel drug discovery methods. This graduate thesis introduces two computational frameworks for multi-target drug design in cancer therapy, firstly, by integrating Deep Evolutionary Learning (DEL) with a Transformer-based model. Departing from the traditional use of Variational Autoencoder (VAE), this research employs a Transformer-based generative model, capitalizing on its superior ability to capture long-range dependencies within molecular sequences to develop an understanding of the complex molecular grammar. Secondly, the research further evaluates the efficacy of a more granular fragmentation method than the one originally employed in DEL. These two proposed modifications of
DEL: (i) Transformer-based model integrated in the original DEL framework and (ii) a fragmentation technique in finer granularity incorporated in the original DEL framework, are each evaluated and compared against the original DEL framework, the benchmark, in their molecular generative capabilities of targeting multiple biomarkers in cancer progression. In essence, the Transformer’s parallel processing capabilities enhance the drug design efficiency in terms of enhancing the diversity of novel and valid population samples produced and generating the highest-ranked novel molecule with the most optimal set of protein-ligand binding affinities. By optimizing the fragmentation technique, it is observed that it also performs well in maintaining a high novelty and validity of molecular compounds and interestingly, in drug design tasks involving specification of the off-targets, it produces a higher number of novel compounds that satisfy the objective thresholds compared to the benchmark. Overall, we believe that these are two approaches that can be explored for developing cancer treatments, and can also offer potential solutions for other diseases requiring multitarget interventions
Examining the effects of implicit and internalized weight bias on physical activity participation for women in larger bodies
Get PDFWeight stigma represents discrimination associated with the social beliefs that people in
larger bodies have low willpower, are unmotivated, and are personally responsible for their
elevated weight. Internalized weight stigma is the extent to which social perceptions of weight
stigma are attributed to the self by people in larger bodies. Dual process models may be uniquely
situated to help us understand how weight stigma becomes internalized and whether this impacts
(physical activity) PA participation. Within dual process models two systems regulate how we
think; the associative system reflects automatic associations and feelings, whereas the
propositional system represents deliberate and controlled reasoning. Past research has examined
social perceptions of explicit weight stigma alongside implicit measures, rather than examining
the internalized form of weight bias. The purpose of this study was to examine whether implicit
weight bias (an associative process) and internalized weight bias (a propositional process) are
significantly associated with the expectation of experiencing weight stigma, self-regulatory
efficacy, the tendency to avoid PA, PA intention, and PA. All eligible participants (n = 154) were
over 18, self identified as a woman, had a BMI over 25 and self-identified as a person living in a
larger body. Implicit weight bias was measured using a single category Implicit Association Test,
while the other study variables were measured using validated survey measures. We conducted a
series of hierarchical multiple regression analysis, entering covariates in step 1, implicit weight
bias in step 2, and internalized weight bias in step 3. In step 3, both implicit and internalized
weight bias were significantly associated with self-regulatory efficacy (p <.001, r2 = .183) and light past PA (p < .05, r2 = .065). Contrarily, the expectation of experiencing weight stigma (p <.05, r2 =.120) and the tendency to avoid PA (p <.001, r2 = .297) were both significantly associated with implicit weight bias in step 2. However, once internalised weight bias was added
into the equation in step 3, the implicit association became not significant. No relationship was
observed between PA intention, implicit weight bias and internalized weight bias. Similarly, there
was no relationship observed between moderate to vigorous physical activity, implicit weight
bias and internalized weight bias (p > .05). Implicit weight bias and explicitly measured
internalized weight bias were associated with psychological cognitions that may deter PA. They
seemed to be more strongly related to cognitions than behaviours, which might suggest that they
have indirect relationships with PA. Examining both implicit and internalized weight bias
together, through a dual process lens provided insight into the nuanced relationship that people in
larger bodies have with PA participation. Future health promotion strategies should consider
these findings and must work to shift away from their weight centric approach that may
exacerbate internalized weight bias and instead, adopt a more weight-neutral approach towards
PA participation
From Twentieth Century Socialism to Twenty-First Century Socialism: Experiences of Venezuela’s Bolivarianism 1998-2013
Get PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic has brought into stark relief the pitfalls of global capitalism as disparities between classes increase and the cycle of crisis continues jeopardizing human well-being across the globe. Seeking alternatives requires investigating the viability of socialism. This project explores how Bolivarian Socialism compares to the key tenets of scientific socialism to analyze the successes and failures of a contemporary socialist revolution. To inform a framework for scientific socialism the key theorists Frederick Engles, Vladimir Lenin, and Rosa Luxembourg are reviewed. Their works offer insight into the tangles of socialist thought as illuminations of Marxism and of social movements. Latin America has a rich history of anti-capitalist, anti-neoliberal, and anti-imperialist social movements that uphold socialist values. To explore how scientific socialism applies in a contemporary setting, the case of Venezuela under then-President Hugo Chavez (1999-2013) and his project of Twenty-First Century Socialism, or more broadly Bolivarian Socialism, is analyzed. Adopting a historical materialist approach supports research that is attendant to local conditions and global impacts. Investigating the case of Venezuela offers insight into the way contemporary socialist social movements arise, the obstacles they face, and the character of their successes. While the rise to power of Chavez and the implementation of his Twenty-First Century Socialism may not meet the requirements for a proletariat led revolution intending to dismantle the state apparatus, the policy changes implemented by the regime and their clear goals of improving human well-being and capacities is worth examining
Writing Self-Efficacy of Elementary Students With Learning Disabilities
Get PDFWriting is an important academic skill that many students with learning disabilities (LDs) find difficult to master. To acquire basic literacy skills, early intervention and appropriate accommodations are crucial for these learners. In the context of writing achievement, self-efficacy refers to students’ beliefs about their abilities to accomplish specific writing tasks. Past literature has demonstrated a bidirectional relationship between self-efficacy and writing performance. However, while research has explored writing self-efficacy in elementary students, little is known about the experiences of students with LDs. Using a mixed methods approach, this research project explored the writing self-efficacy and writing skills of 29 students with LDs in Grades 3-6 and explored the perspectives of 21 students and 22 parents. The study employed a multi-modal survey instrument (Zumbrunn et al., 2020) to determine whether writing self-efficacy varies across grade levels, a writing activity to assess students’ writing skills, and one-on-one semi-structured interviews with students and their parents to explore perspectives on writing and perceived learning needs. The results revealed that students in Grades 3 and 4 had lower levels of self-efficacy for self-regulation than students in Grade 5. As well, interviews yielded rich descriptions of parents’ and students’ attitudes, thoughts, and feelings toward writing and effective instruction. These findings extend theories of pragmatism, inclusion, and social cognitive theory (Bandura, 2012). Implications for the findings will inform teachers’ approaches to writing instruction and interventions for struggling writers. Future research might consider the role of additional sociodemographic and motivational variables and extend the present study to additional student populations
Honesty-Humility and Economic Games: The Role of Power
Get PDFAntisocial behaviours are related to certain personality constructs, such as low Honesty- Humility, as well as high levels of perceived power. However, Honesty-Humility, power, and behaviour (examined using economic games specifically) have yet to be examined in combination. I therefore examined the intersection of personality, performance on economic games and the influence of power to better understand these interactions. I used an experimental design with103 first-year undergraduate students who were randomly assigned to either a powerful (permitted to use executive office chair and new desktop) or powerless (made to use old, metal stool and broken laptop) condition before playing three economic games: dictator, ultimatum, and ultimatum variation. I hypothesized that those lower in Honest-Humility (H) would allocate more points to themselves in all games but more so in the dictator game and this effect would be exacerbated in the powerful condition. While the power manipulation had no effect on point allocation regardless of score on the HEXACO personality inventory, when combined with data from a previous study (Farrell, 2018), H was significantly negatively associated with the number of points they kept to themselves in the dictator game. In the ultimatum variation game, Agreeableness (A) was significantly negatively correlated with points allocated to self. Replicating previous findings by Farrell (2018), the dictator game significantly correlated with prior high school bullying tendencies. These findings suggest that economic games could be used as a bullying proxy to study the phenomenon in laboratory settings
Determining the effect of different cover crops on nematode communities in vegetable production
Get PDFAgricultural soil environments contain different types of nematodes, part of several trophic levels that aid in balancing the soil food web. Beneficial free-living nematodes (FLNs) consist of bacterivores, fungivores, predators and omnivores that help in the mineralization of the soil and the top-down control of damaging plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs). Conversely, PPNs feed directly on plant roots and cause $125 billion in worldwide crop losses annually, making them a plant pathogen of great concern for growers. Farmers have started to implement the use of cover crops in agricultural systems for the protection and enrichment of soil but research on how different covers affect nematode populations is lacking and in demand. This study aims to determine the effect of legume and grass cover crops, cow pea and pearl millet, as well as their mixture on the abundance and diversity of FLN and PPN populations. Soil samples were taken prior to, during, and after cover crop implementation to analyze nematode communities using morphological and DNA metabarcoding techniques. Results showed that the implementation of cow pea and pearl millet covers as well as their mixture in a spinach agricultural system led to the control of PPNs and the proliferation of FLN communities. Specifically, we found that the mixture of both cover crops and the use of pearl millet as a single species generated healthier nematode populations with significantly less PPNs and more FLNs when compared to the control and fallow plot treatments using both nematode identification methods. However, the choice of cover crop to implement by growers should be based on specific soil health needs to promote a healthy soil and nematode population. Ultimately, understanding how different cover crops impact nematode populations can inform sustainable agricultural management practices. By strategically selecting legume and grass cover crops, farmers can optimize soil health, reduce crop losses caused by PPNs, and promote a balanced soil ecosystem to improve crop productivity
Multi-Scale Analysis of Climate Change: Case Study of Major Canadian Wine Areas
Get PDFThe release of anthropogenic greenhouse gases (primarily CO2) is estimated to have caused an average increase of 1.2 ℃ in global warming since pre-industrial times (1850–1900) and is projected to continue its rise based on Global Climate Models. This study uses Regional Climate Models to evaluate the effects of climate change on three well-known wine regions in Canada: the Niagara Region, the Annapolis Valley, and the Okanagan Valley. Nineteen models were evaluated against historical trends from 1950 to 2021 to find the most accurate and precise model for each region. Using model data, two types of climate indices, Climate Suitability and Climate Risks, with a total of ten parameters, were used to assess the impacts of climate change on the wine and grape industry. All of these are important for winegrowers with more focus put on the number of heat (GS-HD), frost (GS-FD), and growing degree days (GDD). Under the business-as-usual scenario (GHG emissions, RCP 8.5) from 2020 to 2100, the Niagara Region, Annapolis Valley, and Okanagan Valley will likely experience increases in GS-HD of 30, 23, and 55, respectively. Additional impacts arise from the change in the number of GDD increasing by 764, 980, and 912 in respective regions. Thus, all three regions will move into a “hot” climate based on the Winkler Index. When we, as a society, are successful in mitigating CO2 emissions to an RCP 4.5 scenario, then GS-FD are predicted to decrease between 2020 and 2100 by just 10, 11, and 35 in Niagara, Annapolis, and Okanagan, respectively. During the same period, the GDD will increase by 465, 306, and 443, allowing them to grow more varieties of grapevine that thrive under a warmer climate. Overall, each locality will reap more benefits from increasing temperatures under the RCP 4.5 scenario than the RCP 8.5 one.
It is regional-scale studies of Climate Change, employing Regional Climate Models, that the wine industry needs to make sustainable decisions appropriate to the local level, whether they are established or emerging wine growing regions. Finally, location-specific Regional Climate Models may be invaluable instruments in aiding/sustaining the agricultural industry
Carnosic acid against insulin resistance and obesity. Investigating its effects on adipocytes.
Get PDFAdipose tissue plays a crucial role in regulating metabolic homeostasis, and its dysfunction in obesity leads to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D). White adipose tissue (WAT) primarily stores energy as lipids while brown adipose tissue (BAT) regulates thermogenesis by dissipating energy in a form of heat. The process of browning involves transdifferention of WAT
into brown-like or beige adipocytes, which exhibit the same functional properties as BAT. Browning of WAT is an attractive approach against obesity and insulin resistance. In addition, evidence indicate that activation of the energy sensor AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) could counteract insulin resistance. In recent years, chemicals found in plants/herbs have attracted attention for their use as nutraceuticals for preventing and treating insulin resistance and obesity. For example, metformin derived from French Lilac (Syringa vulgaris), has been an established medication in the management of diabetes and hyperglycemia. However, metformin is associated with adverse side effects thereby prompting the search for alternative plant-derived chemicals that may be useful for obesity and diabetes treatment. Rosemary is an evergreen shrub indigenous to
the Mediterranean region, which contains various polyphenols. One of the most abundant polyphenols in rosemary is carnosic acid, a compound exhibiting potent antioxidant, antiinflammatory, anticancer, and anti-hyperglycemic properties. Furthermore, based on the limited evidence available, it appears as though carnosic acid may have anti-obesity and antidiabetic potential, but more work needs to be done, and particularly examine its effects on adipocytes. The present studies aim to examine the effects of carnosic acid (CA) on adipocyte browning, on palmitate-induced adipocyte insulin resistance and investigate the role of AMPK. In the first study, it was found that the palmitate-induced insulin resistance was prevented in the presence of CA and the palmitate-induced increase in the activation of mTOR, its downstream target p70S6K, JNK, ERK and Ser307 phosphorylation of IRS-1 were completely blocked while the insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and Akt phosphorylation was restored. In the second study, we show that CA reduced lipid accumulation and increased the expression of browning protein markers (UCP-1,
PGC-1α, PRDM16, TFAM) and mitochondrial biogenesis in an AMPK-dependent manner in 3T3- L1 white adipocytes.
Conclusion: These studies demonstrate that CA has a pronounced potential in 1) attenuating the palmitate-induced insulin resistance in adipocytes and 2) stimulating browning of white adipocytes in an AMPK-dependent mechanism. Future animal and human studies are required to examine the effects of CA in vivo
Citations in Wikipedia for Understanding Research Reach
Get PDFObjective: Wikipedia is the most frequently accessed online health information resource and is well positioned as a
valuable tool for public health communication and knowledge translation. The authors aimed to explore their institution's
health and medical research reach by analyzing its presence in Wikipedia articles.
Methods: In October 2022, a comprehensive database search was constructed in PubMed to retrieve clinical evidence
syntheses published by at least one author affiliated with McMaster University from 2017 to 2022, inclusive. Altmetric
Explorer was queried using PubMed Identifiers and article titles to access metadata and Wikipedia citation data. 3,582
health evidence syntheses from at least one McMaster University affiliated author were analyzed.
Results: Six percent (n=219) of health evidence syntheses from the authors' institution were cited 568 times in 524
unique Wikipedia articles across 28 different language editions. 45% of citations appeared in English Wikipedia,
suggesting a broad global reach for the institutions' research outputs. When adjusted for open access publications, 8% of
McMaster University's health evidence syntheses appear in Wikipedia.
Conclusion: Altmetric Explorer is a valuable tool for exploring the reach of an institution's research outputs. Isolating
Altmetric data to focus on Wikipedia citations has value for any institution wishing to gain more insight into the global,
community-level reach of its contributions to the latest health and medical evidence