One of the most popular challenges facing academia and industry is the development of effective techniques and tools for maximizing the availability of data as the most valuable source of knowledge. The internet has dominated as the core for maximizing data availability and XML (eXtensible Markup Language) has emerged and is being gradually accepted as the universal standard format for platform independent publishing and exchanging data over the Internet. On the other hand, there remain large amount of data held in structured databases and database management systems have been traditionally used for the effective storage and manipulation of large volumes of data. This raised the need for effective methodologies capable of smoothly transforming data between different formats in general and between XML and structured databases in particular. This dissertation addresses the issue by proposing a two-way mapping approach between XML and object-oriented databases. The basic steps of the proposed approach are applied in a systematic way to produce a graph from the source and then transform the graph into the destination format. In other words, the derived graph summarizes characteristics of the source whether XML (elements and attributes) or object-oriented database (classes, inheritance and nesting hierarchies). Then, the developed methodology classifies nodes and links from the graph into the basic constructs of the destination, i.e., elements and attributes for XML or classes, inheritance and nesting hierarchies for object-oriented databases. The methodology has been successfully implemented and illustrative case studies are presented in this document.

No description available.

Yes / Purpose - A number of studies have examined firms’ intellectual capital (IC) disclosure practices. However, the presentation format of IC disclosure (text, numerical and graphs/pictures) is yet to be examined. In addition, there is little evidence on the impact of capital market pressures on IC disclosure. This study aims to examine the relation between presentation format of IC disclosures and three market factors (market-to-book ratio, share price volatility and multiple listing). Design/methodology/approach - Using content analysis, we examine the level of IC disclosure provided in the annual reports of 100 IC-intensive listed UK firms. A 61-IC-item research instrument is used to measure IC disclosure and regression analysis is employed to examine the relation between disclosure and the market factors, controlling for corporate governance and firm specific variables. Findings - Text is the most commonly used format for IC disclosure, whilst the use of graphs/pictures is very low. The findings of the relation between market factors and IC disclosure are mixed. Market-to-book ratio is significantly related to disclosure in text and numerical, but not to graphs/pictures. Share price volatility is only associated with graphs/pictures, whilst multiple listing is only related to text. Originality/value - Our findings suggest that the impact of capital market pressures on IC disclosure might differ with presentation format. In this context, the study makes a significant contribution to the IC disclosure literature.

No / No Abstract

Traditional media has a long history of marginalising women and ethnic minorities by trivialising their contributions and obscuring their involvement. Ethnic minorities have been kept out of top roles in films – as evidenced in 2016, with the #Oscarssowhite controversy, when not a single nomination was extended to a person of colour. Women, too, have been objectified and typecast in supporting and “love interest” roles. This marginalisation, whereby male and white are the norm and everyone else is “the other”, extends far beyond movies. YouTube has transformed from its humble beginnings of a video sharing site into one of the main video-based services, capable of extending producers’ voices across national boundaries. With this change, amateur contributors have professionalised their productions. Analysing four top-rated guitar review YouTube videos using critical discourse analysis, this thesis explores the overrepresentation of white men in online spaces for the reviewing of music instruments and looks specifically at subtle ways in which discourse is used to reinforce social exclusions online. Keywords: Gender, Feminism, Ethnicity, Minorities, YouTube, Guitar, Produsers, Music, Canon, Formats, Audiences

Esta dissertação de mestrado investiga os formatos de modulação óptica alternativos ao tradicional formato binário de intensidade (NRZ - Non-return-to-zero), ditos avançados, como tecnologia chave para atender às exigências do mercado atual de telecomunicações por transporte de grande volume de dados e alta largura de banda, associados com a redução do custo da informação transmitida por bit. Os formatos avançados de modulação óptica fazem parte das tecnologias que estão sendo investigadas intensamente com o objetivo de superar os desafios impostos pela nova geração de sistemas ópticos com taxas a partir de 40 Gb/s. Este trabalho focaliza o estudo dessa tecnologia, apresentando uma visão geral dos formatos mais discutidos atualmente, suas características e tecnologias de implementação. Foram realizadas simulações utilizando o software comercial Optisystem versão 7.0 da empresa canadense Optiwave Systems Inc., para analisar o desempenho de alguns formatos de modulação de intensidade e de fase com respeito à sensibilidade do receptor, resistência ao cascateamento de filtragem óptica e a efeitos dispersivos e não-lineares. Procurou-se avaliar os formatos em enlaces reais, com características necessárias à sua possível utilização. Também é feita uma breve consideração dos custos associados aos formatos de modulação analisados neste trabalho. Dentre os formatos analisados, os RZ (Return-to zero) apresentaram maior sensibilidade do receptor e melhor tolerância aos efeitos não-lineares que os seus equivalentes NRZ, porém baixa tolerância aos efeitos dispersivos e ao cascateamento de filtragem óptica. O formato duobinário mostrou fraco desempenho de sensibilidade, mas provou ser o mais tolerante à dispersão cromática e à concatenação de filtragem óptica. Os formatos de modulação de fase mostraram ser bem resistentes aos efeitos não-lineares e aos efeitos dispersivos. / This MSc thesis investigates optical modulation formats as an alternative to the use of the traditional intensity binary format NRZ (Non-return-to-zero). Those formats, classified as advanced, represent one of the key technologies aimed to enable the high data volume and broadband, demanded by the present telecommunication market, with cost reduction of transmitted information per bit. Those technologies have been intensevely studied with purpose of overcoming the challenges imposed by the new generation of optical systems, with bit rates from 40 Gb/s. This work focuses on the study of modulation formats most discussed currently, presenting an overview of their main characteristics and implementation techniques. The performance of some intensity and phase formats, in terms of receiver sensitivity, optical filtering cascading, dispersion and nonlinear effects robustness, have been theoretically analyzed from simulations carried out with the commercial software Optisystem v. 7.0, of the Canadian company Optiwave Systems Inc. The analysis has been applied to real optical links, with characteristics that, potentially, demand their use. A cost analysis, based on estimated values associated to devices required for implementing the formats investigated in this work, is also presented. Among the formats studied, those based on RZ (Return-to zero) presented the highest receiver sensitivity and best tolerance to nonlinear effects, in comparison to their equivalent formats, based on NRZ. However, they are less tolerant to dispersive effects and optical filtering cascading. The duobinary format (DB) has shown a weak performance in terms of sensitivity, though has been proved to be the most tolerant to chromatic dispersion and filtering cascading effects. Among all formats, the phase modulation ones presented the highest resistance against nonlinear and dispersive effects.

La présente thèse explore, à travers quatre papiers, la possibilité d’étendre le régime d’assurance maladie sociale (SHI) vers la couverture santé universelle (CSU) et ce en présence d’obstacles structurels économiques.Les effets moyens de deux traitements, les deux assurances MHI et MAS, sur l’utilisation des soins de santé (consultations externes et hospitalisations) sont estimés. L’actuel régime d’assurance sociale en Tunisie (SHI), malgré l’amélioration de l’utilisation des soins de santé procurée aux groupes couverts, reste incapable d’atteindre une couverture effective de tous les membres de la population vis-à-vis des services de soins dont ils ont besoin. L’atteinte de cet objectif requière une stratégie qui cible les ‘‘arbres’’ et non la ‘‘forêt’’.Le chapitre deux contourne les principaux obstacles à l’extension de la couverture par l’assurance maladie et propose une approche originale permettant de cibler les travailleurs informels et les individus en chômage. Une étude transversale d’évaluation contingente (CV) a été menée en Tunisie se proposant d’estimer les volontés d’adhésion et les consentements à payer (WTP) pour deux régimes obligatoires présentés hypothétiquement à l’adhésion. Les résultats confirment l’hypothèse selon laquelle la proposition d’une affiliation volontaire à un régime d’assurance obligatoire serait acceptée par la majorité des non couverts et que les WTP révélés pour cette affiliation seraient substantiels. Enfin, dans le chapitre trois, on insiste sur l'’importance de prendre en compte les attitudes protestataires en évaluant la progression vers la CSU. / This thesis explores, in a four paper format, the possibility of extending social health insurance (SHI) schemes towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in presence of structural economic obstacles.The average treatment effects of two insurance schemes, MHI and MAS, on the utilization of outpatient and inpatient healthcare are estimated. The current Tunisian SHI schemes, despite improving utilization of healthcare services, are nevertheless incapable of achieving effective coverage of the whole population for needed services. Attaining the latter goal requires a strategy that targets the “trees” not the “forest”.Chapter two gets around major challenges to extending health insurance coverage and proposes an original approach by targeting informal workers and unemployed. A cross-sectional Contingent valuation (CV) study was carried out in Tunisia dealing with willingness-to-join and pay for two mandatory health and pension insurance schemes.Results support the hypotheses that the proposition of a voluntary affiliation to mandatory insurance schemes can be accepted by the majority of non-covered and that the WTP stated are substantial.Finally in chapter three we focus on methodological aspects that influence the value of the WTP. Our empirical results show that the voluntary affiliation to the formal health insurance scheme could be a step towards achieving UHC in Tunisia. Overall, we highlight the importance of taking into account protest positions for the evaluation of progress towards UHC.

Esta dissertação de mestrado investiga os formatos de modulação óptica alternativos ao tradicional formato binário de intensidade (NRZ - Non-return-to-zero), ditos avançados, como tecnologia chave para atender às exigências do mercado atual de telecomunicações por transporte de grande volume de dados e alta largura de banda, associados com a redução do custo da informação transmitida por bit. Os formatos avançados de modulação óptica fazem parte das tecnologias que estão sendo investigadas intensamente com o objetivo de superar os desafios impostos pela nova geração de sistemas ópticos com taxas a partir de 40 Gb/s. Este trabalho focaliza o estudo dessa tecnologia, apresentando uma visão geral dos formatos mais discutidos atualmente, suas características e tecnologias de implementação. Foram realizadas simulações utilizando o software comercial Optisystem versão 7.0 da empresa canadense Optiwave Systems Inc., para analisar o desempenho de alguns formatos de modulação de intensidade e de fase com respeito à sensibilidade do receptor, resistência ao cascateamento de filtragem óptica e a efeitos dispersivos e não-lineares. Procurou-se avaliar os formatos em enlaces reais, com características necessárias à sua possível utilização. Também é feita uma breve consideração dos custos associados aos formatos de modulação analisados neste trabalho. Dentre os formatos analisados, os RZ (Return-to zero) apresentaram maior sensibilidade do receptor e melhor tolerância aos efeitos não-lineares que os seus equivalentes NRZ, porém baixa tolerância aos efeitos dispersivos e ao cascateamento de filtragem óptica. O formato duobinário mostrou fraco desempenho de sensibilidade, mas provou ser o mais tolerante à dispersão cromática e à concatenação de filtragem óptica. Os formatos de modulação de fase mostraram ser bem resistentes aos efeitos não-lineares e aos efeitos dispersivos. / This MSc thesis investigates optical modulation formats as an alternative to the use of the traditional intensity binary format NRZ (Non-return-to-zero). Those formats, classified as advanced, represent one of the key technologies aimed to enable the high data volume and broadband, demanded by the present telecommunication market, with cost reduction of transmitted information per bit. Those technologies have been intensevely studied with purpose of overcoming the challenges imposed by the new generation of optical systems, with bit rates from 40 Gb/s. This work focuses on the study of modulation formats most discussed currently, presenting an overview of their main characteristics and implementation techniques. The performance of some intensity and phase formats, in terms of receiver sensitivity, optical filtering cascading, dispersion and nonlinear effects robustness, have been theoretically analyzed from simulations carried out with the commercial software Optisystem v. 7.0, of the Canadian company Optiwave Systems Inc. The analysis has been applied to real optical links, with characteristics that, potentially, demand their use. A cost analysis, based on estimated values associated to devices required for implementing the formats investigated in this work, is also presented. Among the formats studied, those based on RZ (Return-to zero) presented the highest receiver sensitivity and best tolerance to nonlinear effects, in comparison to their equivalent formats, based on NRZ. However, they are less tolerant to dispersive effects and optical filtering cascading. The duobinary format (DB) has shown a weak performance in terms of sensitivity, though has been proved to be the most tolerant to chromatic dispersion and filtering cascading effects. Among all formats, the phase modulation ones presented the highest resistance against nonlinear and dispersive effects.

<p>There is no standard format for posting blog entries, which results in many different web feed formats and APIs being used. This thesis work addresses the problem by determining the feasibility of the development of a plug-in based architecture, used in a mobile blogging application compatible with multiple service providers.</p><p>During the study, a definition of what a feasible architecture would be was made based on requirements set by the stakeholders. Six models that complied with this definition were designed and compared. One of them was selected for prototyping. The prototyping phase was intended to test if the architecture could be implemented in a mobile environment. The study revealed that it is feasible to develop a plug-in based architecture to solve the problem, although with some limitations due to the dependency of libraries for streaming XML transformations not yet implemented in J2ME.</p> / <p>Det finns inget standardformat för att posta ett blogginlägg, vilket resulterar i att många olika web feed-format och APIer används. Det här examensarbetet angriper problemet genom att undersöka om det är genomförbart att utveckla</p><p>en plug-inbaserad arkitektur för en applikation till mobiltelefoner, som är kompatibel med flera olika bloggtjänster.</p><p>Under studiens gång definierade vi vad termen genomförbart skulle innebära, baserat på krav från olika intressenter. Sex modeller som uppfyllde definitionen utvecklades och jämfördes. En av dessa valdes ut för att användas som grund</p><p>för en prototyp. Prototypfasen avsåg att bevisa om arkitekturen kunde implementeras i en mobil miljö. Studien visade att det är genomförbart att utveckla en plug-inbaserad arkitektur för att lösa problemet, dock med några begränsningar på grund av beroende av bibliotek för strömmande XMLtransformationer som ännu inte implementerats i J2ME.</p>

One of the most popular challenges facing academia and industry is the development of effective techniques and tools for maximizing the availability of data as the most valuable source of knowledge. The internet has dominated as the core for maximizing data availability and XML (eXtensible Markup Language) has emerged and is being gradually accepted as the universal standard format for platform independent publishing and exchanging data over the Internet. On the other hand, there remain large amount of data held in structured databases and database management systems have been traditionally used for the effective storage and manipulation of large volumes of data. This raised the need for effective methodologies capable of smoothly transforming data between different formats in general and between XML and structured databases in particular. This dissertation addresses the issue by proposing a two-way mapping approach between XML and object-oriented databases. The basic steps of the proposed approach are applied in a systematic way to produce a graph from the source and then transform the graph into the destination format. In other words, the derived graph summarizes characteristics of the source whether XML (elements and attributes) or object-oriented database (classes, inheritance and nesting hierarchies). Then, the developed methodology classifies nodes and links from the graph into the basic constructs of the destination, i.e., elements and attributes for XML or classes, inheritance and nesting hierarchies for object-oriented databases. The methodology has been successfully implemented and illustrative case studies are presented in this document.