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Fighting two wars: the Serbian Army Medical Corps and malaria on the Salonika front
No full textThis thesis examines the efforts of the Serbian Army Medical Corps to combat and
control malaria on the Salonika front. It also focuses on the efficacy of both prophylactic and
therapeutic approaches, as well as alternative measures such as mosquito destruction.
The research fills a significant gap in the literature on malaria among Serbian troops
during the Macedonian campaign of the First World War. Existing secondary sources often
address malaria broadly or focus narrowly on certain aspects of the Serbian Army’s experience,
primarily the Šumadija and Timok Divisions, leaving other divisions underrepresented. This
thesis examines the predominant focus on malaria cases among the Šumadija and Timok
Divisions of the Second Serbian Army in existing literature. It investigates the reasons for this
selective focus in the historiography and highlights its broader implications.
Using primary sources—including writings, accounts, and reports by Serbian Army
doctors and officers directly involved in malaria prevention and treatment—this research
contextualizes their efforts within the broader framework of Allied antimalarial strategies.
Through a comparative perspective, it offers new insights into the challenges faced, approaches
adopted, and results achieved in combating one of the most persistent health crises on the
Salonika front.Includes bibliographical references (pages 116-120
Exploring equity crowdfunding potential in Newfoundland and Labrador
No full textThe study adopted a place-based approach to evaluate the potential of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) founders in terms of human and social capital, innovation, and active knowledge sharing to attract investors through Equity Crowdfunding (ECF). A systematic literature review was conducted to understand the relevant factors for ECF success, and primary data was gathered through a survey of small tech-based enterprises to understand whether of NL founders and their companies possessed these ECF success factors. Additionally, observations of founders' and companies' social media and websites provided further data. The findings highlight the founders' strengths and areas for improvement, offering insights into their readiness for ECF success. Additionally, the study suggested initiatives that the policymakers in NL might consider to make ECF a feasible fundraising platform for NL founders. By examining regions that differ culturally and economically from large urban areas, the study contributes valuable perspectives to the ECF literature, which predominantly focuses on mainstream regions and platforms. Given the emerging role of ECF in Canada as an alternative fundraising method, the study's findings may hold significant implications for policymakers and other relevant stakeholders.Includes bibliographical references (pages 43-64
Development and evaluation of a robust and self-driven unsupervised data clustering algorithm
No full textData clustering is an important tool for analyzing and understanding data, particularly, if the data
is large or contains many attributes. Data clustering is straightforward if a small set of rules can be
devised to determine the clustering. Practically, this small set of rules is not possible for complex
datasets. Various clustering algorithms have been found in the literature addressing different clustering
challenges, such as partitioning, hierarchical, and machine learning methods. Most of the
approaches require some prior knowledge about the clusters, such as the total number of clusters.
Furthermore, some previous algorithms are not robust enough to process higher-dimensional data
or require a large amount of memory for computations. In this thesis, we explore a number of
clustering techniques, their advantages, and shortcomings; and devise a new clustering technique
combining the benefits from existing algorithms, while making it robust and independent from
requiring knowledge about the clusters.
A data clustering algorithm, Piecemeal Clustering, is proposed in this thesis. The proposed algorithm
clusters datasets in three steps combining the concepts of density distribution, agglomerative
hierarchical clustering, and Self-Organizing Map (SOM) . Piecemeal Clustering can successfully
cluster data without prior knowledge of the number of clusters. The proposed clustering algorithm
uses the similarity and density of the data in n−dimensional hyperspace to identify the number of
clusters in the dataset and works with both low- and high-dimensional data.
The capability of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated with two test datasets: it clusters Iris
flower data and identifies the letters from the cursive (handwritten) English alphabet. The algorithm
shows positive results in both cases. According to the obtained result, the Piecemeal
algorithm outperforms seven other state-of-the-art algorithms on both datasets: k−means, SOM,
Hierarchical, DBSCAN, RNN-DBSCAN, HDBSCAN*, and Blocked DBSCAN.
The algorithm is also applied to solve two real world problems. Both of the use cases are related
to Oil and Gas Engineering applications. In the first use case, Piecemeal Clustering was used
to identify the lithofacies of a potential oil field. It used well log data and applied Piecemeal
Clustering to identify the number and location of unique lithofacies. In the second use case, the
algorithm was used to identify drill bits blades from top-view images of damaged drill bits. In this
scenario, the algorithm was used in conjunction with other algorithms. In both real-world case
studies, the algorithm performed positively.Includes bibliographical reference
Accounting for movement in spatial surplus production models and case studies of redfish (Sebastes spp., Sebastidae) and yellowtail flounder (Limanda ferruginea) on the Eastern Grand Banks of Newfoundland
No full textThis thesis explores the integration of spatial modelling and surplus production models (SPMs) for fisheries stock assessment. Typically, SPMs disregard the spatial dynamics of populations. To address this limitation, we propose a novel approach that utilizes the Gaussian random field to capture spatial heterogeneity. This method enhances spatial representation without explicitly parameterizing movement dynamics, offering a more robust framework. The methodology (i.e., the random field model) builds upon existing surplus production models by adapting a triangular grid and employing stochastic process errors to capture spatial variation. Simulations and case studies demonstrate the model’s effectiveness in estimating stock biomass dynamics, outperforming non-spatial and movement models. The random field model offers a simplified but robust alternative to the explicit spatial movement model. Applied to the 3LN Redfish stock, the random field model highlights significant spatial heterogeneity and a decline in biomass between 2012-2019. Furthermore, the approach was extended to Yellowtail Flounder in 3LNO Divisions, demonstrating stable biomass distributions with spatial preferences for shallower waters. The findings underscore the importance of spatially explicit models in fisheries stock assessment when sufficient spatial data are available. This study contributes to advancing fisheries stock assessment by providing a scalable and adaptable framework for spatial stock assessment.Includes bibliographical references (pages 80-99
Optimizing facility locations and network design in hazardous material transportation
No full textOptimizing the combined facility location and network design decisions in hazardous material (hazmat) transportation is a complicated problem. The problem involves two stakeholders, the government, whose objective is to minimize the total risk of population exposure to dangerous materials by closing certain roads and nodes, and the carrier, which aims to minimize the total transportation cost by choosing the shortest paths from hazmat generation nodes to processing facilities in addition to reducing hazmat processing and facility construction cost. The government's decisions regarding which roads to close and which nodes to ban impact the carrier's choice of paths and facility location respectively. Hence, the government must anticipate the carrier's reactions while making network (closure or banning) decisions. To address this problem, we propose a novel bi-level programming formulation that integrates both parties' objectives. A cutting plane algorithm is designated to address the bi-level structure for both stakeholders' decisions. Finally, a real-world case study of a transportation network is conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed approach in reducing the total risk and cost and reveal insights that can be used to facilitate policy-making in terms of hazmat transportation and processing.Includes bibliographical references (pages 51-55
The pain of It all: a political anlaysis of the lived experiences of endometriosis
No full textDespite the prevalence of endometriosis amongst women and gender/sex-diverse persons, patients still experience significant barriers to adequate care, including diagnostic delays, the trivialization of their pain, and the dismissal of their experiences in healthcare contexts. In this thesis, I argue that endometriosis is politically important because particularly when they lack access to adequate care, patients' chronic illness and / or pain, inhibits their ability to participate in world-making and to create meaningful social roles for themselves. Endometriosis prevents the patient from world-making by inhibiting their work, education, relationships, connection with others, opportunities, and pleasure. In spite of this, patients develop methods of resistance and coping through their learned resiliency. Through qualitative thematic analysis of six endometriosis life writing books and semi-structured interviews with eleven participants with endometriosis, three overarching themes emerged: embodied knowledge, institutional violence, and resilience. These life writing stories and the interviews with participants reveal the political importance of the embodied, lived experiences of patients in understanding and creating better endometriosis care
Effects of vermicompost on soil physicochemical properties, kale (Brassica oleracea) crop growth and yield in Newfoundland podzolic soils
No full textNewfoundland and Labrador’s (NL) agricultural development faces challenges due to adverse weather, soil acidity, and low fertility. The pulp and paper industry generates large amounts of sludge or biosolids, which are often incinerated or disposed of in landfills without exploring organic waste recycling alternatives. Paper sludge (PS), a byproduct of Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd., is a potential liming and nutrient source that offers a promising solution as a soil amendment due to its high pH and essential plant nutrients. Vermicomposting offers a more sustainable alternative compared to incineration, particularly because paper sludge has high water content, which lowers its calorific value and makes combustion inefficient. Additionally, its high nitrogen content, when combusted, contributes to nitrogen oxide emissions rather than being recycled as a nutrient, further reducing the sustainability of incineration. By converting PS into vermicompost and using it as an amendment, its use can further enhance soil properties by improving the physicochemical characteristics.
The first study assessed the impact of different vermicompost-to-soil ratios (0:100, 15:85, 30:70, 45:55) on soil physicochemical properties, and the second study evaluated the agronomic effect of vermicompost made from PS on the growth and yield of kale (Brassica oleracea). A pot experiment with nine soil (Orthic Ferro-Humic Podzol), vermicompost, and urea combinations was conducted in a controlled environment for the second study. Except for the 0:100 mix (with 100% N), urea levels were set at 0 and 50% of the N required by kale. Findings from the first study (Physicochemical properties) revealed that vermicompost application significantly lowered soil bulk density by 17.8–58.1% and increased total carbon by 133%–470%, total nitrogen (N) by 102–302%, organic matter by 64–1107% and soil porosity by 15.5–41.8% compared to the control. Results of the second study (Growth chamber experiment) showed that vermicompost-enriched soils significantly enhanced kale growth, increasing shoot mass by 57–120 g per plant, height by 8–12 cm per plant, and leaf count by 5–9 leaves per plant. This study highlights PS-derived vermicompost as a solution to improve the fertility of NL’s podzolic soils, supporting crop growth while replacing a considerable amount of synthetic fertilizer, promoting organic waste recycling, and contributing to local food security
A comparative study of native and non-native speaking writing instructors in English for academic purposes (EAP) programs
No full textThis qualitative study compares native English speaking instructors (NESIs) and non-native English speaking instructors (NNESIs) of academic writing at the post-secondary level in terms of self-perception and presentation, instruction in multilingual contexts, and feedback practices. The study is guided by Bourdieu's concepts of capital, field, and habitus and by the perspectives of translingualism and Global Englishes. To draw this comparison, 16 instructors in multilingual and multicultural programs of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) were investigated. Eight of the instructors were native to English and the other eight were non-native.
Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and document analysis, including syllabi, lesson plans, rubrics, and feedback samples. The findings of this research reveal that nativeness, being a form of capital, empowers NESIs, who emphasize higher-order writing skills, such as argumentation and coherence, in their instruction. In fact, native instructors assume that their students already possess sufficient language proficiency. On the other hand, NNESIs benefit from their own experience of learning English academic writing, focus on language instruction, and provide explicit feedback on aspects like grammar and vocabulary. Non-native instructors regard these skills as essential foundations for academic writing success. At the same time, both groups display complementary strengths; where NESIs excel at promoting autonomy and NNESIs empathize with their students.
This research emphasizes the need for balanced approaches that integrate contributions of both native and non-native instructors. Hence, it advocates for equitable hiring and professional development policies and practices that value instructors' diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. The study also proposes a tiered model of academic writing instruction that is informed by the perspectives and practices of both NESIs and NNESI participants. Hence, it contributes to the discussions on redefining expertise in the field of EAP instruction and provides evidence to support inclusive approaches of NESIs and NNESIs to academic dialects in globalized higher education settings
A Delphi study to formalize domain knowledge on maritime collision avoidance and to inform training
No full textMaintaining effective situation awareness (SA) is a key facet that experienced Officers of the Watch (OOWs) build to practice safe collision avoidance and sound Bridge Resource Management (BRM). Novice OOWs lack the experience to efficiently use sources of information on the bridge to build and maintain SA. This research takes a human centred approach though a Delphi study to answer the following question: Can consensus be reached between domain experts to create a training tool to increase SA for collision avoidance amongst new watchkeeping officers? The study is grounded in Endsley’s model of SA and the Collision Regulations (COLREGs). A mixed methods approach is used and includes a series of surveys administered through Qualtrics to elicit opinions from experienced seafarers as they relate to collision avoidance, SA information requirements, sources of information from bridge equipment, and BRM. The goal was to create a generalizable sequence, in the form of a flowchart, for efficiently collecting information, supported by consensus and validation from the experts. Through this research, consensus was achieved to create a flowchart for collision avoidance information gathering. This flowchart was further validated through semi-structured interviews with subject matter experts. The outcome of this research may impact the training and operational sectors of the maritime industry by informing formal instruction and on-the-job training and evaluation
