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Art as Asset: The Rise of the Financialized Art Market and the Abstraction of Value
Get PDFThis thesis investigates the financialization of art through the expanding use of art-backed loans and institutional involvement. It focuses on how artworks—once primarily valued for their aesthetic or cultural significance—are now routinely treated as financial assets within the art market. The paper uses case studies from Sotheby’s Financial Services and Mitchell F. Chan’s blockchain-based reinterpretation of Yves Klein’s Zones of Immaterial Pictorial Sensibility. Drawing on the work of Walter Benjamin, Pierre Bourdieu, and Wendy Brown, it argues that this shift undermines museums’ roles as cultural stewards and redefines the meaning of value in the art world to something more quantifiable. This thesis calls into question our current understanding and how we as humans protect the inherently valuable symbolic, public, and aesthetic functions of art amid rising financial pressures
Income, Education, and Access: Analyzing Air Conditioning Ownership in the U.S.
No full textAs climate change intensifies extreme heat events, access to effective and energy-efficient cooling technologies, particularly central air conditioning (AC), has become increasingly critical. This study investigates the demographic and housing factors associated with central AC ownership in the United States, using the 2020 U.S. Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) microdata. Focusing on income, education, race, climate region, density, and household size, the analysis employs regression models to assess the likelihood of owning (1) central AC, (2) recently purchased AC, and (3) both new and central AC. The study finds that higher income and educational attainment are strongly associated with increased odds of owning central and newer AC systems, especially in single-family homes. These disparities highlight the ongoing issue of energy insecurity and unequal access to climate-adaptive infrastructure. Finally, the findings emphasize the importance of targeted energy policies and incentives prioritizing equity in adopting sustainable cooling technologies
WHY REVOLT, EAT OR SPEAK? AN ANALYSIS OF FAMILY AND REASON IN JOHN MILTON’S PARADISE LOST
No full textThe infamous epic poem Paradise Lost has influenced and dominated literary history. John Milton has inspired literary scholars through centuries of debate, criticism, and curiosity. In “Free Will and Obedience in the Separation Scene of Paradise Lost” Diane McColley states that “Adam and Eve before the Fall are engaged in the process of growing by making responsible choices in a world of limitless potentiality” (McColley 106). I present an argument in contention with this statement, choice is not limitless in the epic but rather bounded by relationships — one cannot choose for oneself without consequences. Bringing us to my thesis, I offer the conclusion that choices made in Paradise Lost are in service of relationships and are motivated by the prospect of strengthening family. However, authentic choices can only be made through the full development of reason, leading to a comparison of pre and postlapsarian decision-making
Taking the Reins: Evaluating Market Accuracy in Pricing Long-Term CEO Success
No full textThis study aims to test the market’s efficiency at pricing the success of new CEOs in S&P 500 companies between the years of 2010 and 2018, measured through the market’s initial price response to the announcement of a new CEO. This research is accomplished through the use of a set of econometric regressions measuring the effect of CEO turnover announcements on both short- and long-term share price performance. These regression models necessitated the creation of a unique dataset combining instances of CEO turnover in publicly listed S&P 500 companies with turnover data from Wharton’s Compustat ExecuComp database as well as historical share price records. Results were, by and large, found to be statistically insignificant, suggesting that the market’s initial response to a CEO turnover announcement does not accurately predict long-term share price value under the new CEO. This research lays the groundwork for future investigation into factors predicting long-term CEO success
Cashing In or Giving Back: The Role of Film Tax Incentives in the Cultural Impact of Runaway Productions
Get PDFThis thesis explores the internationalization of Hollywood through economic and creative runaway productions driven by international tax incentives. It examines how these incentives can impact not only the commercial but the cultural success of productions filmed abroad, focusing on regions such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, California, New York, and New Jersey. The analysis centers on cultural tests and diversity requirements, revealing two main approaches: the first requires a minimum of diversity standards and cultural tests points to be met, while the second prioritizes and rewards productions with the highest achieved assessment of those. Furthermore, the paper critiques past approaches, including the perpetuation of stereotypical portrayals and extractive production practices, emphasizing the need for policies that recognize meaningful representation and community engagement. Ultimately, this research concludes that incentivizing cultural contributions is the future of tax incentives, positioning them as a powerful policy tool for shaping global, culturally impactful, and authentic storytelling, while generating substantial economic benefits
The Effects of Zoning Regulatory Restrictions on Air Quality Across United States Counties
No full textAir quality plays a significant role in economics. Housing markets have established the importance of air quality in relation to housing prices and housing density. Negative externalities, including human health impacts like respiratory illnesses from air pollution, underlie the importance of air quality. This thesis analyzes the impacts of zoning restrictiveness on air quality to understand how land use impacts environmental factors. This study implements a linear regression model and a multivariable regression model using the 2018 Wharton Residential Land Use Index (WRLURI) and 2018 Air Quality Index data from the Environmental Protection Agency. The Rural-Urban Continuum Codes from the United States Department of Agriculture are used to further analyze the relationship between land restrictions and air quality across counties in the United States. Results show that as land-use restrictions increase AQI increases, and rural areas have better air quality. Land use regulations are significant without adding rural-urban continuum codes as a control. This presents an opportunity for further research on the potential impacts that land regulation has on air quality
UBE3A Enzyme Replacement Therapy for Angelman Syndrome
No full textAngelman Syndrome (AS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in the UBE3A gene, resulting in a lack of UBE3A protein within neuronal cells due to the silencing of the paternal UBE3A gene. This leads to severe neurological symptoms, including developmental delays, motor dysfunction, and seizures, sadly with no current cure. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) has shown promise in treating disorders caused by protein depletion; however, its application to AS is hindered due to the inability of UBE3A to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This study explores the potential of a novel cell-penetrating peptide (CPP), ZIP, derived from a neuronal virus, to deliver UBE3A across the BBB.
Z-UBE3A proteins were designed and purified, and their cellular uptake and stability were assessed in neuroblastoma cells. Collectively, the data supports the use of the Z-UBE3A purified from baculovirus as a potential therapeutic candidate for enzyme replacement therapy within AS. It achieves high full-length protein purity and effective cell penetration, and the cellular degradation pathways can act on it, preventing accumulation within the brain. The ZIP peptide appears crucial for cell penetration, highlighting its importance within ERT.
Ongoing experiments are being conducted, evaluating Z-UBE3A’s effects on human brain organoids and testing intravenous administration in mice. The ultimate aim of this work is to establish Z-UBE3A as a viable intravenous enzyme replacement therapy for AS. Additionally, the application of cell-penetrating peptides like ZIP offers broader potential in developing ERTs capable of bypassing the BBB, which could aid in advancements across the neurological therapeutic fields
The Effect of Combination Therapy with Zinc and Cannabidiol on the Pathogenic Fungus Candida albicans
No full textIn the current era of modern medicine, the overuse and misuse of antibiotics is common, aggravating the growing anthropogenic change of antimicrobial resistance. Within this subset of microbial infections, fungal diseases are even more difficult to treat due to the limited variety of antifungal drugs and the virulence of certain fungal infections. Candida albicans is a pathogenic yeast responsible for common fungal infections in humans. Zinc and other metals have historically shown antimicrobial properties against different types of bacteria and fungi. Use of these metals, organometallic compounds, or metal complexes is well documented, and similarly, the importance of metal micronutrients, such as zinc, is clearly established in discussion of the human immune system and cellular metabolism. Cannabidiol is another chemical compound that has shown antimicrobial properties, notably in Gram-positive bacteria, though it has been effective against some Gram-negative bacteria and fungal pathogens. Combination therapy of different compounds has been a promising field due to the fact that different agents could have a synergistic, antimicrobial effect when combined. The following study aims to investigate the potential of zinc and cannabidiol in combination therapy against the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans. Analysis of the time kill assay revealed no synergistic relationship between the two agents. Though the results do highlight the potential of CBD as an antifungal and the need for further examination with zinc against C. albicans growth. These findings are preliminary, and future replication and analysis are necessary. With the rise of antifungal resistance, combination therapy against fungal pathogens such as Candida albicans is a significant domain in which zinc and CBD could potentially be of use in the development of future treatments
Assessing the Effects of Wildfire Season PM2.5 Exposure and Environmental Variables on Breeding Season Avian Body Condition
Get PDFThe increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires pose growing threats to wildlife, yet the indirect effects of wildfire smoke on avian populations remain largely unstudied. This exploratory study provides an initial assessment of how particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) associated with smoke pollution from the 2017 California wildfire season, in conjunction with precipitation and habitat type, influences the body condition of four resident bird species during the 2018 breeding season. Using bird banding data from 29 Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) stations, I assessed the potential interactions between PM2.5 concentrations, precipitation, and habitat type with body condition for Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia), Orange-crowned Warblers (Vermivora celata), Bewick\u27s Wrens (Thryomanes bewickii), and Wrentits (Chamaea fasciata). Linear mixed-effects models revealed varying significance of interaction effects with both habitat and precipitation, with some species-specific responses, highlighting the need for expanded, multi-year investigations. Contrary to initial predictions, some species like Orange-crowned Warblers and Wrentits exhibited improved body condition with decreased precipitation level and increased PM2.5 exposure, potentially due to altered foraging dynamics or insect behavior. This may suggest that birds are more resilient to environmental change than previously expected. These findings reinforce the complexity of wildfire smoke impacts on avian health, highlighting the importance of considering species-specific and environmental contextual factors. Recommended future directions include expanding the study to include additional years for wildfires and breeding season morphometric data, incorporating more balanced sampling across species and habitats, and extending research beyond California to other regions experiencing increased wildfire activity. This foundational research represents an initial step in understanding the nuanced ways wildfire smoke may impact avian populations, setting the stage for more comprehensive monitoring and research on wildlife responses to smoke pollution