21793 research outputs found
Sort by
Investigating the Impact of Ads Posted on Social Media by Different Types of Influencers on Consumers’ Behavioral Intentions toward the Restaurant
No full textThis research investigates the impact of influencer type (food vs. lifestyle) on consumers’ attitudes toward the influencer and their behavioral intentions toward the endorsed restaurant – specifically, intention to search for more information about the restaurant, intention to recommend the restaurant to others, and intention to visit the restaurant. The research also explores the mediating roles of perceived influencer relatedness and credibility, as well as the moderating role of social comparison orientation (SCO). While previous research has shown that the general influencer group can increase restaurant visit intentions, limited attention has been paid to the differential effectiveness of different types of influencers. Two experimental studies were conducted. Study 1 found that food (vs lifestyle) influencers elicited higher perceived relatedness and credibility, which in turn led to more positive attitudes toward the influencer and higher intentions toward the restaurant. In study 2, while food (vs. lifestyle) influencers consistently prompted stronger behavioral intentions toward the restaurant, there was no evidence that influencer type affected influencer- related perceptions or attitudes. Moreover, the moderating effect of SCO was non- significant. These findings provide restaurant managers with new insight into selecting the most effective influencer type to collaborate with for promotional campaigns
Deposition of Yb2Si2O7 Environmental Barrier Coatings (EBCs) by Atmospheric Plasma Spray (APS)
No full textEnvironmental barrier coatings (EBCs) are essential for enhancing the efficiency and durability of SiC-based ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) in gas turbines, enabling higher operating temperatures and reduced emissions. This study focuses on addressing the current challenges of deposition of Yb2Si2O7 EBCs via atmospheric plasma spraying (APS), including optimizing the microstructure by balancing high density and minimizing cracking, controlling silicon evaporation during spraying, tailoring the distribution of secondary phases, addressing the amorphous phase formation, and understanding the crystallization mechanisms. Highly crystalline (>85%) Yb2Si2O7 coatings were successfully fabricated without heat treatment or a vacuum chamber, demonstrating an innovative approach to in-situ crystallization during spraying. Approximately 30 wt.% unmelted particles served as nucleation sites, enabling heterogeneous crystallization and reducing amorphous content. The process parameters were systematically studied, leading to the optimization of the coating microstructure, resulting in an almost crack-free structure with ~10% porosity and only ~20 wt.% Yb2SiO5 secondary phase. Injection methods, torch power, and plasma gas composition were modified, producing coatings ranging from dense lamellar (~90% amorphous) to highly crystalline (>85%) granular structures. Post-deposition heat treatment at 1300°C revealed variable crystallization pathways, resulting in diverse microstructures, such as eutectic-like, lamellar and granular morphologies. The study investigated the Calcium Magnesium Alumino Silicate (CMAS) interaction and infiltration resistance in the Yb2Si2O7 coatings. Radially injected EBCs with a dense lamellar structure and ~65 wt.% Yb2SiO5 exhibited the highest CMAS resistance. This was attributed to the self-limiting effect of the continuous Ca-bearing apatite phase formed at the coating/CMAS interface, acting as a barrier against further infiltration and increased CMAS viscosity. In contrast, highly crystalline Yb2Si2O7-rich coatings (~80 wt.%) with a granular microstructure were more susceptible to CMAS infiltration due to their extensive grain boundary networks and inherently low reactivity with CMAS, which hindered apatite formation and reduced CMAS sequestration. The valuable insights gained in this study, including tailored process parameters, crystallization mechanisms, and process-microstructure-property relationships, are not limited to Yb2Si2O7 coatings but can be extended to other potential EBC materials, contributing to the development of advanced EBCs for next-generation gas turbines and even hydrogen-powered turbines
Rotary Triboelectric Nanogenerators and Their Application for Energy Harvesting
No full textThis thesis presents a detailed and practical approach to the design, assembly, and characterization
of rotary mode triboelectric nanogenerators (R-TENGs) for mechanical energy harvesting. While
TENGs have gained attention for their versatility and potential in sustainable energy applications,
working with R-TENGs remains challenging due to the lack of standardized procedures, limited
reproducibility, and sparse standardization documentation in the literature. Addressing these gaps,
this work aims to provide a clear, step-by-step foundation for constructing and understanding R-
TENG systems, with emphasis on both technical and material aspects. Experimental comparisons
between a conventional disk-type design and a novel concave/cylindrical configuration are
conducted, with attention to fabrication challenges, mechanical alignment, and output
characterization. Low-cost and accessible materials are prioritized to support broader adoption and
educational use. In addition, the thesis offers a concise yet solid introduction to the basic principles
of TENG operation, providing a comprehensive and educational reference in triboelectric energy
harvesting
Making Men in Transnational Spaces: Transnational Migration and the Construction of Masculinity Among Bangladeshi Men Living in Canada
No full textThis doctoral study explores the evolving dynamics of masculinity among Bangladeshi transnational migrant men in Canada, focusing on how their identities are shaped by and shape gender role expectations within the broader context of migration, gender, and social inequality. Through twenty-four semi-structured interviews with Bangladeshi migrant men recruited via purposive snowball sampling, it offers a nuanced analysis guided by the conceptual frameworks of transnationalism, masculinity, and intersectionality. The data were analyzed using constructivist grounded theory and constructionist thematic analysis.
The findings of this study reveal a nuanced interplay between traditional and contemporary ideals of masculinity among the interlocutors, shaped by intersecting cultural, social, and personal factors. The interlocutors predominantly define their masculinity as responsible, hard-working, and career-focused providers and protectors of their families. However, they also acknowledge that their post-migration construction of masculinity diverges significantly from their understanding of traditionally dominant masculinity due to challenges such as professional devaluation, loss of social standing, and discrimination in the Canadian labour market, which profoundly affect their sense of masculine self-worth. Furthermore, internal contradictions arise as these men navigate traditional patriarchal norms within their new environment, leading to complexities in reconciling traditional values with evolving gender roles and expectations. Despite these tensions, some recognize that post-migration shifts in gender roles foster personal growth and strengthen conjugal and familial relationships. Nonetheless, most interlocutors continue to hold onto masculinity ideologies closely aligned with pre-migration Bangladeshi cultural norms.
Shifting the focus from mainstream debates on masculinity, which have long prioritized analyses of men's power, privilege, and authority, to an explicit investigation of how masculinity is constructed through lived experiences in migration contexts, this study introduces the Negotiated Masculinity Framework (NMF). The NMF identifies three key dimensions: negotiational agency, emphasizing men's active role in adapting to and reinterpreting cultural norms; communal negotiations, highlighting the importance of social networks and collective support; and negotiating contradictions, acknowledging tensions between cultural heritage, societal expectations, and personal aspirations. By exploring these dimensions, this doctoral study contributes to a critical yet underexplored aspect of transnational migration studies. It deepens the understanding of masculinity among migrant subgroups with shared yet distinct social identities
Remote Sensing of Forest Composition and Diversity: Assessing Spectral Predictors and Long-Term Changes in Quebec’s Forests
No full textForest biodiversity and composition are shifting in response to anthropogenic pressures, natural disturbances, and climate change, especially in regions like Quebec where many broadleaf and conifer species coexist. This thesis investigates how remote sensing can support large scale forest monitoring through two research components. The first evaluates the relationship between satellite derived spectral diversity and ground measured tree diversity metrics across Quebec’s deciduous, mixed, and boreal forests. Using Sentinel-2 imagery and forest inventory plots, we tested the Spectral Variation Hypothesis (SVH) through spectral analysis, clustering, and machine learning. While models poorly predicted species richness, Shannon diversity, and functional dispersion (r2 < 0.46 for all), they performed well for percent conifer (r2 = 0.77), suggesting that structural traits are more detectable via optical sensors than taxonomic diversity. The second component tracks changes in conifer composition (through conifer basal area percentage index) across three decades from 1985 to 2021 using forest inventory plots and Cubist regression models trained on Landsat imagery. Ground data showed widespread increases in conifer basal area, particularly in mixed forests largely driven by balsam fir (Abies balsamea). Cubist models generated spatially continuous maps of conifer basal area percentage and captured general trends, though their change detection accuracy at the plot scale was moderate. Together, these studies demonstrate both the strengths and limitations of remote sensing for biodiversity assessment and forest composition monitoring and emphasize the value of focusing on structural characteristics when interpreting spectral signals
Depletion, Pride and Identification: Psychological Pathways to Student Engagement in Canadian University Sport
No full textLong trailing their American counterparts, Canadian university sports (USport) have experienced rapid growth in recent years, with new broadcasting deals generating national buzz. Of particular interest to sport managers is student engagement, which plays a key role not only in financial success but also in fostering long-term loyalty. However, research on behavioural intentions in sports has largely focused on prestigious, well-established teams and leagues. This trend extends to university athletics, where the NCAA continues to dominate scholarly attention. As a result, niche markets like Canadian university sports remain underexplored. Additionally, the concept of ego depletion has yet to be examined in relation to behavioural intentions in sports. Similarly, research on vicarious pride, a secondary emotion rooted in collective achievement, is underexplored in comparison to emotions such as happiness or sadness. In light of the rising popularity of USport, this study investigates the effects of ego depletion and vicarious pride, as well as the mediating role of team identification, on university students’ behavioural intentions (information search, word-of-mouth communication, ticket purchase intention, social media engagement and, engagement in promotional content). An experimental research design was employed, using two online questionnaires to collect data. The results indicated no significant effect of ego depletion, or vicarious pride, on any of the behavioural intention measures. Additionally, team identification did not mediate the relationship between vicarious pride and behavioural intentions. As the first study to examine these variables within the context of Canadian university sports, this research adds to the limited body of literature in this area and offers several directions for future study
Effects of β₂-Adrenergic Receptor Signaling Pathways on Adaptive T Cell Responses, Implications for Inflammation and Cancer Immunity
No full textBackground: Stress is a powerful regulator of physiology with broad effects on immune function. Adaptive immunity detects and responds to new pathogens and cancerous cells. T cells are key regulators of this system, coordinating immune responses and maintaining long-term memory. They express β₂-adrenergic receptors (β₂-AR), which respond to stress hormones like adrenaline and noradrenaline, as well as various pharmacological agents. Activation of β₂-AR on T cells influences cytokine production, differentiation, and effector functions.
To model how stress impacts adaptive T cell immunity, I investigated how β₂-AR signaling modulates T cell responses using primary human samples stimulated with different β₂-adrenergic ligands. β₂-AR signals through two main intracellular pathways: the canonical Gs–cAMP–PKA route and the alternative β–arrestin–mediated biased pathway. This project asked how selective activation of these distinct pathways, from the same receptor, differently regulates T cell behavior. I approached the question from a basic signaling perspective and extended it to an applied context in cancer immunotherapy.
Results: In brief, engaging the canonical β₂-AR pathway augmented pro-inflammatory cytokine production in T cells. In contrast, biased β₂-AR signaling suppressed these inflammatory responses. Furthermore, the biased β₂-AR signaling restored cytotoxic function in dysfunctional T cells, which prolonged their anti-cancer potential.
Relevance: These findings highlight β₂-AR as a modifiable target that enhances or suppresses T cell behavior depending on the signaling route engaged. This work offers insight into how stress-responsive pathways shape immunity and provides a conceptual foundation for developing next-generation immunomodulatory strategies in cancer therapy
Interventions to Improve Cognitive-Motor Dual Tasking in Older Adults: Mechanisms of Training and Effects of Inter-Individual Differences on Training Efficacy
No full textThis dissertation includes three studies that contribute to the cognitive and motor aging literature by exploring the processes and factors that underlie and mediate improvements in cognitive-motor dual-task (CMDT) performance following cognitive and physical interventions in older adults.
In Study 1, we examined the cognitive and physiological mechanisms underlying CMDT improvements following executive function training, aerobic exercise, and gross motor coordination training in cognitively unimpaired older adults. We found evidence that reduced metabolic energy expenditure, and improved task-switching abilities and inhibitory control may underlie improvements in CMDT following coordination training and executive function training, respectively. Additionally, lower baseline cognitive functioning was associated with greater improvements in cognitive dual-task performance.
In Study 2, we explored potential neuroplastic changes that may accompany or underlie improvements in CMDT following EF training in middle-aged and older adults. In general, we found that increased brain activity from single-task to dual-task predicted lower dual-task costs following executive function training, consistent with a neural compensation perspective. We further found larger magnitudes of improvement in dual-task cognition following training in participants with higher baseline cognitive functioning, whereas for dual-task gait, a greater magnitude of improvement was observed in middle-aged adults with higher cognitive status, and in older adults with lower cognitive functioning.
In Study 3, we explored the effects of auditory and cognitive capacity and biological sex on CMDT performance before and after exercise, alone or combination with cognitive training, in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. We found that lower hearing ability, particularly when compounded with poorer baseline cognitive functioning, was associated with a greater magnitude of dual-task gait improvements following multi-domain exercise and cognitive training, compared to participants with better hearing and cognitive functioning. We found differential effects of hearing capacity on training efficacy across males and females depending on the nature of the hearing measure (self-report vs. behavioural).
Taken together, these findings underscore the potential for targeted cognitive and physical interventions to mitigate age-related declines in CMDT. By identifying mechanisms of change and inter-individual differences that mediate training outcomes, this work informs the design of more effective, personalized strategies to promote healthy aging
Bo Jackson Says Hello: The Essay Film and the Archive
No full textMy essay film Bo Jackson Says Hello recuts the television broadcast of the 1989 Baseball All Star Game. Most of its material is taken from a VHS home recording which includes the commercials, local news and a Tonight Show rerun. The voice-over assumes the tone and rhythm of the baseball broadcast. With the exception of one shot at the film’s end, all the material is found footage. The film runs through the game while ranging across black culture in the US, labor history, the US relationship to the Global South and the decline of empire, all treated with a light touch. It redeems an event once considered of general interest by arguing for a different sort of mass appeal. The languid pace of baseball is ideal for an essayistic treatment, inviting viewers to take a similar approach to other elements of American popular culture. A tragicomic tone flirts with nostalgia while the film juxtaposes past images to create new perspectives, even as the world embodied in those images slips away
Diasporic Ritualists: An ethnography of Karva Chauth in Montreal.
No full textThis thesis explores the roles, meanings, and functions of the Karva Chauth ritual as practiced within Montreal’s South Asian diaspora. Drawing on participant observation and interviews, I demonstrate why the ritual can be understood as a site of tension, and how it functions as a lever for alleviating that tension—enabling participants to manage emotional strain, negotiate relational dynamics, and assert agency through structured symbolic action. I argue that Karva Chauth’s ongoing relevance lies in its capacity to transform tension into a generative resource—enabling participants to manage uncertainty and renegotiate tradition through performative
devotion, aesthetic authorship, and collective ritual engagement