Šiame darbe, remiantis šiuolaikinėmis komunikacijos teorijomis (Agenda-setting, „tylos spiralės“ bei įvaizdžio), nagrinėjama Lietuvos ir kitų Baltijos šalių įvaizdžio dinamika Ispanijos dienraščiuose „El País“ bei „El Mundo“ 1987–2007 m. laikotarpiu, analizuojami Ispanijos dienraščių dienotvarkės konstravimo ypatumai. Žiniasklaidoje apgalvotai teikiama informacija apie kiekvieną šalį. Šios žinios gali skatinti ekonomikos augimą, politikos procesus, turizmo plėtrą. Bet kurios šalies ar jos gyventojo paveikslas formuojamas ir atskirų individų. Šio darbo objektu pasirinkti didžiausi populiariausi Ispanijos dienraščiai „El País“ ir „El Mundo“. Atliekama kokybinė ir kiekybinė dviejų didžiausių Ispanijos dienraščių „El País“ bei „El Mundo“ atrinktų publikacijų turinio analizė. Lietuvos įvaizdis lyginamas su Latvijos bei Estijos įvaizdžiais. Taip pat gilinamasi į Agenda-setting, „tylos spiralės“ teorijos modelius įvaizdžio formavimo procese. Aptariami verslo, studijų ir turizmo klausimai. Pateikiamas straipsnių statistinis bei teminis paskirstymas, literatūros analizė bei apžvelgiama vienintelės tarptautinės Ispanijos žinių agentūros EFE veikla. Lietuvių emigruoja daugiau nei latvių ar estų, todėl lietuviai dažniau patenka į Ispanijos spaudos dienotvarkę. Aiškinamasi, kokios naujienos skelbiamos apie Lietuvą ir lietuvius dviejuose skirtinguose dienraščiuose, kokie atgarsiai apie lietuvius migrantus Ispanijoje pasirodo spaudoje, ar labai skiriasi informacijos kiekis dienraščiuose... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / On the grounds of modern communication theories (agenda-setting, „spiral of silence“ and image), this paper studies the image dynamics of Lithuania and other Baltic countries in Spanish newspapers “El País“ and “El Mundo“ of 1987-2007, analyses peculiarities of Spanish daily agenda setting. Mass media presents information about every country in a very deliberate manner. This information may promote economical growth, political processes, development of tourism. The image of any country or its inhabitants is formed by separate individuals. Chosen objects of the paper are the most popular newspapers of Spain “El País“and „El Mundo“. The study presents qualitative and quantitative analysis of the contents of selected publications of the aforementioned newspapers. Lithuanian image was found to be compared with Latvian and Estonian images. The paper also goes deep into the models of agenda-setting and spiral of silence in the image formation process, examines the issues of culture, migration, business, studies and tourism. Moreover, a statistical and thematic allocation of the articles and literary analysis is introduced, as well as the review of the activity of the international Spanish news agency EFE is presented. Lithuanians more often find a way into Spanish press than Latvians or Estonians because of greater migration. The paper examines the announcements about Lithuania and its people in the two different newspapers, studies the responses of... [to full text]

Le Québec est confronté à un vieillissement de sa population et une pénurie de main-d’œuvre spécialisée. Pour faire face à ces difficultés tout en restant compétitives à l’échelle internationale, les entreprises québécoises doivent adopter des méthodes de gestion novatrices qui génèrent une performance élevée chez leurs travailleurs peu nombreux. Il est donc essentiel de se servir – et de repenser – le mieux possible des déterminants reconnus de la performance au travail, au premier chef : la motivation. Or, les recherches adoptent habituellement une perspective linéaire en un temps entre ces variables, alors que différentes études soulèvent la possibilité que les relations soient différentes lorsque ces variables sont analysées dans une perspective autre que linéaire. La présente étude teste si une dynamique cyclique se produit. Les résultats de médiation multiples ne révèlent pas d’effet significatif de la motivation entre les performances de deux temps de mesure consécutifs. Cela conforte la nécessité d’élargir la recherche sur de nouvelles variables de manière à vérifier le potentiel lien cyclique entre deux performances. Également, cette recherche relève une zone d’ombre dans la relation dynamique entre la motivation et la performance : ce lien n’est pas aussi lisse qu’il ne le semble. Il arrive parfois que les motivations et performances initiales aient un impact plus déterminant sur les comportements futurs. / Québec has to deal with an aging population and a shortage of highly-skilled labor. In order to face these difficulties while remaining competitive internationally, Quebec’s businesses must adopt new management methods that generate a higher performance from their fewer workers. It is therefore essential to better utilize – and rethink – the predictors of work performance with motivation at the forefront of this endeavor. However, studies usually adopt a one-time only linear perspective between these variables, while other studies suggest that the relations between them would differ when analyzed more dynamically. The present study tests if a cyclic relation performance-motivation- performance occurs. Multiple mediation results do not show a significant effect of various forms of motivation on the performance of two consecutive time measures; hence supporting the need for future studies to test new variables in order to verify the potential cyclical link between two performances. Moreover, the present study identifies a grey zone in the dynamic relation between motivation and performance. Indeed, the link isn’t as smooth as it seems since initial motivations and performances appear to have the greatest impact on future behaviors. / Ce mémoire de maîtrise a été accompli simultanément à des études à temps plein en droit.

We present the results of a new and high sensitivity study of the neutral hydrogen (HI) gas in three early type edge-on spiral galaxies, NGC 4157, NGC 3600 and NGC 2683. All three galaxies reveal HI disks that extend nearly or more than twice the length of the optical disk, which ubiquitously reveal asymmetries and warps. We model each galaxy using a three-dimensional kinematic model to derive the empirical parameters of the density distribution functions and rotation curves. A Gaussian function is unanimously found to best represent the density distribution in the plane of the galaxies. We also find that there is in fact a thick HI disk extending into the halo of two of three of these galaxies with scale heights on kpc. scales. This gas suggests the existence of two separate widespread components: a thin, high intensity disk component, normally rotating, and a vast, low intensity halo component, rotating at slower velocities with respect to the disk. This vertical velocity gradient is perhaps our most significant finding in addition to the discovery of the two new HI halos. We also find an unevenly distributed small-scale component of the gas in the form of shell-like and filamentary structures that extend from the disk into the halo. In all three systems we find unique kinematic and structural peculiarities including an HI disk extending four times the optical disk, a declining rotation curve, a companion, expanding bubbles, disk warps, etc. Several physical parameters are derived such as neutral hydrogen and dynamic masses, systemic velocities, HI radii, HI halo masses, etc. All of our findings are investigated and discussed in depth for each of the three galaxies. / Thesis (Master, Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy) -- Queen's University, 2009-09-03 19:47:31.786

Recent developments in international relations have seen dramatic increases in the number and activities of human rights non-governmental organisations (NGOs). This has inspired research that seeks to explain processes of human rights socialisation, particularly in crisis zones. In this context, NGO advocacy is often welcomed as being inherently beneficial for adherence to human rights principles. Such a position, however, fails to account for the critiques offered by theorists who suggest that the wielding of any power to affect change can have negative as well as positive outcomes, and the critiques of realist international relations theorists who assert the dangers of unqualified promotion of normative concerns in the face of power interests. In this context, this thesis offers a critical evaluation of the contributions of NGO advocacy in human rights socialisation. Two models of human rights socialisation – the spiral and boomerang models – are utilised in examining human rights advocacy in West Papua, a province of Indonesia. The West Papuan case study indicates that detrimental outcomes can result from the failure of human rights advocates to account for political interests and state sovereignty in their strategies of human rights promotion. Human rights campaigns framed in terms of people’s rights to physical security and subsistence, instead of more political rights, such as the right to selfdetermination, are likely to be more positive for human rights adherence. This points to the desirability of a hierarchy of rights principles in human rights advocacy and suggests, for the socialisation models used, a need for clearer distinctions between the human rights principles prescribed for advocacy.

The purpose of this investigation is to further an understanding of the spiral of silence theory as it functions within both face-to-face (FtF) and computer-mediated contexts. Computer-mediated communication (CMC is often touted for being an empowering medium as it affords its users anonymity. This finding could have an impact on whether the spiral of silence occurs within CMC. Previous studies have relied upon hypothetical scenarios and have established weak support for the theory. Despite this study’s utilization of a within-subjects experimental design, however, no significant differences in minority opinion holders’ fear of isolation were found. Similarly, no significant relationship was found between minority opinion holders’ attention paid to news and fear of isolation. In regards to both majority and minority opinion holders, no significant differences in perceptions of opinions expressed in either condition were found. Reasons for such unexpected findings, as well as strengths, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.

No description available.

The news media serve as the Canadian public’s main source of information about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This thesis examines the ways in which the Canadian media portray the conflict, through a lens of Habermas’ (1962) public sphere theory, Foucault’s (1926 – 1984) ideas on discourse, and Rawls’ (1921 – 2002) conceptions of equality and justice. Building on these theories, Noelle-Neumann’s Spiral of Silence theory (1974), Said’s Orientalism (1978), and d’Arcy’s (1913 – 1983) conception of the right to communicate are examined to arrive at a framework for analyzing Canadian news. Looking at ideological representations, power manifestations, issue framing, and social responsibility within the media, this thesis explores whether the Canadian media portray the conflict in such a way that fosters a downward spiral of opinions within the Canadian public. A Critical Discourse Analysis of coverage in two national English Canadian newspapers, The Globe and Mail and the National Post, during three separate timeframes of increased violence in Israel and Palestine between 2000 and 2009 reveals that newspaper representations of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are often entrenched in predefined ways of portraying the Other, fostering an Israeli-Palestinian spiral of silence in Canadian media.

The importance of root systems for soil-based resource acquisition by plants has long motivated researchers to quantify the complexity of root system structures. However, most of those studies proceeded from 2-D spatial data, and thus lacked the relevance of a 3-D analysis. In this project, helical CT scanning was applied to study root systems with an unprecedented level of accuracy, using non-destructive and non-invasive 3-D imaging that allowed for a spatio-temporal analysis. The appropriate CT scan parameters and configuration were determined for root systems of maize seedlings grown in sand and loamy sand. It was found that the soil conditions allowing for better visualization were sand before watering and loamy sand after watering. Root systems were CT scanned and visualized either at a single moment in time or repeatedly on successive days. Complexity analysis was performed by estimating the fractal dimension on skeletonized 3-D images of root systems.

Hollow fibre and spiral wound membrane (SWM) modules are the most common commercially available membrane modules. The latter dominate especially for RO, NF and UF and are the focus of this study. The main difficulty these types of modules face is concentration polarisation. In SWM modules, the spacer meshes that keep the membrane leaves apart also help reduce the effects of concentration polarisation. The spacer filaments act as flow obstructions, and thus encourage flow destabilisation and increase mass transfer enhancement. One of the detrimental aspects of the use of spacers is an increase of pressure losses in SWM modules. This study analyses the mechanisms that give rise to mass transfer enhancement in narrow spacer-filled channels, and investigates the relationship between flow destabilisation, energy losses and mass transfer. It shows that the regions of high mass transfer on the membrane surface correlate mainly with those regions where the fluid flow is towards the membrane. Based on the insights gained from this analysis, a series of multi-layer spacer designs are proposed and evaluated. In this thesis, a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model was used to simulate steady and unsteady flows with mass transfer in two- and three-dimensional narrow channels containing spacers. A solute with a Schmidt number of 600 dissolving from the wall and channel Reynolds numbers up to 1683 were considered. A fully-developed concentration profile boundary condition was utilised in order to reduce the computational costs of the simulations. Time averaging and Fourier analysis were performed to gain insight into the dynamics of the different flow regimes encountered, ranging from steady flow to vortex shedding behind the spacer filaments. The relationships between 3D flow effects, vortical flow, pressure drop and mass transfer enhancement were explored. Greater mass transfer enhancement was found for the 3D geometries modelled, when compared with 2D geometries, due to wall shear perpendicular to the bulk flow and streamwise vortices. Form drag was identified as the main component of energy loss for the flow conditions analysed. Implications for the design of improved spacer meshes, such as extra layers of spacer filaments to direct the bulk flow towards the membrane walls, and filament profiles to reduce form drag are discussed.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2004. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.