This thesis deals with automating the financial data processing for the needs of auditors. In the theoretical part is described the process of transfering financial data between companies and standards defining their format. The following section describes the procedure for export of financial data from the SAP system and their transformation to the Business Intelligence tools, where is processing and visualization part. The main aim of the work is to design and implement BI application according to given specification. There is description of the general principle of Business Intelligence as well as the specifics of tools used, QlikView and Qlik Sense. The practical part of the thesis is focused on app features presentation and quantification of economic benefit for the particular company in comparison to the actual testing procedures used for financial data testing. The conclusion is devoted to analyzing the practical usage of the application and evaluation of set goals.

The role of the fish pineal organ has been studied using the goldfish Carassius auratus and the Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha. To this end, the effects of pinealectomy in goldfish on various behavioural responses, endocrine systems, and the reproductive system were studied. The pineal organs and the retinal tissue from mature and immature salmon were examined by thin-layer chromatography and fluorometry to determine if melatonin, a mammalian hormone, is present in the fishes. Goldfish were injected with melatonin to see if the effect of exogenous melatonin was opposite to that of pinealectomy. Pinealectomized goldfish lost the photo-negative response seen in normal goldfish. Blinding had the same effect on phototaxis as pinealectomy and a combination of the two had the same effect as blinding or pinealectomy alone. It was concluded that the normal phototactic response depended upon both the pineal organ and the eyes. Pinealectomy, blinding, or both was followed by a marked increase in swimming activity. Although this increase was correlated with a decrease in the whole brain serotonin level, a causal relationship was not established between the two. Further, pinealectomy alone produced no significant changes in whole brain serotonin level. Melatonin was localized within the pineal organ of salmon and its concentration in this tissue was analyzed. The pineal melatonin store varied during the reproductive cycle and was found in lower concentrations in the pineal organs of mature salmon. Stored melatonin could not be found in the retinal tissue despite evidence for an active tryptophane metabolism in this tissue. Injection of melatonin into goldfish inhibited the increase in gonad size under long photoperiod; this was accompanied by larger gonadotrophs in the melatonin injected fish. Removal of the pineal organ from goldfish held under short photoperiod caused an increase in gonad size similar to that seen in untreated goldfish exposed to long photoperiod. The effect of pinealectomy on the gonads was limited to that season during which the gonads could be stimulated by increasing day length. At other times of the year, neither photoperiod nor pinealectomy produced any significant effect on the gonad size. From this it was concluded that the pineal gland of the goldfish is related to the reproductive cycle and that its function depends upon photoperiod and the production of melatonin. Pinealectomy had no effect on the interrenal tissue, thyroid tissue, plasma osmotic concentration, or plasma levels of Na⁺, Cl⁻, or Ca⁺⁺, indicating that the effects of this operation are specific for the reproductive system. The data obtained from these studies support the hypothesis that the pineal organ of fishes serves a secretory as well as a sensory function. Further, the functional aspects of the mammalian and fish pineal organs are discussed and it is concluded that the role of the pineal organ is similar in the two groups; that is, the pineal organ of mammals and fish is involved in the timing of reproductive events. / Science, Faculty of / Zoology, Department of / Graduate

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University / In Childhood and Society (1950), Erikson suggested that societies provide mechanisms which permit the maturational development of their constituent members. Passage through each life stage is facilitated by the adoption of these socially-provided processes, which allow one to deal with the major problems of that stage. In Erikson's developmental schema, the principal problem of adolescence is identity-formation [TRUNCATED].

Employing an expanded meaning of the concept of sense of place within Health Geography, this thesis explores the relationship between sense of place and mental wellbeing of immigrants. The concept of sense of place demonstrates the importance of specific places for socioeconomic and health impacts on individuals and groups in their societies. While research has explored immigrants’ sense of place, few studies have attempted to explore visible minority’s perceptions of place and its influence on wellbeing. Using qualitative and quantitative techniques, this thesis explores the perceptions and experiences of place amongst Ghanaian and Somali immigrants in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. First, we explore key informants’ revelations on immigrants’ sense of place and mental wellness in Hamilton, Ontario. Findings provide insight into the role of policies that affect determinants of health amongst immigrants. Second, we examine the effects of self-perceived mental wellness, socioeconomic and demographic variables on sense of place amongst Ghanaian and Somali immigrants living in Hamilton, based on an analysis of a survey questionnaire (n=236). Findings highlight a positive relationship between sense of place and mental wellness. Third, using descriptive and multivariate regression methods, we focus on factors that predict African immigrants’ life satisfaction in Canada. We examine sociodemographic, economic and health-related factors that predict life satisfaction amongst African immigrants, specifically Ghanaian and Somali immigrants. We find that immigrant settlement workers and agencies would be better able to meet the needs of immigrants if they are conscious of the factors that would empower immigrants to cope with life stresses. We suggest a reduction of stress by helping individuals and families identify sources of support, providing jobs, affordable housing, language interpretation and training. Lastly, we explore specific places, religious sites and their relationship to health and wellbeing for immigrants. Specifically, we explore churches and mosques where Ghanaian and Somali immigrants worship. We find that places of worship are significant for physical health, social, emotional, spiritual, mental, and general quality of life amongst immigrants. The thesis is highly relevant in the current Canadian policy context, which includes contribution to the understanding of the determinants of health and integration of immigrants, providing insights into the concepts of sense of place and mental wellbeing, and broadening our understanding of African immigrants’ integration. Overall, this thesis develops a better understanding of immigrants’ settlement and integration, and further contributes to the broader immigration literature. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Employing an expanded meaning of the concept of sense of place within Health Geography, this thesis explores the relationship between sense of place and mental wellbeing of immigrants. The concept of sense of place demonstrates the importance of specific places for socioeconomic and health impacts on individuals and groups in their societies. While research has explored immigrants’ sense of place, few studies have attempted to explore visible minority’s perceptions of place and its influence on wellbeing. Using qualitative and quantitative techniques, this thesis explores the perceptions and experiences of place amongst Ghanaian and Somali immigrants in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. First, we explore key informants’ revelations on immigrants’ sense of place and mental wellness in Hamilton, Ontario. Findings provide insight into the role of policies that affect determinants of health amongst immigrants. Second, we examine the effects of self-perceived mental wellness, socioeconomic and demographic variables on sense of place amongst Ghanaian and Somali immigrants living in Hamilton, based on an analysis of a survey questionnaire (n=236). Findings highlight a positive relationship between sense of place and mental wellness. Third, using descriptive and multivariate regression methods, we focus on factors that predict African immigrants’ life satisfaction in Canada. We examine sociodemographic, economic and health-related factors that predict life satisfaction amongst African immigrants, specifically Ghanaian and Somali immigrants. We find that immigrant settlement workers and agencies would be better able to meet the needs of immigrants if they are conscious of the factors that would empower immigrants to cope with life stresses. We suggest a reduction of stress by helping individuals and families identify sources of support, providing jobs, affordable housing, language interpretation and training. Lastly, we explore specific places, religious sites and their relationship to health and wellbeing for immigrants. Specifically, we explore churches and mosques where Ghanaian and Somali immigrants worship. We find that places of worship are significant for physical health, social, emotional, spiritual, mental, and general quality of life amongst immigrants. The thesis is highly relevant in the current Canadian policy context, which includes contribution to the understanding of the determinants of health and integration of immigrants, providing insights into the concepts of sense of place and mental wellbeing, and broadening our understanding of African immigrants’ integration. Overall, this thesis develops a better understanding of immigrants’ settlement and integration, and further contributes to the broader immigration literature.

No description available.

Missing from much of civic/public spaces today is the potential choreography between body, imagination, and the built environment. This is often a result of a diminished sensation between ourselves and the coupling of constructed and natural spaces. It is precisely this miscommunication which led to an exploration of the haptic sense and a material investigation of the choreography between our bodies, our buildings, and our landscape. In order to create a memorable space or in the case of this exercise, create place from path, a conservation of the spirit of the players/pieces is necessary. The experience of being in a place occurs in time, is much more than visual, and is as complex as our bodies and as immense as our imaginations. The movement of our bodies traversing a built environment gives value to the spaces we inhabit. Through the investigation of a little league baseball park along the Potomac River in Alexandria, Virgina, a series of haptic patterns with distinct pauses and progressions in which the body and mind responds to the situation presented is created. / Master of Architecture

This thesis studies the experiences of queer adults in Hamilton, Ontario with sense of place and migration. Fourteen (n=14) individuals who self-identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ were interviewed over Zoom between 2022 and 2023, all of whom had moved to Hamilton but lived in Canada immediately prior to moving to Hamilton. This study applies an interpretive phenomenological approach (IPA), informed by the geographic and phenomenological literature, which is appropriate to a small number of cases and attends to context and intersubjectivity. Each interview was analytically coded for dominant themes in an individual’s migration timeline, with special attention paid to their gender and sexual identity and how they relate to other people and places. Collective analysis of the interviews yielded three different perspectives on these participants’ experiences: embodiment as it relates to spatiality, sense of place, and migration decision making and barriers. The results of this thesis contribute to existing literature on lived experiences of gender, romantic, and sexual minorities (GRSM) and sense of place research. Together, they challenge dominant understandings of sense of place with a holistic perspective on how space is lived phenomenally. They also challenge discursive narratives of queer friendly or unfriendly spaces, highlighting the nuance in individual perceptions of various spaces and the importance of past experiences and social connections in these perceptions. Among the material circumstances that precondition queer migration decisions are housing affordability, safety, and community. I conclude by emphasizing how important these considerations are in the current and immanent political climate in which queer individuals are increasingly precariously visible, making further research on this subject crucial. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / This thesis studies the experiences of queer adults who have moved to Hamilton, Ontario. Fourteen (n=14) individuals who are queer (2SLGBTQIA+) were interviewed over Zoom and asked questions regarding their experiences with gender and sexuality, the places they had lived in before Hamilton, and how their moving process to Hamilton went. They were also asked about their overall feelings and connections they held toward various places in Hamilton, which together are referred to as ‘sense of place’. The interviews were recorded and examined both individually and together for important themes related to sense of place and migration. Most participants felt positively about their experiences moving to and living in Hamilton, were optimistic about their future in the city, but also didn’t expect to remain in Hamilton for the long term. This thesis ultimately contributes to the existing research on queer people, migration, and sense of place by offering a careful in-depth treatment of a small number of cases, as well as finding interesting data about how queer individuals move through their worlds and navigate barriers to their mobility.

Structure sense är ett begrepp som nyligen har börjat användas inom matematikdidaktik föratt beskriva elevers förståelse för matematiska strukturer. Syftet med det härexamensarbetet är att utforska begreppet structure sense genom att jämföra olikadefinitioner av begreppet. Vidare är syftet också att jämföra structure sense med tre andraliknande begrepp: symbol sense, personal structure och awareness of mathematical pattern and structure. Litteraturstudien bygger på 13 vetenskapliga publikationer som samlades in ochanalyserades. Samtliga publikationer är skrivna av internationella forskare. I resultatetpresenteras och jämförs structure sense utifrån fyra olika definitioner. De olikadefinitionerna av begreppet är riktade mot olika nivåer av matematik men gemensamt förbeskrivningarna är att structure sense uppfattas som en eller flera förmågor som innefattarett mångfacetterat sätt att uppfatta matematisk struktur.

Det är många före oss som valt att intressera sig för sensemaking, meningsskapande, i och runt organisationer. Det finns även mycket forskning om hur man bör gå tillväga och arbeta med sin meningsskapande process när man ställs inför en krissituation. Vår studie skiljer sig från tidigare forskning genom att vi mitt i samhällskrisen, studerar den meningsskapande processen. Ofta studeras resultatet av sensemaking snarare än processen och vi vill genom vår kvalitativa studie av ett digitalt möte titta närmre på hur sensemaking ter sig i ett specifikt möte, för att kunna se hur man arbetar med meningsskapande under en krissituation som COVID-19. Genom att delta i det digitala mötet “Ledarskap och entreprenörskap i samhällskrisen” fick vi chansen att uppleva, tolka och analysera hur den meningsskapande processen såg ut, där och då, och vad man kom fram till, det vill säga vilken mening som skapades där. Det vi såg genom vår tolkning av det digitala mötet var att man använde sig mycket av sensegiving och sensetaking, samt att erfarenheter och interaktion mellan individer stod i fokus under den meningsskapande processen. Man skapade mening med hjälp av varandra och den mening som skapades handlade mycket om att reducera osäkerhet och skaffa sig kontroll i den svåra situationen.

Si le bon sens est fréquemment invoqué au cœur des préoccupations organisationnelles, il n’existe pas de théorie du bon sens en sciences de gestion. Nous avons, grâce aux travaux de Bourdieu (1980), exploré le bon sens comme un concept dyadique, comprenant deux dimensions, le sens commun et le sens pratique. Diverses perspectives dépendant de l’importance relative qui est accordée à chacune de ses deux dimensions, montrent que le bon sens est multiple. Il est une dynamique qui articule ensemble le sens commun, attaché au jugement, et le sens pratique, attaché à la réflexivité. Afin de comprendre les mécanismes fondamentaux du bon sens dans l’organisation, nous avons conduit une étude en trois phases, inductive, longitudinale, d’un cas paradigmatique.La dynamique du bon sens dans l’organisation résulte de la combinaison et de l’interaction entre la constitution du jugement et la culture de la réflexivité. Nos travaux montrent que le bon sens repose sur une l’alternance entre différents états, ouvert, fermé, en cours d’ouverture et en cours de fermeture, favorisant ainsi une « respiration » entre la constitution d’un jugement avec une culture de la réflexivité. Le bon sens peut être pleinement un outil de gestion, à condition d’être prévu et reconnu, pour une vie organisationnelle qui n’est jamais totalement accomplie. / While common sense is frequently cited as a core organizational concern, there is no common-sense theory in management science. Thanks to the work of Bourdieu (1980), we have explored common sense as a dyadic concept, comprising two dimensions, common sense and practical sense. Various perspectives depending on the relative importance given to each of its two dimensions show that common sense is multiple. It is a dynamic which articulates together common sense, attached to judgment, and practical sense, attached to reflexivity.To understand the fundamental mechanisms of common sense in organization, we conducted a three-phase, inductive, longitudinal study of a paradigmatic case.The dynamics of common sense in organization results from the combination and interaction between the constitution of judgment and the culture of reflexivity. Our work shows that common sense is based on an alternation between different states, open, closed, opening and closing, thus promoting a "breathing" between the constitution of a judgment and a culture of reflexivity. Common sense can be fully a management tool, provided it is planned and recognized, for an organizational life that is never fully accomplished.