3,491 research outputs found
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
No full textWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
Negotiating the real: Culture and fantastical fiction 1843-1973
No full textThis dissertation examines the growth and practice of two distinct reading techniques, with reference to fantastical fiction from і 843 to 1973. While acknowledging that specific reading practices are not exclusive to particular groups or individuals, it is proposed, broadly, that readers fall into two categories: those who tend to be distanced from the text and approach it analytically; those who tend to embrace the text and immerse themselves in its narrative. These two groups, critical readers and experience readers, have their reading habits determined by basic philosophical assumptions. One aim of the dissertation is to explore the link between this division and divisions within the literary hierarchy, articulating a methodology/typology of reading. Criticism of texts in this dissertation involves discussion of the above hypothesis, assessing the value assigned to literary works by each group of reader and considering how the texts themselves investigate the hypothesis. Various theories and critical concepts are engaged with, including those of Marxist aesthetics, psychoanalysis, liberal humanism, cultural studies, and postmodernism. The aim is to demonstrate the practice of both reading techniques and to draw conclusions concerning their respective psychological and social significance. The dissertation argues that fantastical fiction is often a site of interaction between such binary opposites as realism/fantasy, high/popular, ideas/escape, and polemic/amusing. The struggle between these opposites may provide a dialectic of ''critical'" and ''experience" reading
Lithological and geochemical dispersal in till: McAdam area, New Brunswick
No full textAnalyses of dispersal patterns for till clasts and matrix geochemistry in the McAdam area, southwestern New Brunswick, are used to define the dominant glacial transport direction in an area of ice-flow complexity, as indicated by multiple and differing striae directions. Dispersal and erosional data indicate that the main (regional) southeastward flow direction was preceded and followed by secondary deviations, due to local influences of topography and substrate and possibly also from changes within the ice mass or surrounding glaciers. Clast trains are traceable from known outcrops, southward over distances greater than 16 km, whereas distinctive geochemical trains are lost within 10 km of transport, due to homogenization of the till matrix. These results demonstrate that for drift prospecting, transport path and source unit are more clearly delineated by shape and size of till clasts and matrix dispersal patterns, than by analysis of directional indicators caused by glacial erosion.
RÉSUMÉ
On a recours à des analyses des modes de dispersion des clastes du till et de la géochimie de la matrice dans le secteur de McAdam, dans le sud-est du Nouveau-Brunswick, pour défiinir la direction du transport glaciaire dominant à l’intérieur d'un secteur caractérisé par la complexity de l'écoulemcnt glaciaire, comme en témoignent les directions multiples et différentes des rayures. Les données relatives à la dispersion et à l'érosion révèlant que la principale direction (régionale) de l'écoulcment, l'écoulement vers le sud-est, a été précédée et suivie de déviations secondares en raison des influences locales de la topographie et du substrat, ainsi que possiblement de changements survenus à l'intérieur de l'amas de glaces ou des glaciers environnants. On peut retracer les parcours des clastes à partir d'affleurements connus sur des distances de plus de 16 km vers le sud, alors qu'on pcrd des tracées géochimiques distinctifs à moins de 10 km de transport à cause de l'homogénéisation de la matrice du till. Ces résultats démontrent qu'en matère de prospection glacio-sédimentaire, on délimite plus nettement le trajet du transport et l'unité d'origine par la forme et la dimension des clastes du till et par les modes de dispersion de la matrice que par l'analyse des indicateurs de direction laissés par l'érosion glaciaire.
[Traduit par la rédaction
G-Rank: Unsupervised Continuous Learn-to-Rank for Edge Devices in a P2P Network
No full textRanking algorithms in traditional search engines are powered by enormous training data sets that are meticulously engineered and curated by a centralized entity. Decentralized peer-to-peer (p2p) networks such as torrenting applications and Web3 protocols deliberately eschew centralized databases and computational architectures when designing services and features. As such, robust search-and-rank algorithms designed for such domains must be engineered specifically for decentralized networks, and must be lightweight enough to operate on consumer-grade personal devices such as a smartphone or laptop computer. We introduce G-Rank, an unsupervised ranking algorithm designed exclusively for decentralized networks. We demonstrate that accurate, relevant ranking results can be achieved in fully decentralized networks without any centralized data aggregation, feature engineering, or model training. Furthermore, we show that such results are obtainable with minimal data preprocessing and computational overhead, and can still return highly relevant results even when a user’s device is disconnected from the network. G-Rank is highly modular in design, is not limited to categorical data, and can be implemented in a variety of domains with minimal modification. The results herein show that unsupervised ranking models designed for decentralized p2p networks are not only viable, but worthy of further research.https://github.com/awrgold/G-RankComputer Scienc
Should All of the LMLK Jars Still be Dated to Hezekiah? Yes!; Andrew G. Vaughn. PhD; February 9, 2015
No full textChronology of the ancient Near East is a constantly recurring problem scholars have been successfully able to resolve concerning various historical periods. The period of the Divided Monarchy, specifically as it relates to the reign of King Hezekiah, has traditionally been attributed with the inception and exclusive-use of lmlk jar handles. The term lmlk, as translated from ancient Hebrew, means to the king, for the king, or belonging to the king. In his lecture, Vaughn presents the arguments against attribution of lmlk storage jars to the period of King Hezekiah\u27s reign, and explores the implications, assumptions, and evidences for claims contrary to this chronological placement.
Andrew G. Vaughn (PhD 1996, Princeton Theological Seminary) has been, and currently is, part of various archaeological projects taking place in Syro-Palestine. Vaughn is the author, editor, and contributor to various books, articles, and volumes related ancient Near Eastern archaeology and biblical studies. In addition to his archaeological experience and publishing record, Vaughn also previously served as a Fulbright Fellow in the Institute of Archaeology at Tel Aviv University. Presently, Vaughn serves as Executive Director for the American Schools of Oriental Research, based out of Boston University.https://knowledge.e.southern.edu/arch_museum_lectures/1028/thumbnail.jp
Territorial defence behaviour and a test of the mechanism of kin recognition in red squirrels
No full textI investigated territorial defence behaviour and tested the mechanism of kin recognition in red squirrels ('Tamiasciurus hudsonicus ') using playbacks of territorial calls. Red squirrels did not discriminate between the calls of kin and non-kin despite previous evidence that they are capable of recognizing kin through territorial vocalizations. I suggest that changes in environmental conditions might have altered the costs and benefits of differential treatment of kin, resulting in a lack of discrimination. Also, red squirrels were no more aggressive in response to playback calls from non-neighbours than from neighbours. Additional playback trials with territorial calls where the frequency was altered suggested that fundamental frequency is the important acoustic component for kin recognition. Variation in territorial defence was evident in red squirrels and call rates increased as the number of surrounding conspecifics increased, indicating that red squirrels adjust territorial defence in response to intruder pressure
Individual variation in the dear enemy phenomenon via territorial vocalizations in red squirrels
No full textTerritoriality arises when the benefits of exclusive access to resources exceed the costs of defense. Behavioural plasticity increases the net benefits of territoriality by reducing defensive effort, often through the dear enemy phenomenon where familiarity reduces intrusion risk. Red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) follow the dear enemy phenomenon, but the mechanism by which red squirrels recognize conspecifics is unknown. I hypothesized that they use territorial calls, and predicted that familiar calls would better deter intruders than unfamiliar calls. I temporarily removed squirrels from their territories and replaced them with a speaker broadcasting the owner’s call, an unfamiliar call, or silence. Owner calls did not more effectively repel intruders than unfamiliar calls. However, intruder identity varied: unfamiliar neighbours intruded during owner playback, but familiarity did not affect intrusions during unfamiliar playback. Individual variation in familiarity and changes in population density and composition can affect the strength and detectability of dear enemy effects.Ontario Graduate ScholarshipNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of CanadaNorthern Scientific Training ProgramAmerican Society of Mammalogist
Population analysis of bacterial pathogens on distinct temporal and spatial scales
No full textBacteria have been the causative agents of major infectious disease pandemics
throughout human history. Over the past 4 decades, a combination of changing
medical practices, industrialization, and globalisation have led to a number of
emergences and re-emergences of bacterial pathogens. The design of rational control
programs and bespoke therapies will require an enhanced understanding of the
dynamics underpinning the emergence and transmission of pathogenic clones. The
recent development of new technologies for sequencing bacterial genomes rapidly
and economically has led to a greatly enhanced understanding of the diversity of
bacterial populations.
This thesis describes the application of whole genome sequencing of 2 bacterial
pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and Legionella pneumophila, in order to
understand the dynamics of bacterial infections on different temporal and spatial
scales. The first study involves the examination of S. aureus evolution during a
chronic infection of a single patient over a period of 26 months revealing differences
in antibiotic resistance profiles and virulence factor expression over time. The
genetic variation identified correlated with differences in growth rate, haemolytic
activity, and antibiotic sensitivity, implying a profound effect on the ecology of S.
aureus. Importantly, polymorphisms were identified in global regulators of
virulence, with a high frequency of polymorphisms within the SigB locus identified,
suggesting this region may be under selection in this patient. The identification of
genes under diversifying selection during long-term infection may inform the design
of novel therapeutics for the control of refractory chronic infections.
Secondly, the emergence and transmission of 3 pandemic lineages derived from S.
aureus clonal complex 30 (CC30) were investigated. Independent origins for each
pandemic lineage were identified, with striking molecular correlates of hospital- or
community-associated pandemics represented by mobile genetic elements, such as
bacteriophage and Staphylococcal pathogenicity islands, and non-synonymous
mutations affecting antibiotic resistance and virulence. Hospitals in large cities were
identified as hubs for the transmission of MRSA to regional health care centres. In
addition, comparison of whole genome sequences revealed that at least 3
independent acquisitions of TSST-1 have occurred in CC30, but a single distinct
clade of diverse community-associated CC30 strains was responsible for the TSS
epidemic of the late 1970s, and for subsequent cases of TSS in the UK and USA.
Finally, whole genome sequencing was used as a tool for investigating a recent
outbreak of legionellosis in Edinburgh. An unexpectedly high level of genomic
diversity was identified among the outbreak strains, with respect to core genome
polymorphisms, and accessory genome content. The data indicate that affected
individuals may be infected with heterogeneous strains. The findings highlight the
complexities in identifying environmental sources and suggest possible differences
in pathogenic potential among isolates from a single outbreak.
Taken together, the findings demonstrate applications of bacterial genome
sequencing leading to enhanced understanding of bacterial pathogen evolution,
emergence, and transmission, which may ultimately inform appropriate infection
control measures
Insights from the study of complex systems for the ecology and evolution of animal populations
No full textD.N.F. thanks Jack W. Bradbury and Sandra L. Vehrencamp for writing the article that originally stimulated his thoughts in this area. The authors are also grateful to Simon Denomme-Brown, Gustavo Betini and Elizabeth Hobson for reviewing drafts of this article, and Andrew G. McAdam for allowing D.N.F. to pursue this project despite employing him to study squirrels. Four anonymous reviewers provided useful comments that helped improve the manuscript. We have no conflicting interests.Peer reviewe
The new kid on the block: Immigrant males win big whereas females pay fitness cost after dispersal - data
No full textThe data and code for residents and immigrants (successful dispersers) and their offspring using 29 years of monitoring from North American red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) in Yukon, Canada. Data obtained with funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada, Northern Scientific Training Program, and the National Science Foundation.Published. Martinig, A. R., A. G. McAdam, B. Danzter, J. E. Lane, D. W. Coltman, & S. Boutin. 2019. The new kid on the block: Immigrant males win big whereas females pay fitness cost after dispersal. Ecology Letters 23:430–438.</div
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