Bill 83: Alberta Mental Health Act--1972.

On May 12, 1972 a new Mental Health Act was tabled as Bill 83 in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Alberta which may become the pace setter for North America. The proposed Act was prepared by a committee composed of representatives of the professions of psychology, social work and medicine, along with hospital administrative personnel, legal consultants and Canadian Mental Health representation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changing to more efficient irrigation technologies in southern Alberta (Canada): an empirical analysis

Results from an irrigator survey in southern Alberta (Canada) indicate that more than half of irrigators changed irrigation technologies during the five-year period (crop years 2007/08–2011/12) and this potentially improved application efficiency. Changes were made from flood irrigation to wheel-move sprinklers to high- and then low-pressure pivot systems. The intended future rate of change is lower than that experienced over the previous five years. Important factors causing these changes were identified: reducing irrigation application, labour and energy inputs, and increasing crop yields and quality. Econometric modelling shows that irrigators who have commenced the process of adopting more efficient sprinklers are full-time farmers, operate their farm as corporations or partnerships, obtain information from extension agencies, and are more likely to upgrade their technologies in future.     

The rates of emissions of fine particles from some Canadian coal-fired power plants

Particles emitted from three coal-fired power plants burning subbituminous coals from Alberta, Canada were examined for total particulate matter (PM) and size fractions PM_>10, PM₁₀, and PM_2.5. The sampling was carried out following EPA Method 201A, which requires a 6 inch port. Three tests were performed at each station. The rates of emitted particulates from the three power plants are 9.9-53.4 mg/m³ (dry), 30-90 kg/hr (dry), and 0.039-0.118 kg/MWh, respectively. The emission rates of the various particle sizes for these three power plants are 8.7-39.5 kg/hr of PM_>10, 10.7-40.8 kg/hr of PM₁₀, and 9.65-10.7 kg/hr of PM_2.5. The present results indicate that 29-44% of emitted particles are PM_>10. The total emissions of particulates from two power plants are below the Canadian Guideline for emission from a coal-fired power plant (0.095 kg/MWh), while the third power plant is slightly higher than the Guideline (0.118 kg/MWh).The malfunctioning of control technology may result in unrealistic and wide variation in the measured rates of emitted particles.     

Measuring the competitiveness benefits of a transmission investment policy: The case of the Alberta electricity market

Transmission expansions can increase the extent of competition faced by wholesale electricity suppliers with the ability to exercise unilateral market power. This can cause them to submit offer curves closer to their marginal cost curves, which sets market-clearing prices closer to competitive benchmark price levels. These lower wholesale market-clearing prices are the competitiveness benefit consumers realize from the transmission expansion. This paper quantifies empirically the competitiveness benefits of a transmission expansion policy that causes strategic suppliers to expect no transmission congestion. Using hourly generation-unit level offer, output, market-clearing price and congestion data from the Alberta wholesale electricity market from January 1, 2009 to July 31, 2013, an upper and lower bound on the hourly consumer competitiveness benefits of this transmission policy is computed. Both of these competitiveness benefits measures are economically significant, which argues for including them in transmission planning processes for wholesale electricity markets to ensure that all transmission expansions with positive net benefits to electricity consumers are undertaken.     

Lignites from the Plains region of Alberta,Canada—Part 2: Elemental geochemistry

Mineralogy and elemental concentration of two coal seams in Alberta, Canada, were determined using X-ray diffractometry and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). Minerals consist mainly of quartz and calcium minerals, the latter as calcite and vaterite, and oxalate (whewellite). Clay minerals are present as kaolinite, reflecting peat deposition in an acidic environment. Most elements in the coal show depletion compared to Clarke values. Some elements are associated with mineral matter (e.g., Ti, Ba, Si, Al, K, Mg, and Y) and increase with ash. Na, Mn, Sr, and Cu are associated with macerals. High phosphorous and strontium in one interval may be related to the high concentration of whewellite.     

加拿大Alberta大学电路课程探析

本文介绍了加拿大Alberta大学电气与计算机工程系的专业方向、培养目标,阐述了电路课程的教学内容、教学安排和教学管理,并与我校同类课程进行了比较,从中发掘出可借鉴的教学思想和教学手段.在此基础上对我校电路课程的教学改革和课程建设提出了几点建议.     

阿尔伯塔创新基金管理的启示

阿尔伯塔创新基金会是加拿大阿尔伯塔省支持本省研究和发展的科研资助机构。本文介绍了该机构的项目及项目管理情况,比较了阿尔伯塔创新基金和浙江省自然科学基金的相似和不同之处,并讨论了对于浙江省自然科学基金管理和实践的启示。     

Rural Studio: Incarnations of a Design-and-Build Programme

Catering for the needs of an impoverished rural community in Alabama through its design-and-build activities, Rural Studio leads the way internationally as a university-affiliated architecture programme with a social remit. Guest-Editor Michael Hensel describes how the initiative has grown and developed since it was first established over two decades ago, in 1993, by Samuel Mockbee for students from Auburn University. The realisation of tens of houses and community projects have not only helped to reshape the local environment, but with the more recent strategic approach advanced under Andrew Frear's directorship more long-term projects have been launched and greater emphasis has been placed on the responsible local sourcing of materials, energy and food.     

Economic evaluation of participation in a voluntary Johne's disease prevention and control program from a farmer's perspective–The Alberta Johne's Disease Initiative

The Alberta Johne's Disease Initiative (AJDI) is a Johne's disease (JD) control program with the goal of reducing the spread of Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP) through implementation of best management practices. The objective was to estimate the economic benefit of participation in the AJDI. A decision tree was constructed in which disease prevalence, test characteristics, and probabilities for implementation of best management practices suggested by herd veterinarians were implemented. Analysis was performed using a Markov analysis, and input data were assigned using estimates from the AJDI and published data. A cost-effectiveness analysis was performed and the net benefit of participation (from the perspective of a dairy farmer) in the AJDI compared with no participation was calculated. A series of 1-way sensitivity analyses were used to control for uncertainty. Farms participating in the AJDI were estimated to have a net benefit of Can$74 per cow over the course of 10 yr. If project costs were covered by the participating farm, the net benefit was Can$27. In addition to the effects on MAP infection, a reduction in calf diarrhea was modeled for farms that improved their calf management through the use of pasteurizers. In that case, the additional costs outweighed additional revenues compared with the baseline analysis, resulting in a reduced net benefit of Can$19. Participation would not be cost effective if cows in early stages of MAP infection did not have decreased production and if prevalence of MAP infection did not increase on farms with poor management. A limitation of the study, despite high uncertainty in some input parameters, was the lack of knowledge regarding changes in prevalence on farms with various management strategies. In conclusion, participation in the AJDI was cost effective for the average Alberta dairy farm.     

阿尔伯达盆地北极之光项目区块油砂层沉积样式

在大量钻井地质成果及岩心数据研究的基础上,对北极之光油砂项目区块McMurray组的层序及沉积环境进行了划分及对比。结合测井数据,分析了McMurray 组沉积相及岩石组合特征。北极之光项目区块中,McMurray组是最重要的油砂发育层,其包含连续的河流、三角洲平原和潮控的河口湾沉积。将McMurray组划分为3段:上部-滨岸及浅海沉积、中部-河口湾及潮间带沉积、下部-陆相河流沉积。确定并讨论了每个层序的地质属性、地质时代、层序地层格架和沉积样式。根据测井数据,将其一步划分为9个亚相,部分亚相又细分成若干微相。并对其沉积模式进行了总结,提出下段河道砂体及中段河口湾及潮汐通道沉积的砂体为McMurrary组主要的油砂储集层。该认识不仅为北极之光项目的可行性提供了依据,而且可对我国在加拿大阿尔伯达盆地的油砂勘探开发工作有重要的参考作用和指导意义。