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Velocity-Dependent Milli-Magnetic Dark Abelian Monopoles
No full textMagnetic Monopoles, as proposed by Dirac, can be used to resolve the quantisation of Electromagnetism, however the problem remains elusive to this day as no experimental evidence for their existence has yet been found. The scope of this thesis is to demonstrate a model of Milli-Magenetically Charged Dark Matter which mixes the visible Abelian Electromagnetic gauge field with the Dark sector. Our formalism involves a velocity- dependent coupling which relativistically depends upon the monopole mass, for which we evaluate the production cross section of proton-proton collisions. Our work focuses on the efforts to observe this particle as part of the MoEDAL-MAPP experiment at the LHC
Posture de défiance : méthode féministe et queer pour l’empouvoirement du corps féminin dans la création cinématographique
No full textCe travail de recherche-création se base sur mon processus de mise en scène dans les films OK, Awareness Darkness et Été 2000 ainsi que sur l’analyse d’oeuvres et de textes féministes pour étudier des stratégies cinématographiques d’empouvoirement du corps féminin, de sa représentation et du contrôle sur son image. Ce mémoire filmique s’intéresse à des outils concrets pour performer une posture féministe-queer en tant que cinéaste en plus d’envisager la méthodologie queer comme une attitude globale, enracinée dans la résistance, dans la reprise de pouvoir et dans la réinvention des codes. Parmi les stratégies à l’étude, on retrouve la quête autoethnographique, la mise en scène féministe, la caméra subjective, les mécanismes du regard, la mémoire comme lieu, le remaniement d’archives et la réappropriation de la voix comme des techniques qui permettent un dialogue critique sur la misogynie, la violence, le consentement, la grossophobie et la santé mentale des femmes
What are the characteristic community smells influencing the sustainability of open-source repository software communities?
No full textIn this presentation, we will summarize some emerging methods used to characterize problems (i.e., “community smells”) that open-source software communities face which will affect their sustainability. We will describe the type of information that can be extracted from community analysis tools that analyze GitHub repositories and present the results of running one such diagnostic tool on several open repositories projects: DSpace, Dataverse, EPrints, Islandora, Samvera, Archivematica, and OJS. The motivating objective for this work is to understand if tools can be used by libraries to better understand the open source communities that they rely on, and ultimately, to use that understanding to help address existing issues or to make strategic decisions about adoption
Towards rapid reviews improvements: the key methodological challenges
Get PDFThis thesis aims to identify the main methodological questions around Rapid Reviews (RRs) methods and undertake methodological studies to explore the impact of time-saving methods on review results. Study 1: An eDelphi study and consensus meeting were conducted, involving experts and evidence synthesis knowledge users. From an initial list, participants rated (low, medium or high importance) and ranked each item’s importance to improve the time-efficiency of RRs. Items rated as high by ≥75% of participants progressed to the next round, and the final list was concluded during the consensus meeting. Study 2: This methodological study used Cochrane cardiac rehabilitation reviews to assess how database selection impacts study inclusion and outcomes. By examining where each included study was indexed and re-running meta-analyses, we evaluated whether treatment effects varied based on different database combinations. Study 3: This methodological study compared single-review and peer-review (two independent reviewers with a third for discrepancies) approaches for screening titles and abstracts. We assessed the percentage of missed studies, sensitivity, specificity, time, and costs for each method. Results: Study 1 identified seven highly important methodological questions. Three items on search strategy, two on study selection, one on quality/bias assessment, and one on data extraction. Study 2 found that Embase plus CENTRAL was the best database combination. When considering the estimated effects on mortality, when combining the major databases in pairs (MEDLINE, Embase, or CENTRAL), only 38% of results were identical to all databases combined. This percentage increased to 66% when combining three databases. Study 3 found that a single review approach missed 4% of inclusions (sensitivity was 0.84, and specificity was 0.86) and took half the time and costs of peer-review study selections. Conclusion: Search strategy is an important methodological question and based on our results, using at least three databases is recommended for a meta-analysis, but one large database may suffice depending on the review context. Regarding study selection, a single review approach can be useful when time is short. This thesis sets a research agenda to optimise RRs and has the potential to influence global literature, establish best practices, and offer replicable methods for researchers
The Showcase Film and American Corporate Promotion at Mid-Century
No full textSponsored films have traditionally been understood in film studies as motion pictures made for utilitarian rather than aesthetic or artistic purposes. Scholarly interventions emphasize production context over textual analysis. As such, general interpretation of “sponsored films” equates them with a utilitarian aesthetic. I propose the showcase film as a new subtype of sponsored motion pictures, a range of aesthetically rich expensive, large-scale productions which emerged in the United States in the period 1955¬–1965 from the context of an American visual culture saturated by the products of two prominent image domains: Hollywood, and the field of corporate promotion, two spheres predicated on display and performance.
The fluorescence of showcase films in the 10-year period from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s is indicative of both the development of the sponsored film industry and its embeddedness in the communications and promotional processes of corporations. It is also emblematic of corporate America’s growing interest in design and aesthetics to facilitate brand-image creation as the postwar corporation was redefined. By mid-century “design” was established as an important tool in the operations of the modern corporation. In this period, the designer’s concept of visual appeal was central to the promulgation of large-scale promotional media as exemplified by the showcase film.
Like a shop window, these films were designed to present viewers with a compelling view of the sponsor’s brand identity. Previously, scholars have examined sponsored films as tools central to the emerging corporate hegemony, especially via the concept of useful cinema. This dissertation acknowledges this connection as central to their ontology while simultaneously urging reconsideration of the aesthetic aspects of these films as central to this utility. Showcase films are argued to function as sophisticated corporate calling cards in the ecology of corporate media promotion
Can love be prescribed? Brand Love for prescribed pharmaceutical drugs, a characterization, and exploration of the phenomena
Get PDFBrand love is an emotional relationship established between consumers and their preferred brands. Its various positive consequences, including loyalty, paying price premiums, and positive word-of-mouth, have been leveraged in the fast-moving consumer goods industry. Regardless of its great potential in optimizing patient journeys, it has not yet been leveraged in the prescription drug industry. This research aims to enhance patients’ long-term involvement with branded drugs by extending brand love into the pharmaceutical industry. A two-step mixed methodology study was utilized to explore the phenomenon. Study I qualitatively analyzed patients’ reviews from social media platforms using the content analysis software Voyant Tools and provided a general understanding of patients’ overall emotions toward their prescription drugs. Study II quantitively confirmed the main dimensions of the phenomenon through a survey (N=363) and using Exploratory Factor Analysis. The qualitative results confirmed the presence of prescription drug brand love and explored its main variables, while the quantitative survey identified three main dimensions characterizing prescription drug brand love: trust, information-exchange, and accessibility. Additionally, Study II yielded 11 validated items describing the phenomenon. The findings equip industry professionals with significant insights aiming to optimize branded medication’s marketing strategies. This research offers a preliminary understanding of the phenomenon and identifies its general topology, leaving immense opportunities for future researchers to expand upon.
Keywords: brand love, prescription drug brands, efficacy, trust, tolerability, information exchange, pharmaceutical marketing
Real Wages, Inflation and Labor Productivity in Canada
Get PDFThis dissertation seeks to apply the framework of Kumar, Webber, and Perry (2012), who studied the interconnection between the inflation rate, real wages, and labor productivity in Australia to the Canadian context. To attain the primary objective of this research, the study utilized monthly data from January 2000 to 2023, sourced from CANSIM, Statistics Canada. The unit root test showed that all variables were stationary at the first level differential, paving the way for applying the Vector Error Correction Model and Granger causality, which estimate the long and short-run effects. The main finding shows that the inflation rate and real wages positively drive labor productivity; thus, a 1% surge in real wage propels labor productivity to increase by 0.406%, while a 1% rise in inflation rate increases labor productivity by 0.115% in the long run, holding all other factors constant. In the short run, my results indicate a two-way directional Granger causality between the inflation rate and real wage, suggesting that past values of inflation influence current real wages and, reciprocally, past values of real wages impact current inflation. Although this study partially agrees with Kumar et al.’s (2012) findings, the partial differences in both studies could be attributed to the heterogeneous nature of individual economies
Essays in Macroeconomics and Labour Mobility
Get PDFThis thesis consists of three distinct chapters. The first chapter delves into the effects of tuition hikes on students’ choice of majors in the United States. Traditionally, passion, interests, and talents have been the primary factors influencing high school graduates’ decisions when choosing a major in college, without much concern for job prospects or the ability to repay student loans. It may be time to reassess this approach. Since the Great Recession, public universities in the United States have experienced a significant increase in tuition fees, leading to notable shifts in students’ choice of majors. The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields have gained popularity, with the share of STEM degrees awarded rising from 16% in the academic year 2009-10 to 43% in 2015-16, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Conversely, the proportion of degrees awarded in the arts and humanities (ARTS) has significantly declined, with a 5% decrease in 2015 compared to the previous year and nearly a 10% decrease from 2012 (Jaschik ,2017). This decline in humanities and liberal arts degrees poses a significant issue for policymakers and universities in the United States, often leading to the discontinuation of certain programs. Building upon the previous work of Ionescu (2009), who examines the effects of financial aid policies on enrollment decisions and default rates, my research focuses on the costs associated with investing in higher education borne by students and optimal decisions in terms of major choices.
The second chapter of my research focuses on estimating the substitutability between public and private consumption in Canada. Using annual data from Statistics Canada, I estimate a model in which the annual data for government and private consumption from the Canada’s National Statistical Agency is fitted into a constant elasticity of substitution (CES) consumption function. Through cointegration tests and estimation results, I have identified an Edgeworth complementarity between public and private spending in Canada, suggesting that they are interdependent and exhibit a close relationship.
The third chapter analyzes interprovincial migration of skilled workers in Canada. It aims to explain the out-migration of skilled workers in Quebec as skilled workers exodus has a serious impact on the tax revenue and productivity. Although Quebec attracts students with high ability each year, as it hosts some of the best English-speaking universities in Canada, many of these individuals choose to leave the province after finishing their studies. This exodus is often due to language barriers that hinder their integration into the Quebec labour market. Retaining anglophone graduates in the province after they obtain their diplomas has become one of the most challenging problems faced by the Quebec government over the past decades. Notably, Quebec is the only province that has experienced net out-migration every year since 1963, and it has the highest out-migration. The issue has been a real problem for policymakers as the province experiences losses through out-migration of its potential skilled workers. This paper shows that the out-migration of skilled workers not only result in a loss of tax revenue but also contributes to Quebec’s debt-to-GDP ratio exceeding the recommended 45% threshold set by the International Monetary Fund. To explain Canadian interprovincial migration, I have constructed a model calibrated to Canadian economies and conducted policy simulations to identify effective strategies for retaining skilled workers
"How Does TikTok Know I Have ADHD?": Examining Algorithmically Mediated Identity and ADHD Publics
Get PDFI didn’t know I had ADHD until I downloaded TikTok. As it happens, neither did thousands of other people, specifically girls and women. Some undiagnosed users report being shown algorithmically curated ADHD-related content on TikTok which propelled them to seek their own diagnoses. Drawing on platform studies and disability studies, this thesis employs the persona studies research method (Bounegru et al., 2022), walkthrough method (Light et al., 2018), and thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2021) to provide insight into how TikTok’s algorithmic content curation and platform affordances foster and affect communities who unite over themes of ADHD. It finds that TikTok's algorithmic interpellation plays an influential role in identity formation and fostering networked publics around ADHD. It identifies key topics and themes prevalent in ADHD-related TikToks, illustrating the influence of the algorithm and medical authority in representations of ADHD on the platform. Overall, this thesis provides a nuanced understanding of TikTok’s ADHD publics, adding to the growing corpus of literature about identity formation and disability publics on algorithmic social media
Climatic Drivers of Biodiversity: Influence on Ecophylogenetics and Specialization Across Spatial Scales
Get PDFClimate plays a critical role in shaping the diversity, structure, and evolutionary history of ecological communities across spatial and temporal scales. In my thesis, I investigate how three dimensions of climate—--average, variability, and frequency across space—--determine the phylogenetic structure and climatic specialization of biological communities worldwide, focusing on bats and tetrapods. In the first chapter, I explore how historical and contemporary processes, such as palaeoclimatic stability, geographical isolation, and local diversification rates, influence the global phylogenetic structure of bat communities. My findings reveal that stable climates since the Last Glacial Maximum have promoted phylogenetic clustering, while geographical isolation and varying diversification rates further shape community structure across different scales. In the second chapter, I examine the underexplored role of the spatial frequency of climate—how often specific climatic conditions occur across space—on specialization within biological communities. Through a combination of global analyses of tetrapods and theoretical simulations, I demonstrate that rare climates limit specialization, favouring the coexistence of generalists and specialists, whereas common climates promote specialization across tetrapod taxa and their communities. Finally, in the third chapter, I investigate how climatic commonness and rarity influence the phylogenetic structure and suitability of tetrapod communities. I find that rare climates are less supportive of closely related species, with recent ecological dynamics playing a more significant role than deep evolutionary constraints. Overall, my thesis provides a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted role of climate in shaping biodiversity, offering valuable insights into biodiversity responses to climatic variation, including ongoing rapid climate change.
Le climat joue un rôle crucial dans la diversité, la structure et l'histoire évolutive des communautés écologiques à différentes échelles spatiales et temporelles. Dans ma thèse, j'étudie comment trois dimensions du climat—la moyenne, la variabilité et la fréquence spatiale—déterminent la structure phylogénétique et la spécialisation climatique des communautés biologiques à l'échelle mondiale, en me concentrant sur les chauves-souris et les tétrapodes. Dans le premier chapitre, j'explore l'influence des processus historiques et contemporains, tels que la stabilité paléoclimatique, l'isolement géographique et les taux de diversification locale, sur la structure phylogénétique globale des communautés de chauves-souris. Mes résultats montrent que les climats stables depuis le dernier maximum glaciaire favorisent le regroupement phylogénétique, tandis que l'isolement géographique et les taux de diversification variables modulent la structure des communautés à différentes échelles. Dans le deuxième chapitre, j'examine le rôle sous-estimé de la fréquence spatiale du climat—c'est-à-dire la récurrence de certaines conditions climatiques dans l'espace—sur la spécialisation au sein des communautés biologiques. Grâce à une combinaison d'analyses globales des tétrapodes et de simulations théoriques, je démontre que les climats rares limitent la spécialisation, favorisant la coexistence des généralistes et des spécialistes, tandis que les climats communs encouragent la spécialisation. Enfin, dans le troisième chapitre, j'étudie comment la fréquence et la rareté climatiques influencent la structure phylogénétique et l'adéquation des communautés de tétrapodes. Je constate que les climats rares soutiennent moins les espèces étroitement apparentées, les dynamiques écologiques récentes jouant un rôle plus déterminant que les contraintes évolutives profondes. Ma thèse offre ainsi une compréhension approfondie du rôle complexe du climat dans la formation de la biodiversité, apportant des perspectives précieuses sur les réponses de la biodiversité aux variations climatiques, y compris le changement climatique rapide en cours