There is an increasing interest in applications of machine learning to solve mining and geotechnical problems; this is made easier thanks to user-friendly and open source machine learning codes and improved computational power. The benefit of incorporating machine learning in rock engineering design are apparent, including the reduction in the time required to sort and characterize field data and the capability to find mathematical correlations between complex sets of input data. However, there are challenges to be investigated, including the use of qualitative data.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is an important disease characterized by recurrent blockages of the upper airway during sleep leading to breathing cessations (up to 100 times per hour); OSA is common and is widely under-diagnosed. OSA might cause cancer or lead to cancer progression, potentially mediated through low oxygen levels; however, evidence for this association is limited. This research study will use rigorous methods to determine if there is a potential link between OSA and cancer; specifically, we will link our large database of approximately 1800 patients with suspected OSA.
Wearable body sensors are groundbreaking in that they allow for continuous and unobtrusive physiological measurements. The promise is that someday soon, smartphones will monitor our bodily state and thus prevent all kinds of wellbeing implications: acute physiological issues like stroke or heart attack; less acute but still serious illness, such as chronic illnesses caused by destructive behavioural patterns; and everyday psychological experiences such as stress and bad mood. But this is not yet a plug and play matter; simply attaching a heart rate sensor does not fulfill this dream.
HOB! is a community-based action research project with the aim of supporting visible minority newcomer women (VMNW) in starting entrepreneurial businesses. The research objectives of the project include identifying challenges and opportunities that VMNW face in the business environment of Canada. Moreover, this research will provide suggestions for improvement of employment and self-employment services for immigrant women.
The project will create a research-based strategic plan and roadmap that describes when and how to best introduce NG-911 services in British Columbia. The research needs to consider the unique BC context including review of current legislation, our emergency response structures and practices, current technologies, societal expectations and political norms. The work also needs to consider global trends and developments in emergency communications from industry, government and emergency response agency perspectives and identify the implications in BC.
River restoration in the steep mountain streams of British Columbia focuses on enhancing conditions for fish habitat, including salmon spawning habitat. These restoration projects are designed using 2D hydraulic models, but their performance during large flood events is relatively unknown. This project will use a set of laboratory experiments to assess the performance of common designs under large flood events. A scaled model of a restoration design will be built, and the sediment transport and topographic change of the channel during simulated floods will be measured.
In partnership with the First Nations Fisheries Legacy Fund and their partner First Nations, Katzie, Kwantlen, Kwikwetlem, Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh, and Tsawwassen, the proposed interns aim to develop a framework of aquatic health indicators that are identified and shaped by cultural values and priorities laid out by the involved First Nations in the Lower Fraser River Region.
Radiodermatitis is a group of skin reactions that occur as a result of radiation therapy. It is a significant health challenge as approximately 70% of all cancer patients receive radiation therapy and approximately 95% of them experience radiodermatitis. Patients with radiodermatitis experience redness, itchiness, pain, scaling, and weeping or crusted wounds. Importantly, radiodermatitis can impede cancer treatments. Current treatments for radiodermatitis have shown limited efficacy; thus, improving our understanding of radiodermatitis and developing novel therapies are urgent needs.
In this project, the interns will develop a new set of tools and techniques to provide new scientific insights into the detailed interactions that occur between drug and target molecules in the human body. Understanding of these interactions is critical to design better, more effective, and more precisely targeted drugs. The problem is that current techniques for investigating molecular interactions make “ensemble measurements” over huge numbers of drug and target molecules and give researchers only an “average” measurement of the interactions.
Monitoring of population density is crucial for conserving wildlife species and determining responses to management efforts. However, estimating density is particularly difficult when individuals are not distinguishable from each other. There is pressing need to validate the robustness of recently developed models that estimate density from such ‘unmarked’ populations before widespread application to real-world data, especially for species under management or at risk.
