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The work of art in the age of digital reproduction: the political significance of the digital music sampler
No full textSampling is to use the fragment of another pre-recorded song or sound, from any auditory resource, and to repurpose it in order to create a new musical work. Critics of music sampling characterize the process often as stealing and question its validity in art consumption. Yet this "Is it art?" discussion, which surrounds modern sampling, does not consider the transformation which has occurred to the functionality of music since digital reproduction was conceived. How then has digital music sampling become politically significant? I argue that the advent of the digital music sampler has altered the nature of art because it firmly recognizes the creative interdependence between artists which is often overlooked in conventional property relations. The aspect of the political inserts itself because the music producer asserts their authority over transformative works, and with the aid of the sampler, producers are able to remove music from any context in time
and space. Beatmakers may repurpose music in a transformative manner, for any message they desire, and simultaneously
achieve intertextuality.
This text will support this hypothesis first by providing description of the political evolution of sampling through its technology and associated culture. Then I will use the theoretical framework which Walter Benjamin provides in The
Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction to better understand concepts such as authenticity, originality, and reproduction. Finally, I will address the political significance of sampling by addressing some of the shortcomings of the current copyright legal system by challenging the meaning of "ownership" rights under the law. This thesis will demonstrate that digital music sampling as a form has politicized music because it asks: who gets to listen to what, who creates what, when, and how, and what is appropriate
Addictive worldviews: a terror management perspective on cannabis use
No full textMuch research has attempted to get a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in substance use and substance use disorders. Despite these scientific efforts, modern societies are struggling with the negative outcomes associated with these behaviours, and there remain many uncertainties about the prospects for individual recovery. The current research aimed to understand some of the mechanisms involved in substance use by taking a terror management perspective. The focus of this study was cannabis and the cultural worldviews that motivate its use. Cannabis users were randomly assigned to read either an anti-cannabis culture threat-condition essay, or a pro-cannabis culture non-threat condition essay. Following the threat or non-threat condition participants' death thought accessibility was measured. Cannabis users with high investment in the cannabis cultural worldview, who use cannabis regularly, showed higher mean death thought accessibility scores when the worldview was threatened compared with the control group. Also, those with high investment in the cannabis cultural worldview showed marked increases in derogation of the author of the threat condition piece, which denigrated the cannabis worldview. This suggests worldview defence mechanisms may be at work within highly invested users of cannabis. It is hoped that this research will provide added insight into the motivations involved in cannabis use, as well as to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in a successful recovery from roblematic use. If worldviews do play a role in mitigating the anxiety of death for cannabis users then future studies might look at other substances and the worldviews that surround their use
Spatial variation in phenotype of coyotes (Canis latrans) withing Nova Scotia
No full textAn organism's phenotype is determined by both genes and environment. I tested if phenotype (morphological body measurements and reproductive measurements) varied spatially among coyotes in Nova Scotia. The province's Ecological Land Classification was used; it divides the province into 9 ecoregions based on differences in climate and vegetation. Phenotypes were analyzed separately for each age-sex category of juvenile female, juvenile male, adult female, and adult male. Significant variation was found for at least one phenotypic variable in each age-sex category. There were more differences in juvenile than adult measurements. Reasons for significant variation among ecoregions could be restricted gene flow, environmental influences, and biased sampling. Gene flow of coyotes in Nova Scotia can be limited because of physical barriers such as separation of land. Environment factors including density of resources and weather also influence
phenotype. Finally, biased sampling because of time of year when collection occurred may be other reasons for variation in measurements
A paleolimnological assessment of sediment in Sitmu'k Lagoon, Pictou Landing, Nova Scotia, to determine the influence of geogenic and anthropogenic activity on water quality change through time
No full textThis project focused on a lagoon and barrier beach complex known as Sitmu'k in Pictou Landing, Nova Scotia. This dynamic system has historically been of importance to the community of Pictou Landing First Nation for recreational and cultural purposes. Over the past few decades there has been significant landscape change and human activity in the area that has inhibited use and enjoyment of this valued landscape feature. Issues identified include water quality degradation, and the legacy of historical industrial impacts. The purpose of this thesis was to determine influences of environmental change through time in Sitmu'k by conducting a paleolimnological assessment of the geochemical changes recorded in the sediment archive. To determine anthropogenic and geogenic influences on Sitmu'k, the data was compared to nearby reference sites. Geochemical analysis was conducted using x-ray fluorescence (XRF), total carbon (C), total nitrogen (N) and stable isotope analysis (δ13C, δ15N). Total C/N and isotope analysis indicated that carbon input at Sitmu'k is predominantly from marine sources. XRF analysis indicated that metal concentrations were below sediment quality guidelines and reference site averages. Water quality tests were conducted throughout the summer 2018 season to determine current environmental conditions in the lagoon. Water quality data indicated gradual but persistent increases in temperature, total
coliforms, nitrate and total phosphorus from May to August. Through air photo and satellite imaging, it is apparent that the barrier, Lighthouse Beach, is migrating towards mainland. Sediment redistribution from the beach into Sitmu'k has resulted in shallowing and restricting which is causing higher water temperatures, poor circulation and elevated nutrient and coliform levels. Collectively the data suggest that much of the water quality degradation noted in the past 50 years is likely due to natural landward migration of the barrier-beach complex, resulting in reduced water depth and circulation coupled with increased local anthropogenic land use; the data did not indicate significant industrial impact at the site
Effects of custom-fitted jaw-repositioning mouthguards on posture and balance in competitive athletes
No full textMouthguards have been typically used in sport as teeth protecting oral devices that can reduce the risk of orofacial and
dental injuries. These mouthguards often employ a simplistic design that merely covers the teeth and does not mold properly to the athlete's jaw. However, recent exploration into sports dentistry has shown that mouthguards can act as an
ergogenic aid, when designed properly. Studies have found that aerobic and anaerobic performance as well as muscular strength can be improved by the addition a custom-fitted jaw-repositioning mouthguard (CJM). These improvements are
attributed to various mechanisms, all brought on by the specific design of the oral device. Further research into this topic has demonstrated that CJMs can also alter posture and balance in a positive manner. As posture and balance are cornerstones of athletic performance, it is possible that the enhancement of these attributes could increase overall performance in sport. Furthermore, greater postural control and balance ability has been linked to a reduced risk of injury during training and sport participation. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a CJM on posture and balance and investigate the relationship to risk of injury in competitive athletes. Results indicate that the use of the CJM enhances posture, balance and lowers the risk of injury through Functional Movement Screening. This is the first study to link jaw position, posture and injury risk in athletes. The outcomes from this study could provide the necessary framework for future research on this topic
Geopolitics with Chinese characteristics: China's involvement in East Africa through international organizations
No full textSince the early 2000s, the People's Republic of China (PRC) has become increasingly active on the international stage. This has manifested as China exerts influence on its 'near-abroad' in Africa as it looks to fill a power vacuum as traditional superpowers like the United States back off the world stage. While looking to avoid colonial rhetoric, China has exerted influence via the use of soft power through international organizations which provide the opportunity to build
Chinese international prestige. This thesis explores the following question: how has China used international organizations to further its geopolitical interests in East Africa? Chapter 2 conducts an examination of geopolitics and explores the evolution of the term, arguing that a neoclassical understanding of geopolitics is necessary to understand China's use of international organizations. Chapter 3 focuses on the infrastructure investments and use of soft power by China, with specific emphasis on the multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative, the Chinese push for military bases along the East African coast and for a blue water navy, and educational reforms and pop culture investments in states such as Kenya. Chapter 4 discusses Chinese involvement in information and communications technology development in Rwanda through international organizations, drawing from numerous interviews and focusing on the work of the United Nations Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, the International Telecommunication Organization, and the African Union
Shakespeare's comic killjoys: female protagonists as feminist advocates in the Winter's Tale, the Taming of the Shrew, and the Merchant of Venice
No full textThis thesis explores three of Shakespeare's comic heroines in the context of Sara Ahmed's concepts of the feminist killjoy and the willful subject. I argue that Ahmed's contemporary feminist vocabulary reveals the strategies by which Paulina in
The Winter's Tale, Katherine in The Taming of the Shrew, and Portia in The Merchant of Venice resist patriarchal oppression in their communities and advocate on behalf of themselves and others. In the first chapter, I argue that Paulina self-identifies as a feminist killjoy and uses her rhetorical skills to mount on Queen Hermione's behalf a willful advocacy that
effectively destabilizes Sicilia's tyrannical patriarchy. The second chapter explores the notable absence of supportive female friendships in The Taming of the Shrew and proposes that Katherine's strongest act of feminist resistance manifests in her act of breaking the fourth wall and creating a community of women in her famous final speech. Finally, I argue in the third chapter that when Portia disguises herself as Balthazar, a male lawyer, she resists gendered conventions about intellectual capacity and so disrupts the patriarchal culture of exchange and trafficking that dominates Venice and Belmont's domestic and economic life. These discussions aim to demonstrate that a contemporary vocabulary is useful in understanding women's marginalization by and resistance to patriarchy in a wide range of cultural contexts, and can also engage in a process of feminist community-building across temporal and literary boundaries
Gene expression profiles of potential 6-(4-hydroxpiperidino) naphthalen-2-ol-based selective estrogen receptor modulators in mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus)
No full textSelective Estrogen Receptor Modulators or SERMs, are hormone therapy drugs used to combat hormone-positive breast cancers. Dr. Amitabh Jha and his team at Acadia have synthesized two novel 6-(4-hydroxypiperidino)naphthalen-2-ol based SERMs that have shown potential in preliminary biological studies. The mechanism of action of these drugs can be assessed through differential gene expression studies. Gene pathways of interest for these SERMs include cyclin D1, rap1gap, and foxP3. By extracting RNA from gill tissue of fish treated with the various SERMs and using quantitative PCR (qPCR) techniques, gene expression profiles can provide insight toward the mechanism of action of these SERMs. qPCR analysis showed stable expression for foxP3, rap1gap, and cyclin D1 when treated with DMSO alone. β-actin was variably expressed in the DMSO-treated fish and so was discarded as a reference gene. Elongation factor α was much more suitable, as it was stably expressed during DMSO and SERMs treatments. The transcription factor foxP3 did not vary in expression during SERMs treatment. Cyclin D1 increased in expression for both novel SERMs and 17-β estradiol at the six-hour time point, an upregulation that was maintained at 24 hours. This work is significant for the understanding of the cellular pathways modified by these drugs. This is useful for the screening of potential SERMs and synthesis of future potential SERMs, working toward better treatment options for hormone-positive breast cancers
Uncovering issues to Chinese college student ministry in Canada to facilitate missional engagement by the church
No full textThis thesis seeks to align the church that I pastor with the Lord's desire and mission in its serving and ministering to the Overseas Chinese Students (OCS) in its neighborhood—and beyond. The missional concept was selected as a worthy paradigm to embed the undertaking and also for the church to assume. The meaning, significance, and application of the missional concept were clarified by biblical and theological examination and reflection. How the existing appreciation of the term, missional, can be fine tuned were submitted to the missional conversation. The missional axiom, "joining the Lord in the neighborhood", was subscribed to and elaborated. Missional is found to entail the totality of the believers and the local church. Such totality is one's total life and the church's total life—in being obedient and willing to the will of God, in being authentic in its expression and message, in being so in a perpetual mode at all times and in all settings, wholeheartedly, and wholly (being selfless), and in mobilizing the whole church. The need, challenges of the OCS, as well as their attitude toward Christianity were investigated by survey and interviews. The experience of ministry participants who
are familiar with the OCS ministry were also investigated by interviews. Data were analyzed by quantitative and qualitative methods. The experiences of the OCS were found to be affected by four main factors, which are their impact when they first arrive, their anticipation of what Canada might offer them, a lasting sense of challenge living and studying abroad, and their fear of not succeeding in Canada. The findings offer clues to the church on how it can serve and minister to them and make contributions to their journey in Canada within the missional paradigm
Building a chemostratigraphic model to aid base metal exploration, Hanson Lake Assemblage, Flin Flon Domain, Saskatchewan, Canada
No full textThe Hanson Lake Assemblage (HLA) is an economically important succession as it hosts a number of volcanic-hosted massive sulphide (VHMS) deposits and has potential for new discoveries. Gaps in understanding the stratigraphy of the rocks hosting these deposits arise from facies changes in the volcanic stratigraphy and the effects of hydrothermal alteration, metamorphism and deformation. As a consequence, efforts to explore for base metal mineralization are hindered. In this study, lithogeochemical samples were collected from all major rock types in the stratigraphic succession for lithogeochemical characterization, to identify differences between rock types, and to assess the compositional effects of hydrothermal alteration. Rock types were classified using conserved element ratio (CER) procedures, affirmed by petrographic observations. Molar element ratios (MERs) were used to understand the igneous and hydrothermal processes responsible for compositional variation, and to identify and quantify the effects of hydrothermal alteration in rocks that host prospective VHMS deposits.
Results illustrate that almost 50 % more units were resolved using CER procedures, and important observations include: (i) the lithogeochemical characterization of three rhyolite compositions that are all prospective hosts for VHMS mineralization, and (ii) identification of a new dacite volcanic unit high in the stratigraphy that is genetically related to a large, isotopically dated hypabyssal intrusion of the same composition, providing important temporal constraints. MER ratios used to quantify alteration illustrate a number of sites hosted by rhyolitic volcanic rocks exhibit strong muscovite or weak chlorite alteration and
these have highest potential for hosting mineralization in the study area