Research@StAndrews:FullText

In the shadows of giants : a tomographic method for analysing the orbits of transiting exoplanets

2013-06-19T15:58:02Z

Abstract: The radial velocity anomaly which affects spectroscopic observations of stars undergoing transit by a companion body is known as the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect. This effect can be used to measure the obliquities of the orbits of transiting planets. In this thesis I present a tomographic method for analysing the effect, which manifests itself in stellar spectral line-profiles. I implement this method on seven systems known to host transiting planets, and some systems with early-type host stars, for which the transit events have not yet been shown to be the result of planetary companions. Despite being well-suited to examining systems with early-type, rapidly-rotating host stars which have a more pronounced Rossiter-McLaughlin effect, I find the tomographic method is able to produce reasonable results for the system parameters of planets orbiting relatively slowly-rotating stars. I show that the method provides a significant increase in the accuracy of determinations of the stellar rotation rate and is able to better constrain values for the transit impact parameter. Though I do not confirm the existence of any new planets around early-type stars, I do use the tomographic method to reject one candidate as a stellar eclipsing binary system, and also reveal that one of the candidate host stars is a non-radial pulsator. I show that the method is able to examine systems involving stars with a range of spectral types and rotation rates.

Photophysics of linear and star-shaped oligofluorenes and their application in lasers

2013-06-19T15:45:48Z

Abstract: This thesis presents a study of the photophysical properties of a number of fluorene molecules used for organic semiconductor lasers. These results are then combined with lasing results to assess what the important properties in an organic semiconductor laser material are. Photophysical measurements were performed on a family of oligofluorenes; results show a redshift in the peak absorption and emission wavelengths with increasing length. There is also an increase in the molar extinction coefficient and photoluminescence quantum yields of the molecules. Transition dipole moments also increase with length, but fluorescence scales slower than absorption due to self-trapping occurring at longer molecular lengths. This study was then expanded to two families of star-shaped molecules with fluorene arms and differing cores. These molecules have three arms connected to either a central benzene unit or a larger truxene core. These molecules show an increase in PLQY and roughly three times higher molar extinction coefficients than comparable linear oligofluorenes. The star-shaped molecules PLQY and transition dipole moments are both greater than their linear oligofluorene counterparts. Energy transfer was then studied in the truxene-cored molecules, which showed that the symmetry of the molecule was broken due to interactions with the solvent. Energy transfer was observed on two timescales; a fast 500 fs process which is attributed to a localisation onto a single arm to emit, and a 3-10 ps second decay component, and was assigned to resonant energy transfer between the arms. Both decays were found to be wavelength dependent. Lasing results were then obtained for the benzene cored molecules. It was found that star-shaped molecules present improved lasing characteristics with lower ASE and lasing thresholds. These results were compared with those obtained for truxene-cored molecules whose rigid core provides them with better lasing and ASE characteristics.

Making a Place on Earth: Participation in Creation and Redemption through Placemaking and the Arts

2013-06-19T15:33:46Z

Abstract: This thesis will explore a theology of place and placemaking that is focused on the participatory role of humans in both creation and redemption, while suggesting the central and paradigmatic role of artistry in our construction of and identification with place. Building on the most recent theological and philosophical engagement with place, this thesis will argue for a theology of place that takes seriously the doctrines of creation and incarnation, focusing on a particularly redemptive understanding of placemaking in the material world. In its study of scripture and theology, it will focus on God’s blessing of people to participate in the making of places, along with the role this human making has in relationship to divine presence and the divine plan for creation and redemption. After developing a theology of place and placemaking more generally, the second half of this thesis will consider the practical, constructive, and transformative capabilities of placemaking as witnessed through the arts. Relying on theological engagement with the arts, it will argue that artistic making of all kinds and attention to place go hand in hand. Exploring a selection of artistic genres, including the photography of Marlene Creates, the quilts of Gee’s Bend, and the literature of Wendell Berry, this thesis will suggest that imaginative and “artistic” placemaking practices can give us a deeper understanding of the creative, redemptive, and transformative work of Christ in Creation, while also elucidating our calling to participate in it.

The structure, stability and interaction of geophysical vortices

2013-06-19T15:21:03Z

Abstract: This thesis examines the structure, stability and interaction of geophysical vortices. We do so by restricting our attention to relative vortex equilibria, or states which appear stationary in a co-rotating frame of reference. We approach the problem from three different perspectives, namely by first studying the single-vortex, quasi-geostrophic shallow-water problem, next by generalising it to an (asymmetric) two-vortex problem, and finally by re-visiting the single-vortex problem, making use of the more realistic, although more complicated, shallow-water model. We find that in all of the systems studied, small vortices (compared to the Rossby deformation length) are more likely to be unstable than large ones. For the single-vortex problem, this means that large vortices can sustain much greater deformations before destabilising than small vortices, and for the two-vortex problem this means that vortices are able to come closer together before destabilising. Additionally, we find that for large vortices, the degree of asymmetry of a vortex pair does not affect its stability, although it does affect the underlying steady state into which an unstable state transitions. Lastly, by carefully defining the "equivalence" between cyclones and anticyclones which appear in the shallow-water system, we find that cyclones are more stable than anticyclones. This is contrary to what is generally reported in the literature.

Available actors, appropriate action : theodramatic formation and performance

2013-06-19T15:10:58Z

Abstract: Situated within the theatrical turn in Christian theology, this project explores theatre as a model for theological ethics, looking particularly at the dynamic interplay between formation as disponibility (availability) and performance as fittingness (appropriateness). A primary goal is to demonstrate how disponible formation and fitting performance are multi-dimensional realities oriented simultaneously toward the triune God (as playwright-producer-protagonist), Scripture (as transcript and prescript), the church (as characters in company), tradition (as performance paradigms), unbelievers (as audience), and local context (as theatrical environment and place). As a result, this theodramatic approach seeks to integrate theology and ethics, describing and resourcing everyday Christian practice with reflection on the theodrama. In addition, focusing on the dynamic interplay between formation and performance represents an attempt to unify agent-oriented with action-oriented theological ethics within a holistic, theodramatic framework. Finally, through attentive interaction with theatrical theory and practice, this project contributes to a fruitful and growing dialogue between Christian theology and the arts, particularly how theatre provides imaginative, heuristic models for theological ethics pursued within the liberating constraints of confessional Christianity.

Estimating wildlife distribution and abundance from line transect surveys conducted from platforms of opportunity

2013-06-19T11:30:48Z

Abstract: Line transect data obtained from 'platforms of opportunity' are useful for the monitoring of long term trends in dolphin populations which occur over vast areas, yet analyses of such data axe problematic due to violation of fundamental assumptions of line transect methodology. In this thesis we develop methods which allow estimates of dolphin relative abundance to be obtained when certain assumptions of line transect sampling are violated. Generalised additive models are used to model encounter rate and mean school size as a function of spatially and temporally referenced covariates. The estimated relationship between the response and the environmental and locational covariates is then used to obtain a predicted surface for the response over the entire survey region. Given those predicted surfaces, a density surface can then be obtained and an estimate of abundance computed by numerically integrating over the entire survey region. This approach is particularly useful when search effort is not random, in which case standard line transect methods would yield biased estimates. Estimates of f (0) (the inverse of the effective strip (half-)width), an essential component of the line transect estimator, may also be biased due to heterogeneity in detection probabilities. We developed a conditional likelihood approach in which covariate effects are directly incorporated into the estimation procedure. Simulation results indicated that the method performs well in the presence of size-bias. When multiple covariates are used, it is important that covariate selection be carried out. As an example we applied the methods described above to eastern tropical Pacific dolphin stocks. However, uncertainty in stock identification has never been directly incorporated into methods used to obtain estimates of relative or absolute abundance. Therefore we illustrate an approach in which trends in dolphin relative abundance axe monitored by small areas, rather than stocks.

Rethinking the roots of terrorism: through the doors of perception

2013-06-19T11:05:41Z

Abstract: This study examines the new terrorism debate and is intended to rethink the root causes of terrorism by examining alternative approaches, in part provided by conflict theory, to the predominant understanding of terrorism provided by what it identifies as orthodox terrorism theory. It presents a critical and discourse analysis approach to explaining and understanding the roots of terrorism and focuses initially on a description and explanation of the existence of orthodox terrorism discourse, clarifying how and why it is constructed, what it is used for and the associated implications it has for understanding terrorism. The study also aims to explore the range of alternative perceptions of terrorism created in terrorism and conflict studies by using international relations theory as frameworks through which to examine different levels of analysis pertaining to terrorism and conflict. The purpose is to develop a multi-level and multi-dimensional framework for rethinking the roots of terrorism based upon the most sophisticated theoretical approaches provided by terrorism and conflict studies. This framework, which also provides a reflexive critique of orthodox terrorism theory, is not intended as a new theory of terrorism but represents an attempt to provide a broader, more comprehensive and holistic approach to the problem of terrorism. In order to test this comprehensive framework for the analysis of terrorism, this study examines the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and discusses how orthodox terrorism theory is employed by Israel. It also demonstrates how Palestinian terrorism can be re-examined through the application of the alternative framework to reveal a considerably more comprehensive, multi-dimensional and multi-level understanding of the root causes of terrorism. The conclusion of this study suggests that rethinking terrorism will provide an increasingly sophisticated understanding of political violence and equip the study of terrorism with more robust analytical tools with which to create a number of potential channels to facilitate resolution of the deep underlying problems that cause terrorism.

Cost and policy implications of agricultural pollution, with special reference to pesticides

2013-06-19T10:47:39Z

Abstract: Modem commercial agricultural practices involving chemical inputs such as fertilisers and pesticides have been associated with huge increases in food production never witnessed before, and in the case of cereal production (especially wheat) under Green Revolution technology, recorded spectacular growth. As statistics show, production and productivity have increased. However, the high chemical usage of fertilizers and pesticides used to bring about these increases in food production are not without problems. A visible parallel correlation between higher productivity, high artificial input use and environmental degradation and human health effects is evident in many countries where commercial agriculture is widespread. The high usage of these chemical inputs has caused numerous pollution problems impacting on human health, agricultural land, other production processes, wildlife and the environment in general. The private and external costs are very high. Such a production path is clearly unsustainable. This Ph.D. study lays its focus on estimating the private costs of illnesses arising from direct exposure to pesticides during handling and spraying by farmers on their farms in Sri Lanka. For this purpose three valuation techniques are used. They are the contingent valuation, cost of illness and the aversive behaviour approaches. Multiple regression analyses are also carried out to establish several relationships involving pesticide handling/spraying and direct exposure to pesticides. Policy implications of the regression analyses are then discussed. A health production model showing the relationships between the three approaches used for estimating the private costs of ill health and thereby inferring the willingness to pay for pollution control is presented. The theoretical background to agricultural pollution, drawing examples mostly from Asia, is also dealt within this thesis. Data for this Ph.D. study were obtained from a field survey carried out in the summer of 1996. During this survey, 227 subsistence farmers handling and spraying pesticides on a regular basis were interviewed to gather the necessary data. For the analysis of data, only 203 samples are used.

A taxonomic study of Phascum cuspidatum Scheb. ex Hedw. (Pottiaceae) and its allies

2013-06-19T10:02:45Z

Abstract: The moss genus Phascum is common in the Northern Hemisphere. Its species may be frequently encountered by botanists studying the moss flora of bare earth in fallow fields and gardens. Species within this genus have been recognised by taxonomists since at least 1741. The present form of the generic name dates from 1753. Yet Phascum still appears to be poorly understood. Even with available modern treatments, in floras such as Nyholm (1960) and Lawton (1971), bryologists find it difficult to recognise taxa and seem hesitant to name species. Why are these taxa difficult to identify? Is it because they are a complex of "good" but difficult to recognise species and varieties or a loose assemblage of intergrading forms and ecotypes? The present work attempts to answer the following questions: - 1. Is Phascum divisible into recognisable entities in the Northern Hemisphere? And, if it is divisible, what should the subunits be correctly called? 2. If the species Phascum cuspidatum Schreb. ex Hedw. is proved to be a valid taxon, is it possible to subdivide it into infraspecific units? And, if it is divisible, at what level should the subunits be recognised and what should they be correctly called? The problem was tackled in three phases. First, in order to cover the nomenclatural questions, using the Index Muscorum edited by Wijk (1967) as a starting point, all the relevant publications which contained citations of putative taxa or new combinations within the genus were assembled. From the information provided in these works a chronological survey of the taxonomy of the genus from 1770 to the present day was compiled (Chapter I). Hopefully this synopsis, of what turned out to be an extremely complex literature, will provide a reference point not only for this study but for any further researches in the genus in Europe and North America. Alterations and amendments to the information provided in the Index Yuscorun, together with other notes and comments, are incorporated in the survey where appropriate. Secondly, from these taxonomic publications, a list of the definitive characters used in the descriptions of the many putative taxa was compiled. This information was used to provide direction in a study of the taxonomic usefulness of these characters and thus the validity of the proposed taxa. This work, which included some growth experiments, was carried out within the eight fields of study suggested by Turrill (1942). Attention was paid to both traditional and more modern taxonomic methods, including computational techniques. An attempt was also made to fill the gaps in areas not covered by this work by reference to the specialised published literature within some of these eight fields (Chapter II). Thirdly, the genus Phascum is discussed in terms of both historical treatment and current practice concerning generic and specific concepts. And, finally, from the results of the studies carried out and with due reference to the literature and specimens seen the genus Phascum is redefined in terms of its component, taxa. These are thereafter typified and named, as far as possible at the present state of knowledge, in accordance with the International Code of Botanical nomenclature (I.C.B.N.) of 1972. An indication is provided of work which still remains to be carried out (Chapter III).

Palaeobiology, taphonomy and diagenesis of a lower carboniferous fish fauna

2013-06-19T09:27:04Z

Abstract: Chapters one and two of this work contain a study of helically-coiled spiral coprolites. Spiral coprolites with complex microstructures have been interpreted as enterospirae – fossilized valvular intestines (Fritsch 1907, Williams 1972). However other evidence seems to indicate that recent dogfish produce spiral faecal pellets with complex microstructures (McAllister 1985). The search for an answer to the problem of whether certain spiral coprolites are fossilized intestines or faecal pellets includes a study of diet and the physiology of digestion in fishes, with particular attention to those with valvular intestines; the sharks, skates and rays. The faunal associations of various coprolite assemblages and the fossil evidence for the presence of the valvular intestine in fishes and other groups are also reviewed. Chapter one includes a revision of the definitions, terminology and taxonomy of coprolites. In the second chapter the various forms of spiral coprolites in the Lower Carboniferous of Scotland are examined. Actualistic research into taphonomic processes in fishes is divided into two areas described in chapters three and five. Chapter three covers various aspects of the physical processes which affect fish carcasses, with particular emphasis on small sharks. A major aspect of this work is concerned with the post mortem build-up of gas in the body cavity and its taphonomic consequences. Chemical aspects of decay and mineralization form the basis of chapter five. The roles of changes in pH and the levels of calcium magnesium and phosphates in early mineralization are investigated. An investigation of the taphonomy and diagenesis of the Wardle Shales fish beds is contained in chapter four. The Lower Carboniferous Wardie Shales fish fauna consists of palaeoniscoids, sharks and acanthodians preserved in siderite concretions. The preservation of uncrushed calcified cartilage is particularly striking. Well-preserved spiral coprolites are exceedingly common. Wide-ranging conclusions help to clarify the processes that have led to the preservation of the remarkable assemblages of coprolites at Anstruther and Wardie and of the Wardie fishes.

Causes and consequences of variation in the energy expenditure in grey seals (Halichoerus grypus)

2013-06-19T08:45:11Z

Abstract: Oxygen consumption of captive grey seals was measured over a period of 2.5 years at the captive facility of the Sea Mammal Research Unit at the University of St Andrews. The conditions under which in-water resting metabolic rate (RMR) was measured had a significant effect on the resulting estimates. RMR was highest when seals were at the surface breathing periodically. Surface apnoea and periodic submergence reduced RMR estimates by 25 and 35% respectively. There was significant seasonal variation in RMR's of adult females, with rates being highest in the spring and declining throughout the summer months. This variation was unrelated to changes in water temperature. Changes in mass explained some of this variation but this seasonality was still evident when rates were expressed mass-specifically. RMR of juvenile grey seals increased with age, as did lean body mass, although there was no relationship between age and total body mass. Diving metabolic rate (DMR) was measured while seals were voluntarily diving in a quasi- natural setting. Overall DMR was lower than RMR measured in the same animals. Mean DMR was 1.6 times predicted BMR. Average DMR decreased with dive duration and increased swimming activity during dives increased DMR. A model was developed that predicts DMR given information on the behaviour during the dive. This model was used to predict the at-sea metabolic rate of 5 wild grey seals from telemetry data. Overall, predicted at-sea metabolic rates were similar to DMR of the captive seals. Travelling dives had a higher energetic cost than foraging dives. Feeding during diving caused DMR to be increased 1.4-1.6 times pre-feeding levels. Metabolic rate data was incorporated into a population energy flux model. Energy requirements of different components of the population were estimated on a quarterly basis and all these were summed to produce an estimate of population annual energy requirements. Error in input parameters were used to calculate confidence limits in these estimates.

The doctrine of the two spirits in the Qumran literature, with special reference to 1QS 3:13-4:26

2013-06-19T08:19:13Z

Abstract: Research for this thesis was initiated by an interest in the Johannine teaching about the Spirit and the conviction that a fresh understanding of the third person of the Trinity was essential if the Christian Church were to make an adequate contribution to the second half of this century. Study of the New Testament evidence revealed not only the contrast between Johannine and Pauline preoccupation with the Spirit and the paucity of reference to it in the Synoptic Gospels, but also the dearth of recent scholarship in this field. A survey of the Old Testament usage of ךוח as background brought to light the connotation of power which clings to the Spirit of God concept, serving as a reminder that 'spirit' in Jewish thought was functional and dynamic. It is commonly recognized that, while in the Old Testament ךוח is on a higher plane than שפנ, in Greek thought ψυχή is more important than πνεΰμα which is a substantial concept. T. W. Manson has shown in a succinct statement the degree to which our contemporary thought-world reflects the latter emphasis: "We say 'psychic', 'psychology', but keep 'pneumatic' for things like bicycle tires”. Under the guidance of my supervisor Principal Matthew Black of St. Mary's College, The University of St Andrews, my interest was channelled into the richly diverse meanings of ךוח in the Hebrew language and tradition, particularly in the relatively unknown inter-Testamental period. At his suggestion, my attention was concentrated on the Dead Sea texts and this thesis became an attempt to clarify the various ways in which ךוח was used by the Community that produced them. The already famous two-spirit passage of 1QS 3:13 - 4:26 was the obvious starting-point.

Left-wing terrorism in the Federal Republic of Germany

2013-06-18T15:35:09Z

Abstract: The Federal Republic of Germany has coped with indigenous left-wing terrorism for several decades and not lost its liberal democratic character f which raises the question of why terrorists continue to attract recruits to fight the state. This case study of terrorist motivation also elucidates the concept of identification, the lasting influence of someone, some group f or some idea on others, to aid the understanding of motivation and responses to terrorism. Identification also enables the integration of three entwined levels of terrorism study -individuals, groups and society. Elucidation of left-wing terrorism in the Federal Republic of Germany shows that a wide variety of persons became terrorists. The important factors in becoming a terrorist were the influence of 'significant others' both in the decision to join a terrorist group, and later within the group, as well as the perception that terrorism was the only available option. The terrorist groups formed 'macronarratives based on the group members' shared history and culture which supported their decisions to offer incentives and sanctions to group members to enable their underground existence. Not all of the groups sought to influence public policy. The Red Army Faction was mainly interested in group survival, as was the Second of June, while some of the Revolutionary Cells and Autonomen followed their self-interest in committing terrorist acts. Other Revolutionary Cells and Autonomen groups, however, sought public policy changes through terrorist acts in support of protest groups. The other groups had limited concepts of the 'public' which reflected their group direction. The government of the Federal Republic responded to left-wing terrorism with short-term paramilitary options taking precedence over the long-term socio-economic considerations. The German government generally has perceived all left-wing terrorist groups as the same, and not given due consideration to the different terrorist organisations perceptions of the 'public'. A clearer perception of left-wing terrorism in the Federal Republic of Germany shows the usefulness of the concept of identification in the study of terrorism, and highlights the processes involved in terrorist motivation at individual, group and society levels.

Irish security policy : neutrality, non-aligned or 'sui generis'?

2013-06-18T15:12:01Z

Abstract: In this century the Irish have claimed, at critical moments, that they were neutral and that they have established a policy of traditional neutrality. In the last generation they have also claimed, on occasion, to be nonaligned. These claims are tested by identifying the true nature of neutrality and variables by which a state's claim to be neutral can be assessed, and by identifying the essence of nonalignment. That essence is inapplicable to developed European states. Given that neutrality per se can only apply in time of war, the variables are adjusted to reflect a peacetime policy 'for neutrality' in the event of war. For this purpose the model presented by three European neutral countries is examined and used to generate variables against which to test the Irish claims. The identified variables are: (i) due diligence with respect to neutral rights and duties; (ii) the extent to which Irish claims have been recognised by others; (iii) the disavowal of help by them and; (iv) the extent of their freedom of decision and action. In addition, and partly reflecting the claim to non-alignment, two other variables are used: (v) lack of isolationism, willingness to ameliorate world problems, and impartiality and; (vi) the attitude to identity, nation- building, unity, stability and self-determination. Ireland has consistently failed to meet the criteria associated with either 'of' or 'for' neutrality, whilst its record on variable (v) is mixed. Its concern with variable (vi) has been pervasive, but ineffectual. Nonetheless, Ireland has not been committed to co-belligerency, although neither non-aligned, neutral nor an alliance member. It is in a ‘sui generis’ position, particularly, but not only, within the European Community.

Perfecting prevention : the medical writings of Maino de Maineri (d.c. 1368)

2013-06-18T14:49:53Z

Abstract: This thesis provides evidence of the centrality of prevention to learned medicine as well as wider social interest in and demand for this type of advice in the fourteenth century. It is based on the four major medical writings of Maino de Maineri (d. c. 1368), physician to King Robert the Bruce, master of the University of Paris and physician to the Visconti rulers of Milan. These writings, the ‘Regimen sanitatis’ (1331), the ‘Compendium regimen sanitatis’ (c. 1336), the ‘Liber medicinalibus’ (1360) and the ‘Libellus de preservatione ab epydimia’ (also 1360), for the most part untranscribed and untranslated, are largely biased towards preventive medicine. The thesis opens with a detailed biographical account of Maino's life and his writings as a whole, which provides vital context for the study. Then the material contained within his four major works is organised around four thematic chapters. The first deals with the ideas which underpinned Maino's medical writings: his conceptions of health, his use of authorities, and the way he structured and adapted his knowledge for his various audiences (academic, religious, courtly), perfecting the delivery of his advice. The second describes the physician's role as dietician, advising his readers and patients on how to modify their lifestyles in order to remain healthy. In particular this chapter focuses on food and drink, perhaps Maino's specialist field. Chapter 3 moves to consider the relationship between body and soul in Maino's writings, examining sex in particular, viewed as a reproductive act, a mode of excretion and as a moral problem. Maino's concern for morality and the health of the soul was exceptional. Finally, the fourth chapter looks at the external threats posed to the healthy body by poison and plague. In particular, Maino's career offers a rare chance to assess the effect of the plague on medical theory and practice. By examining the attitudes expressed in his pre- and post-1348 writings, a revised assessment of its impact on medical theory and practice can be made. Three appendices conclude the study: a survey of the Latin manuscripts of Maino's medical and astrological writings, a transcription of his ‘Compendium regimen sanitatis’ and a summary of the recipes included in his ‘Regimen sanitatis’. It is made clear that Maino and his patrons viewed the role of physician as much more than doctoring to the sick, a view echoed throughout in other contemporary sources. The good physician sought to preserve and conserve the health of his household, acting as dietician, moralist and guardian to his clients. Through the creation of his writings, Maino sought to reflect and perfect these roles, to ensure the centrality of prevention within medical education and so to future generations of practitioners.

The development and commissioning of an 8-channel astronomical photometer

2013-06-18T14:20:00Z

Abstract: The development and commissioning of an 8-channel astronomical photometer is described. The design is based on a low dispersion grating spectrograph in which the spectrum produced is focussed onto a mosaic of mirrors which redirect the radiation in the spectral bands into the appropriate detector channels. Filters are used to further define the spectral passbands. The detectors used are photomultipliers, whose response features have been matched to the individual channels. The instrument is under the control of a dedicated microprocessor with a further microprocessor used for data acquisition. The photometer has been employed in an observing programme on the 0.9m James Gregory telescope at St Andrews. Observations of standard uvby stars have allowed transformations equations to be derived for the Strӧmgren system. The eclipsing binary SV Cam has been observed and a revised ephemeris found.

Jonathan Edwards's Scottish connection and the eighteenth-century Scottish evangelical revival, 1735-1750

2013-06-18T11:31:13Z

Abstract: In the second half of the twentieth century, the life and work of Jonathan Edwards, the eighteenth-century New England minister of Northampton, Massachusetts, has received increased scholarly attention. Questions of the nature and extent of his influence have informed much of this revival of interest. For two centuries theologians, philosophers and historians have claimed that Jonathan Edwards significantly influenced eighteenth-century Scottish religious thought, and yet little scholarly attention has been invested in this area of Edwards's studies. The central focus of this thesis has been to shed additional light on this neglected but celebrated side of Edwards's life and ministry. This study is an investigation of the formative period of Edwards's Scottish connection. It began with the publication of his A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God in Scotland in 1737 and his subsequent connection with the Scottish revival of 1742. The relationship was then further developed through the publication of five other major works of Edwards in Scotland during the years 1742 to 1749, and his correspondence with a coterie of evangelical ministers from the Church of Scotland. At the heart of this connection was the pursuit of true religion that undergird the ministries of Edwards and his Scottish counterparts. More specifically, the influence Edwards exercised on Scottish evangelicalism during this formative period was the result, first, of his articulation of a Reformed, evangelical and enlightened conception of true piety which he used to promote and defend the revivals and, second, the cooperation and support he received from the Scottish ministers he corresponded with. What this study shows is that the cooperative relationship between Edwards and his Scottish counterparts helped usher in a new era of Scottish Calvinism. With their combined abilities, creative vision and enterprising spirit they forged a new evangelical paradigm for Scottish Calvinism. The revival was the catalyst for this new movement and Edwards was its theological architect. Scottish revivalists used Edwards's Faithful Narrative to inspire and promote the revival and his Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God to defend and manage it. Edwards's conception of true piety together with the revival helped redefine Scottish evangelical Calvinism by adapting it from its old didactic role within a godly commonwealth to a mission oriented role where the faith of the individual became prominent and the pursuit of sanctification, not salvation, defined the Christian's life. These emphases were further developed among Scottish evangelicals following the revival by the continuing efforts of Edwards and his Scottish friends. Prominent among these efforts were three additional works of Edwards and the international enterprise known as the United Concert for Prayer that was organized and orchestrated by Scottish evangelicals. One of the most far-reaching results was the growth of Scottish overseas missions. Finally, this study indicates that Edwards's revival writings provide an important starting point for understanding the theological and spiritual preoccupations of Scottish evangelicalism in the second half of the eighteenth century; and that Edwards's contribution to Scottish evangelicalism and modern evangelicalism generally cannot be properly understood without an understanding of his relationship to his Scottish correspondents.

The pattern in the weave : an account of Wittgenstein's remarks on meaning-as-use and of their relation to social psychology

2013-06-18T11:08:45Z

Abstract: The thesis begins with a criticism of the 'theory of meaning' approach to the philosophy of language. It then goes on to establish an account of language understanding in terms of Wittgenstein's comments on rule-following and meaning as use. This characterization is extended to aspects of the philosophy of social science. Inferences are then drawn, on the basis of this extension, as to the overall framework within which empirical social studies should be located. A critical assessment is offered of a specific social scientific theory which is, in some ways, typical of empirical social research. This criticism is followed by a formulation of an alternative approach to empirical questions in the social sciences. The alternative approach is depicted as more sympathetic to the general perspective on social scientific theories outlined earlier.

A behavioural analysis of "choking" in self-paced skills

2013-06-18T10:35:27Z

Abstract: This thesis is about "choking" in self-paced skills. Choking refers to ''the occurrence of inferior performance despite striving and incentives for superior performance" (Baumeister and Steinhilber, 1986, p. 361). Self-paced skills are skills in which performance is initiated by the athlete. This research set out to investigate the cause of choking in self-paced skills within the theoretical framework of behaviour analysis. The main focus of the research relates to the distinction between behaviour under the control of verbal antecedents (rule-governed behaviour) and behaviour that is shaped by its consequences (contingency-shaped behaviour). It was originally hypothesised that the insensitivity of rule-governed behaviour to changes in the contingencies of reinforcement could he beneficial in situations where these changes led to greater performance pressure. Specifically, it was predicted that performance under the control of verbal antecedents would be less susceptible to choking. In the first experiment, no support was found for the hypothesis and, furthermore, rule-governed performance appeared to be inferior to contingency-shaped performance in the early stages of acquisition. In light of these results, and after a detailed examination of the behaviour analysis distinction between these two forms of behaviour, evidence was presented which suggested that verbal control of the topography, or form, of behaviour would be likely to disrupt performance in self-paced skills. In subsequent experiments, it was found that using simple verbal cues was an effective means of preventing choking under pressure. It was hypothesised that the function of these cues was in preventing reinvestment of too many technical instructions in the moments before performance initiation. The assumptions upon which the reinvestment theory of choking is based were also examined with results providing general support for the theory but also suggesting that it needs to be refined to account for verbal antecedents that do not disrupt performance.

Attitudes to religion and the communication of Christian truth

2013-06-18T10:11:39Z

Abstract: This study examines the formation and maintenance of young peoples’ attitude to Christianity and seeks to ascertain which are the salient factors, or group of factors, involved in such processes. It was stimulated by the apparent gradient of decline in young people’s active participation in the life of the Church in many parts of Scotland and by the thought that such decline may be due in some measure to young people’s fundamental attitudes to Christianity. The empirical research, which forms the kernel of the study, was undertaken in 1986 among 6,838 secondary school pupils, aged 11 to 17 years, in non-denominational, denominational and independent schools within the Dundee area. Questionnaires relating to attitudes to religion and science were administered by teachers, mainly from Religious Education departments within the schools. The Francis Attitude towards Christianity Scale (ASC 4B) was used in connection with the attitudes to religion items. The data was analysed by means of the SPSSX statistical package. Each section of the study investigates available research literature relevant to the topic considered. Chapter 4 looks in detail at the main variables involved in the formation and maintenance of young people’s attitudes to Christianity, viz. Pupils’ sex, age, personal Church attendance and Sunday School attendance, parental Church attendance and parental encouragement, social class differences, peer group influence, type of school attended and attitudes to science. The effects of television viewing on young people’s perceptions, including their perceptions of religion on television, was also considered. Among the basic conclusions reached by this study are there: - Parental example and encouragement are the most salient elements in the religious socialization of young people. Peer group influence is also shown to be a significant factor in the transmission of young people’s attitudes to Christianity. Pupils’ Church attendance has considerable influence on their attitudes to Christianity and the continuance of these and their attitudes to science are shown to have special importance for their attitudes to religion. The 13 to 15 year age period merits further and deeper examination. This appears to be a decisive stage in adolescent development, when significant changes occur in young people’s perceptions of religion and in their attitudes to Christianity.

New structural units in molybdenum oxyfluoride chemistry

2013-06-18T09:01:02Z

Abstract: The solvothermal syntheses and crystal structures of five new molybdenum oxyfluorides are presented. These exhibit three novel structural units, each containing Mo in a reduced oxidation state: a dimeric [MO2O4F2(C2H8N2)(2)] unit (Mo4+), a tetrameric [Mo4O8F10](6-) unit (Mo5+) and an infinite chain [MoOF3](-) unit (Mo4+). Mo-Mo bonding is observed in each of the new building units. Description: This article was supported with EPSRC funding.

The development of the understanding of ministry in the Australian church union negotiations 1957-1971

2013-06-18T08:35:41Z

Abstract: Barely three years after the formation of the Uniting Church in Australia, the Assembly Standing Committee urged the Commission on Doctrine to 'give first priority to matters relating to ministry'. This urgent request was made in spite of the fact that questions concerning the understanding and ordering of ministry had been given close consideration during the twenty years of negotiation prior to union. In this paper we investigate the notion of 'ministry' as it was expressed in the Basis of Union, the foundation document of the UCA. A study of the development of the understanding of ministry during the period between the setting up of the Joint Commission on Church Union (1957) and the publication of their finally revised Basis of Union (1971) is required in order to substantiate the exposition of this understanding in the Basis. Accordingly, six aspects of the development are discussed. (i) An account is given of the evolution, during the decades prior to 1957, of the new perception of the ecumenical task in Australia with which the Commission began their work and which conditioned their development of an understanding of ministry. (ii) A detailed review and analysis of the Commission's two Reports (1959 and 1963) is conducted. (iii) The Commission's understanding is set in its wider context through a discussion of the convergence of missiological and ecclesiological thought between the Whitby Meeting of the IMC and the Mexico Conference of the DWME. (iv) The reception of the Commission's proposals is evaluated through a study of surviving published responses. (v) The Australian 'ecclesiastical climate' in the late sixties is assessed, and a theological response to that 'climate' is identified, as conditioning the Commission's revision of their proposals. (vi)The revised Basis of Union is analysed in detail. In conclusion, four characteristic emphases of the Basis are identified as determinative of the understanding of ministry in the Uniting Church in Australia.

Bayesian point process modelling of ecological communities

2013-06-17T16:06:27Z

Abstract: The modelling of biological communities is important to further the understanding of species coexistence and the mechanisms involved in maintaining biodiversity. This involves considering not only interactions between individual biological organisms, but also the incorporation of covariate information, if available, in the modelling process. This thesis explores the use of point processes to model interactions in bivariate point patterns within a Bayesian framework, and, where applicable, in conjunction with covariate data. Specifically, we distinguish between symmetric and asymmetric species interactions and model these using appropriate point processes. In this thesis we consider both pairwise and area interaction point processes to allow for inhibitory interactions and both inhibitory and attractive interactions. It is envisaged that the analyses and innovations presented in this thesis will contribute to the parsimonious modelling of biological communities.

Robert Beale and the Elizabethan polity

2013-06-17T15:46:50Z

Abstract: Robert Beale (c. 1541-1601) was one of the foremost (and certainly the best documented) of the 'second-rank' figures that inhabited the inner rings of the Elizabethan polity, and who in many senses characterised the politics of the age. Beale was educated first at Coventry and then abroad during the Marian exile. Here he imbibed of the cosmopolitan Protestantism that was to characterise and also control his subsequent years of service to Queen, Country and commonwealth. His academic, linguistic and legal training also formed the basis of his secretarial and administrative skills that provided the backbone to his public political life. Beale became an integral figure in mid-Elizabethan political society first through his connections with Cecil, Leicester and Walsingham and then through his service as a diplomatic specialist and as a Clerk of the Privy Council. His entire public political life was motivated and controlled by a complex matrix of conceptions of service. First, service to Walsingham in Paris as a secretary and familiar; second, service to Cecil and Leicester and other Privy Councillors as an administrator and a source of counsel, and third service to Elizabeth as Queen and figurehead of the nation. The final controlling ideological impulse for Beale was his service to the more intangible concepts of a distinctly protestant English commonwealth, combined at the same time with a more widespread notion of a pan-European community of reformed protestants. Beale's public political life provides an exceptionally well-documented microcosm of many of the concerns that motivated his contemporaries and of the arenas in which these concerns were acted out. As such, the clearer and more detailed picture of Beale that emerges also adds considerably to our understanding of mid-Elizabethan political society.

The impact of the Union of 1707 on early eighteenth-century Fife electoral politics, 1707-1747

2013-06-17T15:01:21Z

Abstract: In an unprecedented act of peaceful, albeit contentious, statesmanship, the 1707 Treaty of Union joined Scotland and England into one sovereign country. Now governed by the Parliament of Great Britain, Scotland was allowed forty-five parliamentary members divided between the country's counties and burghs. Relinquishing its own Parliament, Scotland was obligated to adapt and to accept a seismic shift in the political management of its government. Not only were Scottish politics affected by this shift at a national level, but local elections were also significantly impacted by this change. Due to its physical size, peculiar demographics, and politically-active gentry, the county of Fife has proven to be an ideal subject for studying this process. By providing a comprehensive examination of the impact of the Union on the local government and electoral politics of one Scottish county, this study shows that while the Union fundamentally altered the manner in which local politics functioned, the localities not only adapted to the new electoral procedures, but party politics in particular were allowed to grow and flourish. Fife's county records have proven to be a particularly rich and underused resource for this study. The minute books of town council meetings for each of Fife's major royal burghs, covering the years 1707-1747, have been examined, along with a complete set of minutes from the Commissioners of Supply, the county body responsible for the collection of the land tax and, crucially, for determining electoral qualification. Correspondence, in the form of letters and memoranda from Fife's leading politicians, has allowed the reconstruction of several important elections which in tum provide evidence for the argument that party politics in Scotland not only survived after Union but also thrived in an era of unparalleled electoral competition. Partially owing to the reduction in parliamentary representation at Westminster, the political parties in Scotland experienced tremendous growth. Contrary to recent historiography, however, no significant evidence of corruption was found in the operations of the county franchise from the first Fife elections held in 1708 through to 1747, the end of the present study's span. The burgh electoral structure, conversely, both permitted and experienced gross manipulation by the parties competing for the few parliamentary seats now allocated to the Scottish burghs. This study demonstrates that political parties thrived in the new era of Scottish partisan politics ushered in by Union. Fife, in particular, adapted creatively to the new order. This suggests that an increasingly vibrant culture oflocal political competition and argument in the early eighteenth century was actually a likely consequence at the local level of Scotland's national integration into the new state of Great Britain.

Innovation in the novels of Muḥammad Barrāda, Idwār al-Kharrāṭ, Ilyās Khūrī and Fu'ād al-Takarlī, (1979-1999)

2013-06-17T14:43:12Z

Abstract: This thesis is a detailed literary analysis of the innovative elements in the novels of four of the most significant contemporary Arab authors: the Moroccan Muhammad Barrāda, the Egyptian Idwār al-Kharrāṭ, the Lebanese Ilyās Khūrī and the Iraqi Fu'ād al-Takarlī. These novels were published between 1979 and 1999, a period during which the work of these authors reached literary maturity. While this thesis (unlike many critical studies of Arabic fiction written in English) is based on close textual analysis of the texts in question, it places its findings within a wider framework: its introduction (the first part of an essay on literary innovation) defines what is meant by innovation in the Arabic novel; its conclusion (the second part of that essay), is an attempt to connect the innovative methods adopted by the above mentioned writers with the wider literary scene: it shows how these writers have contributed to promoting some of the main innovative trends of the Arabic novel in the last few decades. In adopting a literary approach to these novels, we have considered how the writers' formal choices and techniques have shaped the content of their texts. In this way, we have not only highlighted the importance which the novelists' socio-political discourse assumes in Arab societies, but have also underlined how this discourse is more or less successful because of its artistic merits. The first chapter of this thesis deals with the highly fragmented nature of these texts (lack of ordered development or plot); the second chapter tackles the problems inherent in narrative voice and the position of the authors within their texts; the third chapter explores the intertextual connections these writers use to shape a certain discourse; the fourth chapter deals with the way these novelists promote a self-referential kind of fiction.

Voluntary saints : English Congregationalism and the voluntary principle, 1825-1962

2013-06-17T13:35:06Z

Abstract: This thesis is a study of the theory and practice of the voluntary principle in English Congregationalism between 1825 and 1862. The voluntary principle came to be seen in this period as of the essence of Congregationalism and its Congregationalist adherents sought to achieve its consistent practice in every aspect of denominational life. Chapter 1 describes the breakdown of the old 'catholic' consensus in British evangelicalism. By the mid-1820s the cooperation born of revival was being sorely tested on a number of fronts. Politics was certainly important, but there was also growing denominational self-interest. This was particularly the case in home and foreign missions and Congregationalists, perhaps the most 'catholic' of bodies, were under pressure from within and without to pursue a more partisan policy. Out of these practical concerns emerged, as chapter 2 points out, a more clearly articulated theory of voluntary churchmanship. Of course voluntarism had been a principle of Congregational Independency since the 17th century, but some adjustment was needed to the new circumstances of the 19th century. Congregationalist and other dissenting apologists honed and refined the principle and gave it a sharpness and comprehensiveness it had never had before. Even such a 'catholic' nonconformist as John Angel James saw the need to instruct his congregation in its Dissenting principles. He and many others provided the theoretical basis for the practical exercise of the voluntary principle. With chapters 3 and 4 I turn to the internal consolidation of the Congregational community. The Congregational Union (chapter 3) provided an agency for denominational activity and a focal point for an otherwise highly decentralised community. In our period the union was only moderately successful in realizing its objectives, but it provided a forum for discussion even if it showed the limitations of Congregational voluntarism. By the late 1850s the union was seriously threatened by its too many commitments, local indifference and internal strife. Perhaps more successful was the Dissenting and denominational press (chapter 4) in consolidating the community. Congregationalists were active in both the wider assenting press as well as their own denominational press. The voluntary principle was seen to be of great importance in the areas of education and chapel building. It was in both these areas that Congregationalism was most seriously challenged by the Establishment and it was here that the voluntary principle was most evidently curtailed. The education battle (chapter 5) was a valiant one, but it was doomed from the start. The Congregationalist system simply could not sustain a viable alternative to the state-supported system. Chapel building (Chapter 6) was more successful, but its success was itself a recognition of the limited resources of the Congregational community and therefore of the voluntary principle.

The Presbyterian Churches in New South Wales, 1823-1865 : with particular reference to their Scottish relations

2013-06-17T11:59:02Z

Abstract: This study covers the period from arrival of the first minister to union of most congregations in a Church unconnected with the Scottish parent Churches. My thesis is that reliance on the Scottish Churches was a necessary condition for establishment of the Presbyterian Church in the Colony but also the principal cause of failure to attempt to become a major religious force. Equality with the Church of England was conceded gradually and, initially, reluctantly and from the first State aid and religious rights derived from adherence to the Church of Scotland. Almost the entire ministry derived from Scotland or, to a lesser extent, Ulster, and both the Established and Free Churches of Scotland resisted recruitment of outsiders. Consequently, the ministry remained Scotland-oriented and imbued with all the passions of divided Scottish Presbyterianism. Control over State aid and recruitment assisted the Scottish Churches in forcing a disruption in 1846 and for a generation the Church remained weak, fragmented and in conflict over alleged erastianism in the Church of Scotland, indiscriminate aid and voluntaryism. These Churches involved themselves in local ecclesiastical contentions and were used against opponents by Colonial ministers with influence in Scotland. Colonial Presbyterianism was introverted, backward-looking, unassimilated holding to Scottish standards and to concepts inappropriate for the local environment. The Church appeared a sect for expatriate Scots and Ulstermen. Others, ministers and lay people, felt rejected. The native-born saw the Church as an exotic institution which did not relate to them. Some ministers espoused the Church ideal, but made little headway. Others were concerned only to retain the Established Church connection or the purity of 'Free Church principles' and some resisted accommodation of divergent viewpoints. Eventually compromise, unity, independence and assimilation were accepted as essential to progress.

James Jones and Joseph Heller : an essay in contrasts

2013-06-17T11:22:33Z

Abstract: This dissertation has two purposes. One is to discuss the ideas of James Jones and Joseph Heller on the interrelation of the individual and society. Both of these writers locate their characters within the context of larger orders and institutions, and deal with the question of how an individual can and should balance his personal interests against his interests as a member of a social organization. The dissertation's second focus is on technique: Jones' and Heller's fictional focus and creative relationship with characters and the reader. This contrast is traced through modes of narration, organization, characterization, and plotting. Chapter I establishes the basic contrasts: between Jones' acceptance of military life, in his Army trilogy of From Here to Eternity, The Thin Red Line, and Whistle, and his willingness to portray this as comprehensible; and Heller's treatment of the military as absurd in Catch-22. Chapter II discusses the substance of Jones' fiction. It locates Jones, through his anti-aestheticism, sensationalist focus on the sordid, and treatment of men as social animals, individuals within a collective, as a contemporary follower of the Naturalist tradition. The discussion traces Jones' links to other writers, among them Stendhal, Conrad, Crane, and London. Chapter III deals with Jones' style. It follows Jones' transition from a consciously eccentric idiom, marked by deliberately violent metaphors and idiosyncratic punctuation, toward a goal of colloquiality. Chapter IV covers the Absurdist rhetoric of Heller's Catch-22, discussing the rhetorical devices which create the novel's tone of confusion and absurdity and the realistic detail and humor which sustain its narrative. Chapter V traces through Heller's novels the development of their author's understanding of the idea of society. In Catch-22, Heller rejects outright the idea that "society" exists; in Something Happened he demonstrates again the absurdity of conforming to what one believes are social bonds. In Good As Gold his protagonist discovers that to be true to one's own family and background is also to be true to oneself. Chapter VI contrasts Heller's means of characterization, which define characters for the reader through biography and physical description, with Jones' preference for using dramatization to present a character for the reader's assessment. Chapter VII deals with plotting, comparing Heller's view of the novel as a working-out of preconceived ideas with Jones' treatment of the novel as an exploration of characters' interaction.

The 'Blue Rose' movement and Russian symbolist painting

2013-06-17T10:45:21Z

Abstract: The object of this essay is two-fold: firstly, to present an examination of the "Blue Rose" group of artists in the context of Russian Symbolism and secondly, to indicate its importance to the evolution of modern Russian painting. It was felt that while the development of the Russian visual arts of the period 1910-1930 had been studied in some detail, especially by Western scholars over the last few years, the preceding decade was still an obscure and confused field of research: the total absence of any adequate appraisal of the "Blue Rose" movement either in Russia or in the West and my own conviction that this movement warranted particular attention as a vital link between Russian Realism and the so-called avant-garde acted as the prime motives for the completion of this work. In order to justify this assertion I have attempted to consider the emergence of the "Blue Rose" group as part of an organic, indigenous process and to relate it to the achievements of Russian art of the late 19th century. Since the work of the "Blue Rose" group is unknown to Western observers, certain paintings of leading members -Kuznetsov, Sapunov, Sar'yan, Sudeikin--have been analysed in detail; in the case of less active members - Arapov, Peofilaktov,Utkin – a more cursory examination has been presented; since this essay is concerned with the development of easel painting above all, the output of Bromirsky and Matveev (the two sculptors of the group) has been given only marginal consideration. Throughout the text the name, "Blue Rose " has been used to denote that group of sixteen artists who exhibited at the single exhibition of that name in March, 1907. Although the name was used for the first time only at that exhibition, I have applied it in this essay to the group and to individual artists throughout their Symbolist period, i.e. c.1904-1908. The text of this work is based largely on material studied in Moscow between 1966; and 1968. Although original "Blue Rose", paintings are very rare, some examples were found both in public and in private collections: in this respect, access to the store-rooms of the Tret'yakov Gallery, Moscow and the Russian Museum, Leningrad facilitated my task. Published material concerning the genesis and development of the "Blue Rose” group amounts to very little and, therefore, I had to rely heavily on private archives and personal reminiscences of contemporaries as well as on more general sources such as the Symbolist journals and memoirs: in this respect, of particular value were the manuscript of Arapov's autobiography, the diaries and documents of P. Kuznetsov, the unpublished guide to the reserves of the Tret'yakov Gallery and the oral collections of the late V. M. Lobanov; W. Nouvel's unpublished monograph on Diaghilev provided me with useful material in my study of the "World of Art”. In addition, relevant written material was found and consulted in the Lenin Library, Moscow, the Tret'yakov Gallery Library, Moscow, the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow, the Central State Archives of Literature and Art, Moscow, the Saltykov-Shchedrin Library, Leningrad, the Russian Museum Library, Leningrad; in the West extensive use was made of the facilities of the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Library of the School of Slavonic and East European Studies at the University of London, the Library, of Congress, the New-York Public Library and the Widener Library, Harvard. Because of the complete absence of Russian exhibition catalogues of the Symbolist period in the West, and of their rarity in Russia, detailed listings have been made where relevant to the text. In the case of the “Crimson Rose" and "Blue Rose" exhibitions the participators and their contributions are listed in full in Appendices I and III; this is because only one copy of the former is known to exist (in the library of the Leningrad Academy of Fine Arts) and only two copies of the latter have been located. In these instances and in those of the "Golden Fleece" exhibitions the original Russian has been retained in order to avoid that constant confusion which translation and retranslation of picture titles has caused in the West. The illustrations are from pictures in Russian public and private collections and, in some cases, where the original has been lost or has not been traced—from reproductions in contemporaneous books and journals. The system of transliteration is that used by the journal, Soviet Studies (published by the Institute of Soviet and East European Studies, Glasgow), although where a variant has been established already this has been used, e. g. Diaghilev (not Dyagilev), Jawlensky (not Yavlensky).

A study of early-type close binaries

2013-06-14T15:21:43Z

Abstract: It has become increasingly clear that many binary systems will pass through a common envelope stage at some point during their evolution. For short period systems composed of main-sequence 0 and early B stars this stage will probably occur for the first time towards the end of hydrogen-core burning in the primary component (case A evolution) rather than during the transition to the giant stage (case B evolution). If masses, radii, luminosities, temperatures and orbital parameters were well determined for a good sample of those systems, it could be established whether the individual components were so close that case A evolution was inevitable or whether the primary component had enough room to complete its main-sequence phase before reaching its Roche. limit and hence case B evolution. The latter mode has been studied extensively (both conservatively and non-conservatively) whereas the reception of matter by the secondary component in the rapid mass-transfer phase of case A evolution has only very recently been investigated. It is still one of the principal problems impeding further progress on this scenario. To resolve this situation and provide observational material with which to compare these theoretical models, an observing program was established to study systems of spectral type earlier than B5 and of orbital period of less than 1.8 in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Light curves were obtained at St Andrews using the newly-refurbished Twin Photometric Telescope and analysed using software developed specifically for this instrument. Further spectroscopic and photometric data were obtained at La Palma SAAO, Sierra Nevada and Boyden. Analyses of these spectroscopic and photometric observations have provided the necessary physical parameters to determine the evolutionary status of these systems. The systems observed were AH Cephei and V1182 Aquilae which are shown to be detached systems, TT Aurigae, SX Aurigae and AI Crucis which are all semi-detached systems and V701 Scorpii and HZ Pyxidis which are contact systems. Accurately-determined parameters of 14 stars have been found, including four 0 stars in detached systems. Therefore-the number of stars with well-determined masses of greater than 30M has been increased by 25%. It is clear from this study that case A mass transfer will play and has played an important role in the evolution of five out of the seven systems. It is debatable whether or not the contact systems have passed through a mass transfer phase, particularly RZ Pyx. The evolutionary history of this system is of particular interest, especially if this binary was in a marginal contact configuration when it arrived on the main sequence. Attempts have been made to look for intrinsic variability in these systems but no periodic variation has been found in any of them. If such a phenomenon exists in one of the components of the binaries in the sample then it must have an amplitude of less than 0.01. The comparison of the physical parameters of 67 stars compiled by the author from this work and from published data with theoretical zero-age and terminal-age main sequences shows that traditional modelling of semi-convection without mass loss is not adequate. Convective overshooting and mass loss play a very important role in the evolution of massive close binary systems of short period.

Acquisitions and mergers in Saudi Arabia : reasons and effects

2013-06-14T13:34:30Z

Abstract: The high scale of acquisition and merger's activity has produced great interest among academic and policy makers alike, resulting in the development of a considerable amount of research on the advantages and disadvantages of A&Ms. Previous literature however, focused on the A&Ms' activity in advanced capitalist countries, specifically the USA and UK. Studies of A&Ms in developing countries are rare; this research attempts to fill part of this gap by investigating reasons for and effects of A&Ms in Saudi Arabia. Three main causes are behind the transfers of corporate assets within industry in the Anglo-American nations and some developed countries; managerial, disciplinary and economical. This study, however, suggests that the only group of causes behind A&Ms in S.A., among these three groups, is economical. Recently, the literature described A&Ms' decisions not as comprehensively rational choices but as outcomes of processes governed by several influences. This group of reasons was also tested in this study and gained its support. With regard to A&Ms' effects on firms' profitability as well as on the economic conditions, the research finds that A&Ms in S.A. are expected to improve merging firms' abilities to compete and to improve their profitability. Moreover, favourable effects on economic welfare was accepted. A reasonable step in A&Ms activity is to determine whether there are particular characteristics of A&Ms which are systematically linked to positive or negative effects on the performance. The current research finds that determinants of success could be predictive if analysed with a relationship to the type and cause of A&Ms. This study suggests that the type of A&M (consolidation or acquisition) and causes for A&Ms (synergy or assets stripping) affects the factors of A&Ms' success and failure. These findings were based on a survey of the top 500 Saudi Arabian companies, of whom 124 companies responded to the questionnaire as well as on seven personal interviews with seven executives, who experienced A&Ms before and who answered the questionnaire and accepted to meet the researcher.

An ionothermally prepared S=1/2 vanadium oxyfluoride kagome lattice

2013-06-16T04:31:22Z

Abstract: Frustrated magnetic lattices offer the possibility of many exotic ground states that are of great fundamental importance. Of particular significance is the hunt for frustrated spin-1/2 networks as candidates for quantum spin liquids, which would have exciting and unusual magnetic properties at low temperatures. The few reported candidate materials have all been based on d9 ions. Here, we report the ionothermal synthesis of [NH4]2[C7H14N][V7O6F18], an inorganic-organic hybrid solid that contains a S = 1/2 kagome network of d1 V4+ ions. The compound exhibits a high degree of magnetic frustration, with significant antiferromagnetic interactions but no long-range magnetic order or spin-freezing above 2 K, and appears to be an excellent candidate for realizing a quantum spin liquid ground state in a spin-1/2 kagome network.

Two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in the small Prandtl number limit

2013-06-16T00:34:44Z

Abstract: In this paper we introduce a new method for computations of two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence at low magnetic Prandtl number $\Pra=\nu/\eta$. When $\Pra \ll 1$, the magnetic field dissipates at a scale much larger than the velocity field. The method we utilise is a novel hybrid contour--spectral method, the ``Combined Lagrangian Advection Method'', formally to integrate the equations with zero viscous dissipation. The method is compared with a standard pseudo-spectral method for decreasing $\Pra$ for the problem of decaying two-dimensional MHD turbulence. The method is shown to agree well for a wide range of imposed magnetic field strengths. Examples of problems for which such a method may prove invaluable are also given.

Root traits for infertile soils

2013-06-13T14:31:00Z

Abstract: Crop production is often restricted by the availability of essential mineral elements. For example, the availability of N, P, K, and S limits low-input agriculture, the phytoavailability of Fe, Zn, and Cu limits crop production on alkaline and calcareous soils, and P, Mo, Mg, Ca,and K deficiencies, together with proton, Al and Mn toxicities, limit crop production on acid soils. Since essential mineral elements are acquired by the root system, the development of crop genotypes with root traits increasing their acquisition should increase yields on infertile soils. This paper examines root traits likely to improve the acquisition of these elements and observes that, although the efficient acquisition of a particular element requires a specific set of root traits, suites of traits can be identified that benefit the acquisition of a group of mineral elements. Elements can be divided into three Groups based on common trait requirements. Group 1 comprises N, S, K, B, and P. Group 2 comprises Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, and Ni. Group 3 contains mineral elements that rarely affect crop production. It is argued that breeding for a limited number of distinct root ideotypes,addressing particular combinations of mineral imbalances, should be pursued.

Correct model-to-model transformation for formal verification

2013-06-13T11:25:26Z

Abstract: Modern software systems have increasingly higher expectations on their reliability, in particular if the systems are critical and real-time. The development of these complex software systems requires strong modelling and analysis methods including quantitative modelling and formal verification. Unified Modelling Language (UML) is a widely used and intuitive graphical modelling language to design complex systems, while formal models provide a theoretical support to verify system design models. However, UML models are not sufficient to guarantee correct system designs and formal models, on the other hand, are often restrictive and complex to use. It is believed that a combined approach comprising the advantages of both models can offer better designs for modern complex software development needs. This thesis focuses on the design and development of a rigorous framework based on Model Driven Development (MDD) that facilitates transformations of non-formal models into formal models for design verification. This thesis defines and describes the transformation from UML2 sequence diagrams to coloured Petri nets and proves syntactic and semantic correctness of the transformation. Additionally, we explore ways of adding information (time, probability, and hierarchy) to a design and how it can be added onto extensions of a target model. Correctness results are extended in this context. The approach in this thesis is novel and significant both in how to establish semantic and syntactic correctness of transformations, and how to explore semantic variability in the target model for formal analysis. Hence, the motivation of this thesis establishes: the UML behavioural models can be validated by correct transformation of them into formal models that can be formally analysed and verified.

Development and characterisation of an A-site deficient perovskite as alternative anode material for solid oxide fuel cells

2013-06-13T11:10:54Z

Abstract: The research presented in this thesis is a collection of many different, yet connected, parts that stemmed from the development of a new alternative material intended to be utilised as anode material in solid oxide fuel cells. The main part is the research conducted in the development and characterisation of the novel A-site deficient La₀.2₂Sr₀.₇₋ₓCaₓTiO₃. Calcium introduction resulted in reducing this perovskite unit cell volume which, at the beginning, enhanced its electrical conductivity in reducing conditions. However, the ideal cubic symmetry coud not be maintained, as in the starting material LA₀.₂Sr₀.₇TiO₃, as a result of the increased A-site ionic radius mismatch and two lower symmetries were observed at room temperature. These were the tetragonal I4/mcm for 0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.35 and orthorhombic Pbnm for 0.4 ≤ x ≤ 0.7. Higher temperature NPD data showed that the orthorhombic samples transformed into higher symmetries with Pbnm → I4/mcm → Pm3-m phase transitions. Detailed crystallographic analysis is discussed; where the different unit cells showed changes to the tilts of the BO₆ octahedra, along with distortions to these octahedra. DC conductivity measurements showed a high electrical conductivity of 27.5 S/cm for a pre-reduced composition La₀.₂Sr₀.₂₅Ca₀.₄₅TiO₃ at 900°C and pO₂ = 10⁻¹⁹ atm. This material showed very encouraging features; which makes it a very promising anode material for SOFCs. A study was also done which explores the best renewable energy options for the United Arab Emirates given its local climate and other aspects. The reliance on seawater desalination is argued to by unsustainable for different reasons. Thus, water security should be a main element in the planning process for adopting renewable energy technologies. A system that combines different technologies; with a focus on fuel cells technology; is outlined which is thought of to be a very promising basis for a broader system that will secure power and water in a very environment friendly way. Different compositions of the system La₀.₂Sr₀.₇₋ₓCaₓTiO₃ were also studied using AC impedance spectroscopy in order to establish whether or not this system can show a ferroelectric behaviour. Results showed a variation in the dielectric constant of different samples with temperature; however, no Curie point was observed. Nonetheless, the results did show that the different compositions were very homogeneous when fully oxygenated and there were some indications of possible symmetry changes at sub-ambient temperatures. The final part of this thesis outlined the work done towards the development of a new analytical instrument. An existing TGA instrument was altered in order to provide a simultaneous thermogravimetric analysis and DC conductivity measurement for solid solutions at controlled temperature and oxygen partial pressure. Results were obtained for different samples of the system La₀.₂Sr₀.₇₋ₓCaₓTiO₃ which showed a great dependence of the electrical conductivity on the oxygen stoichiometry in these oxides. Also, a direct method is possible with this instrument to estimate the oxygen chemical diffusion coefficient using the electrical conductivity relaxation method. This new setup will be very useful for different electrochemical and thermal studies which can broaden the understanding of the different mechanisms that affect the performance of different solid state materials.

The structure of galaxies : the division of stellar mass by morphological type and structural component

2013-06-13T10:59:12Z

Abstract: The mechanisms which cause galaxies to form and evolve each leave behind distinct structural markers in their wake. Dynamically hot processes (e.g., monolithic collapse, hierarchical merging) give rise to pressure-supported spheroidal structures, including elliptical galaxies and classical bulges. By contrast, dynamically cold processes (e.g., gas accretion, AGN splashback) lead to flattened rotationally-supported disk-like structures, often found on their own or as part of a spiral galaxy. If left in isolation for a sufficient length of time, secular evolutionary processes cause the formation of a bar-like structure within the disk, precipitating the genesis of a rotationally-supported pseudo-bulge. Robustly measuring galaxy structure enables us to ascertain the relative importance of these competing evolutionary mechanisms and; in so doing, help broaden our understanding of how the Universe around us came to be. This thesis explores the relation between galaxy structure, morphology and stellar mass. In the first part I present single-Sérsic two-dimensional model fits to 167,600 galaxies modelled independently in the ugrizYJHK bandpasses using reprocessed Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release Seven (SDSS DR7) and UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey Large Area Survey (UKIDSS LAS) imaging data available via the Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA) data base. In order to facilitate this study, we developed Structural Investigation of Galaxies via Model Analysis (SIGMA): an automated wrapper around several contemporary astronomy software packages. We confirm that variations in global structural measurements with wavelength arise due to the effects of dust attenuation and stellar population/metallicity gradients within galaxies. In the second part of this thesis we establish a volume-limited sample of 3,845 galaxies in the local Universe and visually classify these galaxies according to their morphological Hubble type. We find that single-Sérsic photometry accurately reproduces the morphology luminosity functions predicted in the literature. We employ multi-component Sérsic profiling to provide bulge-disk decompositions for this sample, allowing for the luminosity and stellar mass to be divided between the key structural components: spheroids and disks. Grouping the stellar mass in these structures by the evolutionary mechanisms that formed them, we find that hot-mode collapse, merger or otherwise turbulent mechanisms account for ~46% of the total stellar mass budget, cold-mode gas accretion and splashback mechanisms account for ~48% of the total stellar mass budget and secular evolutionary processes for ~6.5% of the total stellar mass budget in the local (z<0.06) Universe.

Studies in phosphorus-selenium chemistry

2013-06-13T10:47:05Z

Abstract: Phosphorus-Selenium chemistry has seen a surge in development over the last five to ten years thanks to the optimisation of the synthesis of 2,4-diphenyl-1,3,2,4-diselenadiphosphetane-2,4-diselenide, Woollins’ Reagent. This selenium analogue of the well known Lawesson’s Reagent has proved itself to be a valuable asset to modern inorganic chemistry, providing a route to novel heterocycles, as well as acting as a selenation reagent with a wide range of functional groups. A series of new ammonium phenylphosphonamidodiselenoate ligands were synthesised via the reaction of Woollins’ Reagent with a range of amines. The products were obtained in high yields and could be used as ligands for the synthesis of novel metal complexes. The reaction of diisopropylamine N-isopropyl-P-phenylphosphonamidodiselenoate with nickel(II) acetate produces a dimeric structure, whilst the reaction with copper(II) acetate yields a beautiful cluster of the form Cu₆Se₃L₆. The phenylphosphonamidodiselenoate ligands were further reacted with a range of cis-Pt(PR₃)₂Cl₂ complexes to form a library of 20 novel compounds, which were studied by ³¹P{¹H}, ⁷⁷Se{¹H} and ¹⁹⁵Pt{¹H} NMR spectroscopy. The X-ray crystal structure of one of these compounds was obtained, which confirmed the atom connectivity and spatial arrangement of the complexes and the geometry around the platinum centre. During investigations into the above-mentioned platinum complexes, it was postulated that an increase in steric bulk of the phosphine ligands would aid crystallisation of the products. As such, trimesityl-, dimesitylphenyl- and mesityldiphenyl phosphine were synthesised and reacted with elemental sulfur and selenium and hydrogen peroxide, as well as Pt(cod)Cl₂ and K₂[PtCl₄], yielding nine new structures, all of which were characterised by X-ray crystallography, ³¹P{¹H}, ¹³C{¹H} and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. Finally Woollins’ Reagent was reacted directly with a selection of metal complexes, yielding some new insights into its reactivity with inorganic moieties, which has been relatively sparsely reported until now.

Finiteness conditions for unions of semigroups

2013-06-13T10:30:49Z

Abstract: In this thesis we prove the following: The semigroup which is a disjoint union of two or three copies of a group is a Clifford semigroup, Rees matrix semigroup or a combination between a Rees matrix semigroup and a group. Furthermore, the semigroup which is a disjoint union of finitely many copies of a finitely presented (residually finite) group is finitely presented (residually finite) semigroup. The constructions of the semigroup which is a disjoint union of two copies of the free monogenic semigroup are parallel to the constructions of the semigroup which is a disjoint union of two copies of a group, i.e. such a semigroup is Clifford (strong semilattice of groups) or Rees matrix semigroup. However, the semigroup which is a disjoint union of three copies of the free monogenic semigroup is not just a strong semillatice of semigroups, Rees matrix semigroup or combination between a Rees matrix semigroup and a semigroup, but there are two more semigroups which do not arise from the constructions of the semigroup which is a disjoint union of three copies of a group. We also classify semigroups which are disjoint unions of two or three copies of the free monogenic semigroup. There are three types of semigroups which are unions of two copies of the free monogenic semigroup and nine types of semigroups which are unions of three copies of the free monogenic semigroup. For each type of such semigroups we exhibit a presentation defining semigroups of this type. The semigroup which is a disjoint union of finitely many copies of the free monogenic semigroup is finitely presented, residually finite, hopfian, has soluble word problem and has soluble subsemigroup membership problem.

Coordinatively unsaturated metal organic frameworks for olefin separations

2013-06-13T10:15:51Z

Abstract: The research presented in this thesis aims to assess the capacity of metal organic frameworks with open metal sites for the separation of olefin mixtures. Chapter 1 provides a background to the field, including industrial separation techniques, metal organic frameworks and their applications and the current state-of-the- art for olefin separation. Chapter 3 describes the experimental techniques used in this research. Ethylene and propylene adsorption and desorption isotherms on Ni-CPO-27 and HKUST-1 at a range of temperatures are presented and compared in Chapter 4, and used to calculate isosteric heats of adsorption at varying coverages using the virial method. These pure component isotherms are used in Chapter 5 to predict selectivities for the separation of binary mixtures using ideal adsorbed solution theory. Temperature programmed desorption is used in Chapter 5 to calculate the enthalpy of desorption using Redhead’s method and the heating rate variation method, and the two results are compared. The results presented in Chapters 4 and 5 conclude that propylene/ethylene separation is possible using adsorption onto metal organic frameworks with open metal sites. A new in situ environmental gas cell for single crystal X-ray diffraction is developed in Chapter 6, and the challenges encountered during this development process are discussed. The dehydration of one framework, Co-CPO-27, is studied in detail using the environmental gas cell. A dehydrated structure of HKUST-1, obtained using the gas cell, is presented for the first time. Crystal structures for the complete dehydration-adsorption-delivery cycle for biologically active NO on Co-CPO-27 are presented in Chapter 7, showing the utility of the in situ gas cell for prolonged experiments in multiple different gaseous environments. The crystal structure of NO-loaded Co-CPO-27 improves upon the models suggested in the literature, and the treatment of the dual occupancy of the open metal sites by water and NO is discussed in depth. A crystal structure of CO-loaded Co-CPO-27 is obtained for the first time, and crystal structures of Co-CPO-27 in ethylene and propylene environments are presented.

'Verde di migrazione' : L'estetica perturbante dell'enstrangement ne La mano che non mordi di Ornela Vorpsi

2013-06-13T10:01:01Z

Abstract: Questo articolo analizza la rappresentazione degli effetti dell’alienazione provocati dalla migrazione ne La mano che non mordi di Ornela Vorpsi tramite il legame che essa crea tra frammentazione dell’io e l’incontro con l’estetica. L’arte, nella stessa maniera della soggettività dissociata dalla migrazione, crea un mondo fittizio, e promuove la rimozione della realtà personale – qualcosa che puo’ rivelarsi distruttivo della stabilità psicologica dell’individuo. Nella presente novella, un tale incontro con un’estetica perturbante (eco dell’episodio parallelo nel Ritratto di Dorian Gray di Oscar Wilde) si allinea con l’esperienza del ritorno dei migranti al loro paese d’origine, e crea una schiera di personaggi segnati persino fisicamente dalla perdita della stabilità precedente della loro identità. Description: Special issue: Les mouvements migratoires entre réalité et représentation

Polymer precursors from catalytic reactions of natural oils

2013-06-13T09:57:44Z

Abstract: The bidentate ligand 1,2-bis(ditertbutylphosphinomethyl)benzene has been shown to be a very efficient catalyst for operating the alkoxycarbonylation of alkenes and unsaturated esters and carboxylic acids giving a very high selectivity to the linear product with very few exceptions to this general rule. Due to the increasing prices of petroleum feedstock and petroleum-derived chemicals, the preparation of chemicals starting from renewable resources and waste products from the industry becomes an interesting alternative. Fatty acids and fatty esters, due to the existence of one or more unsaturation in their alkyl chain are subjected to the alkoxycarbonylation reactions in presence of 1,2-bis(ditertbutylphosphinomethyl)benzene, palladium, methane sulfonic acid, carbon monoxide and methanol, yielding diesters with a long carbon chain (up to 19 carbon atoms). The diesters are shown to be readily prepared from unpurified olive, rapeseed or sunflower oils as well as from tall oil. In the last case triesters are also formed. The diesters are subjected to hydrogenation in the presence of 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)ethane, ruthenium and hydrogen, in a mixture of dioxane and water at high temperature, yielding the corresponding diols. The resulting products of the reactions are monomers for preparing polyesters having the potential to replace some existing petroleum-based polymers (for instance polyethylene). The aminocarboxylation reaction in the presence of the same palladium/1,2-bis(ditertbutylphosphinomethyl) benzene catalyst, in the presence of aniline, 2{naphthol and potassium iodide in diethylether, is employed for preparing esteramides, which are subjected to hydrogenation. Aromatic polyamides are prepared by melting together an aromatic diamine and diacids obtained from methoxycarbonylation. Finally, N-Heterocyclic Carbene (NHC) ligands are employed for preparing new palladium complexes which are used in the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction in a water/isopropanol mixture. Other complexes based on copper are employed for developing an inexpensive transmetallation reaction for transferring a NHC ligand from copper to palladium and gold.

Overcoming the minority rights paradox : a new approach to intercultural deliberation

2013-06-13T09:44:49Z

Abstract: The minority rights paradox is articulated at the level of political theory, is deployed by liberal democratic institutions, and can be observed in the political discourse of mass communications. Minority groups, it is argued, are paradoxically claiming purported rights that are unsupported by the values upon which the claimants base their claim. On the one hand, minority claims are made on the basis of rights secured by a liberal democracy; on the other hand, the claims undermine the legitimacy of liberal reasoning—the same reasoning that legitimizes the rights on which the claims are made. The self-referential implications of this paradox are as follows: Either the minority claim negates its own justification or the underlying justification renders the claim moot. In either case, the charge of paradox effectively puts an end to the conversation by dismissing minority rights claims before they are properly understood. My aim is to first, come to terms with political dialogues in which the charge of paradox occurs and second, to overcome the stultifying effects of the minority rights paradox through a deliberative approach to negotiating the concept and content of minority rights claims. Evaluating the claims of minorities, I will argue, requires a dialogue that can adapt to the participants in the dialogue—an inclusive deliberative process that gives formal, procedural and substantive recognition to the worldviews of minority cultures in political decision-making.

Ultrashort laser pulse shaping for novel light fields and experimental biophysics

2013-06-13T09:30:01Z

Abstract: Broadband spectral content is required to support ultrashort pulses. However this broadband content is subject to dispersion and hence the pulse duration of corresponding ultrashort pulses may be stretched accordingly. I used a commercially-available adaptive ultrashort pulse shaper featuring multiphoton intrapulse interference phase scan technology to characterise and compensate for the dispersion of the optical system in situ and conducted experimental and theoretical studies in various inter-linked topics relating to the light-matter interaction. Firstly, I examined the role of broadband ultrashort pulses in novel light-matter interacting systems involving optically co-trapped particle systems in which inter-particle light scattering occurs between optically-bound particles. Secondly, I delivered dispersion-compensated broadband ultrashort pulses in a dispersive microscope system to investigate the role of pulse duration in a biological light-matter interaction involving laser-induced cell membrane permeabilisation through linear and nonlinear optical absorption. Finally, I examined some of the propagation characteristics of broadband ultrashort pulse propagation using a computer-controlled spatial light modulator. The propagation characteristics of ultrashort pulses is of paramount importance for defining the light-matter interaction in systems. The ability to control ultrashort pulse propagation by using adaptive dispersion compensation enables chirp-free ultrashort pulses to be used in experiments requiring the shortest possible pulses for a specified spectral bandwidth. Ultrashort pulsed beams may be configured to provide high peak intensities over long propagation lengths, for example, using novel beam shapes such as Bessel-type beams, which has applications in biological light-matter interactions including phototransfection based on laser-induced cell membrane permeabilisation. The need for precise positioning of the beam focus on the cell membrane becomes less strenuous by virtue of the spatial properties of the Bessel beam. Dispersion compensation can be used to control the temporal properties of ultrashort pulses thus permitting, for example, a high peak intensity to be maintained along the length of a Bessel beam, thereby reducing the pulse energy required to permeabilise the cell membrane and potentially reduce damage therein.

Essays on housing and monetary policy

2013-06-13T09:07:48Z

Abstract: This thesis, motivated by my reflections about the failings of monetary policy implementation as a cause of the sub-prime crisis, attempts to answer the following inquiries: (i) whether interest rates have played a major role in generating the house price fluctuations in the U.S., (ii) what are the effects of accommodative monetary policy on the economy given banks' excessive risk-taking, and (iii) whether an optimal monetary policy rule can be found for curbing credit-driven economic volatilities in the model economy with unconventional transmission channels operating. By using a decomposition technique and regression analysis, it can be shown that short-term interest rates exert the most potent influence on the evolution of the volatile components of housing prices. One possible explanation for this is that low policy rates for a prolonged period tend to encourage bankers to take on more risk in lending. This transmission channel, labelled as the risk-taking channel, accounts for the gap to some extent between the forecast and the actual impact of monetary policy on the housing market and the overall economy. A looser monetary policy stance can also shift the preference of economic agents toward housing as theoretically and empirically corroborated in the context of choice between durable and nondurable goods. This transmission route is termed the preference channel. If these two channels are operative in the economy, policy makers need to react aggressively to rapid credit growth in order to stabilize the paths of housing prices and output. These findings provide meaningful implications for monetary policy implementation. First of all, central bankers should strive to identify in a timely fashion newly emerging and state-dependent transmission channels of monetary policy, and accurately assess the impact of policy decisions transmitted through these channels. Secondly, the intervention of central banks in the credit or housing market by adjusting policy rates can be optimal, relative to inaction, in circumstances where banks' risk-taking and the preference for housing are overly exuberant.

Distance measurements using pulsed EPR : noncovalently bound nitroxide and trityl spin labels

2013-06-13T08:52:43Z

Abstract: The function of biomacromolecules is controlled by their structure and conformational flexibility. Investigating the structure of biologically important macromolecules can, therefore, yield information that could explain their complex biological function. In addition to X ray crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods, pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) methods, in particular the pulsed electron electron double resonance (PELDOR) technique has, during the last decade, become a valuable tool for structural determination of macromolecules. Long range distance constraints obtained from pulsed EPR measurements, make it possible to carry out structural refinements on structures from NMR and X ray methods. In addition, EPR yields distance distributions that give information about structural flexibility. The use of EPR for structural studies of biomacromolecules requires in most cases site specific incorporation of paramagnetic centres known as spin labelling. To date, spin labelling nucleic acids has required complex spin labelling chemistry. The first application of a site directed and noncovalent spin labelling method for distance measurements on DNA is described. It is demonstrated that noncovalent spin labelling with a rigid spin label can afford detailed information on internal DNA dynamics using PELDOR. Furthermore, it is shown that noncovalent spin labelling can be used to study DNA protein complexes. PELDOR can also yield information about spin label orientation. Therefore, spin labels with limited flexibility can be used to measure the relative orientation of the spin labelled sites. Although information on orientation can be obtained from 9.7 GHz PELDOR measurements in selected applications, measurements at 97 GHz or higher, increases orientation selection. It is shown that PELDOR measurements on semi rigid and rigid nitroxide biradicals using a home built high power 97 GHz EPR spectrometer (Hiper) and model based simulations yield quantitative information on spin label orientations and dynamics. The most widely used spin labels for EPR studies on biomacromolecules are the aminoxyl (nitroxide) radicals. The major drawbacks of nitroxide spin labels include low sensitivity for distance measurements, fast spin spin relaxation in solution and limited stability in reducing environments. Carbon centered triarylmethyl (trityl) radicals have properties that could eliminate some of the limitations of nitroxide spin labels. To evaluate the use of trityl spin labels for nanometer distance measurements, models systems with trityl and nitroxide spin labels were measured using PELDOR and Double Quantum Coherence (DQC). This study shows that trityl spin labels yield reliable information on interlabel distances and dynamics, establishing the trityl radical as a viable spin label for structural studies on biomacromolecules.

On Wittgenstein's notion of the objectivity of mathematical proofs

2013-06-13T08:34:27Z

Abstract: This work analyses and defends Wittgenstein's definition of mathematical objectivity, looking particularly at his account of mathematical proofs, of what makes them normative, and what role mathematical and linguistic practices play in their establishment. It aims to provide a clearer view of Wittgenstein's idea that the objectivity of proofs is inextricably rooted in empirical regularities, detected within what he calls our 'form of life', and which are in turn constituted by both regularities in nature and regularities in human practices. To accomplish this, the thesis makes an exhaustive analysis of Wittgenstein distinction between proofs and experiments. Drawing from Wittgenstein's philosophy of language, this paper addresses important criticisms that have hindered a serious study of his remarks on mathematics, and vindicates his arguments as cogent, solid accounts of mathematical necessity and practice. This exploration will show that mathematical proofs do not have to be regarded as tools for the discovery of mathematical truths, of any sort, that depict mathematical facts, but can be correctly characterised as norms that produce new understanding, forming new concepts to deal with reality, and which ultimately affect the very limits of intelligibility, of what we can think, express and do. Thus, a philosophically relevant link between mathematical proofs and possibilities of action is set.

Investigating the molecular basis of adaptation and speciation in divergent populations

2013-06-13T08:18:37Z

Abstract: The creation of biodiversity involves the evolution of new species. Recent trends in the study of speciation have increased the emphasis on the role of ecology in adaptation and the evolution of reproductive isolation. This includes examining the relative contributions of different types of selection, the role of gene flow and the genomic changes that occur during ecological speciation. The search for speciation genes continues, however our growing knowledge of how the genome translates into phenotypes means we should now consider a broader molecular basis of speciation, which includes genetic, transcriptomic and potentially epigenetic variation that contribute to phenotypic variation. This thesis addresses the molecular basis of speciation by using three different complementary methods to examine the early stages of ecological speciation and the evolution of premating reproductive isolation between two incipient species of the cactophilic fly, Drosophila mojavensis. First, the genetic basis was examined through the sequencing of two candidate genes underlying reproductive isolation (Chapter 2). Second, the historical biogeography of population divergence was uncovered using multiple sequenced loci (Chapter 3). Lastly, gene expression across the whole transcriptome associated with phenotypic plasticity and mating success was assessed (Chapter 4). Further, the role of epigenetic imprinting in the population divergence of a freshwater fish, Girardinichthys multiradiatus, was examined through sequencing of a well known gene involved in sexual conflict (Chapter 5). These studies find that uncovering the genetic variation underlying speciation is difficult, especially when there is extensive phenotypic plasticity. Further, gene expression plasticity may play an important role in the evolution of premating isolation, and this includes a role for epigenetic mechanisms of gene expression. Additionally, it is important to assess the demographic scenario of population divergence to put into context the ecological and functional data on divergent groups. Through these studies this thesis examines the genetic, expression and epigenetic variation associated with on-going population divergence, and emphasises the need to consider the potential role of the full range of gene expression changes during ecological speciation.

Propositions : an essay on linguistic content

2013-06-12T15:51:36Z

Abstract: This thesis presents an account of the nature of structured propositions and addresses a series of questions that arise from that proposal. Chapter 1 presents the account and explains how it meets standard objections to such views. Chapter 2 responds to the objection that this version of propositionalism is really a form of sententialism by arguing for the distinct advantages of the propositionalist view. Chapter 3 argues against a closely related view of propositions by way of general principles about how to construct such theories. Chapter 4 illustrates how a theory of propositions of the sort proposed can be defended against a recent argument that propositions need not play a central role in linguistic theory.

Controversies of conversions : the potential terrorist threat of European converts to Islam

2013-06-12T15:37:57Z

Abstract: The conventional wisdom regarding European converts to Islam is based on the premise that the majority lack the necessary religious knowledge and being thus unable to discern between the various interpretations of Islam, they constitute easy prey for radicals. Moreover, the myth of “convert’s zeal” contributes to the belief that being ready to prove their dedication to the new faith and community, converts are ready and willing do to everything, including the most atrocious acts of political violence. This thesis focuses on the question that asks: Under what conditions do converts to Islam coming from indigenous European societies radicalise? In other words, which factors determine both their non-violent (ideological) and violent (with subsequent engagement in terrorism) radicalisation? Consequently, the research aims to examine what the radicalisation mechanisms are that may lead to such an activity, to determine possible regularities and to analyse viable implications pertaining to countering them. The research aims to establish the conditions under which conversion leads to radicalisation and terrorist violence; analyse recrudescent concomitances of causal mechanisms of this phenomenon; explore possible pathways existing between conversion, radicalisation and terrorist violence; identify key variables pertaining to causal pathways and processes; provide hypotheses regarding the radicalisation pathways, and establish a typology that can serve as a basis for further studies. In this way the thesis contributes to the existing body of knowledge on the processes of radicalisation, establishing a base for further studies and enabling others to follow with more nuanced and elaborate theories in order to provide contingent recommendations for policy makers. By dispelling many stereotypes concerning European New Muslims this thesis offers a new, contextual approach to the researched question thus inviting the reader to reconsider the concepts of “convert”, “radicalisation” and “potential”- crucial for analysing the widely expressed assumptions that European converts to Islam are a homogenous “risk group” and a security threat.

Defining art culturally : modern theories of art - a synthesis

2013-06-12T15:22:05Z

Abstract: Numerous theories have attempted to overcome the anti-essentialist scepticism about the possibility of defining art. While significant advances have been made in this field, it seems that most modern definitions fail to successfully address the issue of the ever-changing nature of art raised by Morris Weitz, and rarely even attempt to provide an account which would be valid in more than just the modern Western context. This thesis looks at the most successful definitions currently defended, determines their strengths and weaknesses, and offers a new, cultural definition which can preserve the good elements of other theories, solve or avoid their problems, and have a scope wide enough to account for art of different times and cultures. The resulting theory is a synthetic one in that it preserves the essential institutionalism of Dickie's institutional views, is inspired by the historical and functional determination of artistic phenomena present in Levinson's historicism and Beardsley's functionalism, and presents the reasons for something becoming art in a disjunctive form of Gaut's cluster account. Its strengths lie in the ability to account for the changing art-status of objects in various cultures and at various times, providing an explanation of not only what is or was art, but also how and why the concept 'art' changes historically and differs between cultures, and successfully balancing between the over-generalisations of ahistorical and universalist views, and the uninformativeness of relativism. More broadly, the cultural theory stresses the importance of treating art as a historical phenomenon embedded in particular social and cultural settings, and encourages cooperation with other disciplines such as anthropology and history of art.

Female putty-nosed monkeys use experimentally altered contextual information to disambiguate the cause of male alarm calls

2013-06-12T15:01:01Z

Abstract: Many animal vocal signals are given in a wide range of contexts which can sometimes have little in common. Yet, to respond adaptively, listeners must find ways to identify the cause of a signal, or at least rule out alternatives. Here, we investigate the nature of this process in putty-nosed monkeys, a forest primate. In this species, adult males have a very restricted repertoire of vocalizations which are given in response to a wide variety of events occurring under conditions of limited visibility. We carried out a series of field playback experiments on females (N = 6) in a habituated group in Gashaka Gumti National Park, Nigeria, in which male alarm/loud calls were presented either alone, or following acoustic information that simulated the occurrence of natural disturbances. We demonstrate that listeners appear to integrate contextual information in order to distinguish among possible causes of calls. We conclude that, in many cases, pragmatic aspects of communication play a crucial role in call interpretation and place a premium on listeners' abilities to integrate information from different sources.

Silicon nanocavity light emitters at 1.3-1.5 µm wavelength

2013-06-12T15:06:50Z

Abstract: Silicon Photonics has been a major success story in the last decade, with many photonic devices having been successfully demonstrated. The only missing component is the light source, however, as making an efficient light source in silicon is challenging due to the material’s indirect bandgap. The development of a silicon light source would enable us to make an all-silicon chip, which would find many practical applications. The most notable among these applications are on-chip communications and sensing applications. In this PhD project, I have worked on enhancing silicon light emission by combining material processing and device engineering methods. Regarding materials processing, the emission level was increased by taking three routes. In all the three cases the emission was further enhanced by coupling it with a photonic crystal (PhC) cavity via Purcell effect. The three different approaches taken in this PhD project are listed below. 1. The first approach involves incorporation of optically active defects into the silicon lattice by hydrogen plasma treatment or ion implantation. This process results in broad luminescence bands centered at 1300 and 1500 nm. By coupling these emission bands with the photonic crystal cavity, I was able to demonstrate a narrowband silicon light emitting diode at room temperature. This silicon nano light emitting diode has a tunable emission line in the 1300-1600 nm range. 2. In the second approach, a narrow emission line at 1.28µm was created by carbon ion implantation, termed “G-line” emission. The possibility of enhancing the emission intensity of this line via the Purcell effect was investigated, but only with limited success. Different proposals for future work are presented in this regard. 3. The third approach is deposition of a thin film of an erbium disilicate on top of a PhC cavity. The erbium emission is enhanced by the PhC cavity. Using this method, an optically pumped light source emitting at 1.54 µm and operating at room temperature is demonstrated. A practical application of silicon light source developed in this project in gas sensing is also demonstrated. As a first step, I show refractive index sensing, which is a simple application for our source and demonstrates its capabilities, especially relating to the lack of fiber coupling schemes. I also discuss several proposals for extending applications into on-chip biological sensing.

Multinuclear solid-state NMR for the characterisation of inorganic materials

2013-06-12T14:53:45Z

Abstract: In this work, multinuclear solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is used to investigate a range of inorganic materials, often in combination with DFT (density functional theory) studies. Solid-state NMR is particularly suited to the study of aluminophosphates (AlPOs), as the basic components of their frameworks have NMR active isotopes (²⁷Al, ³¹P, ¹⁷O), as do many of the atoms that comprise the structure directing agent (¹³C, ¹H, ¹⁵N), and the charge-balancing anions (OH⁻, F⁻). A study of the AlPO STA-15 (St Andrews microporous solid-15) provides an introduction to using solid-state NMR spectroscopy to investigate AlPOs. More in-depth studies of AlPO STA-2 (St Andrews microporous solid-2) and MgAPO STA-2 (magnesium-substituted AlPO) examine charge-balancing mechanisms in AlPO-based materials. A range of scandium carboxylate metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), with rigid and flexible frameworks, have been characterised by multinuclear solid-state NMR spectroscopy (⁴⁵Sc, ¹³C and ¹H). The materials studied contain a variety of metal units and organic linkers. ¹³C and ¹H magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR were used to study the organic linker molecules and ⁴⁵Sc MAS NMR was used to study the scandium environment in the MOFs Sc₂BDC₃ (BDC = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate), MIL-53(Sc), MIL-88(Sc), MIL-100(Sc) and Sc-ABTC (ABTC = 3,3`,5,5`-azobenzenetetracarboxylate). Functionalised derivatives of Sc₂BDC₃ and MIL-53(Sc) were also studied. The ⁴⁵Sc MAS NMR spectra are found to be strongly dependant on the Sc³⁺ coordination environment. ²⁷Al and ²⁵Mg MAS NMR have been used to study Ti-bearing hibonite samples (of general formula Ca(Al, Ti, Mg)₁₂O₁₉), and results compared to a recent complementary neutron powder diffraction study, in order to investigate the substitution sites for Ti³⁺/⁴⁺ and Mg²⁺. A DFT investigation was also carried out on the aluminium end member, CaAl₁₂O₁₉, due to debate in the literature on the ²⁷Al NMR parameters for the trigonal-bipyramidal site. The substitution of Mg onto the tetrahedral site (M3) and Ti primarily onto one of the octahedral sites (M4) is supported.

Adventures in applying iteration lemmas

2013-06-12T14:39:27Z

Abstract: The word problem of a finitely generated group is commonly defined to be a formal language over a finite generating set. The class of finite groups has been characterised as the class of finitely generated groups that have word problem decidable by a finite state automaton. We give a natural generalisation of the notion of word problem from finitely generated groups to finitely generated semigroups by considering relations of strings. We characterise the class of finite semigroups by the class of finitely generated semigroups whose word problem is decidable by finite state automata. We then examine the class of semigroups with word problem decidable by asynchronous two tape finite state automata. Algebraic properties of semigroups in this class are considered, towards an algebraic characterisation. We take the next natural step to further extend the classes of semigroups under consideration to semigroups that have word problem decidable by a finite collection of asynchronous automata working independently. A central tool used in the derivation of structural results are so-called iteration lemmas. We define a hierarchy of the considered classes of semigroups and connect our original results with previous research.

Novel chiral wide bite angle ligands for asymmetric catalysis

2013-06-12T10:16:46Z

Abstract: Achiral wide bite angle ligands have been shown to be highly active and to induce excellent chemo- and regioselectivities in many homogeneously catalyzed reactions. However, only a few examples of chiral wide bite angle ligands are known so far. A diphenyl ether backbone was selected to allow maximum synthetic versatility and potential for a modular approach to design and synthesize such chiral diphosphorus ligands. Three synthetic strategies have been explored in this thesis: i) introduction of chiral substituents in the ligand backbone, ii) the use of P-stereogenic donor atoms and iii) the synthesis of chiral mixed-donor ligands bearing chiral auxiliary groups on the phosphorus atoms. Functionalization of the 3,3’-positions of 2,2’-bis(diphenylphosphino)diphenyl ether by carboxylic acid or ether auxiliaries was achieved via straightforward four-step routes to generate a library of ligands that were tested in various catalytic reactions. In the Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation of l,3-diphenyl-2-propenyl acetate and cyclohexyl-2-enyl acetate with dimethyl malonate the enantioselectivity was found to depend on the size of the chiral auxiliary introduced within the diphenyl ether backbone and its proximity to the phosphorus donor groups and hence to the active metal centre. Two types of mixed donor bidentate diphosphorus ligands based on the diphenylether backbone have been established, i.e. phosphine-phosphite and phosphine-phosphonite derivatives. A small ligand library bearing different chiral auxiliaries was accomplished via straightforward syntheses that enable derivatization of the respective phosphite and phosphonite moieties in the final step. In the Rh-catalysed hydrogenation of several benchmark substrates high conversion and moderate to high enantioselectivities (up to 97% for dimethyl itaconate) were obtained. The enantioselectivity was influenced by the size of the ortho-substituent on the chiral auxiliary group of the phosphite or phosphonite fragment. Two modular synthetic approaches for the preparation of novel wide bite angle diphosphine ligands containing stereogenic P-atoms have been developed. Both protocols involved diphenylether as backbone and the chiral ephedrine based precursor (2R[subscript(P)],4S[subscript(C)],5R[subscript(C)])-oxazaphospholidine borane as initial auxiliary to induce chirality at phosphorus. Various novel diphosphines were isolated as highly enantioenriched compounds with dr-ratios up to 95:5.

On energetics and inertial range scaling laws of two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic turbulence

2013-06-11T23:31:04Z

Abstract: We study two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic turbulence, with an emphasis on its energetics and inertial range scaling laws. A detailed spectral analysis shows that dynamo triads (those converting kinetic into magnetic energy) are associated with a direct magnetic energy flux while anti-dynamo triads (those converting magnetic into kinetic energy) are associated with an inverse magnetic energy flux. As both dynamo and anti-dynamo interacting triads are integral parts of the direct energy transfer, the anti-dynamo inverse flux partially neutralizes the dynamo direct flux, arguably resulting in relatively weak direct energy transfer and giving rise to dynamo saturation. This result is consistent with a qualitative prediction of energy transfer reduction owing to Alfv\'en wave effects by the Iroshnikov--Kraichnan theory (which was originally formulated for magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in three dimensions). We numerically confirm the correlation between dynamo action and direct magnetic energy flux and investigate the applicability of quantitative aspects of the Iroshnikov--Kraichnan theory to the present case, particularly its predictions of energy equipartition and $k^{-3/2}$ spectra in the energy inertial range. It is found that for turbulence satisfying the Kraichnan condition of magnetic energy at large scales exceeding total energy in the inertial range, the kinetic energy spectrum, which is significantly shallower than $k^{-3/2}$, is shallower than its magnetic counterpart. This result suggests no energy equipartition. The total energy spectrum appears to depend on the energy composition of the turbulence but is clearly shallower than $k^{-3/2}$ for $r\approx2$, even at moderate resolutions. Here $r\approx2$ is the magnetic-to-kinetic energy ratio during the stage when the turbulence can be considered fully developed. The implication of the present findings is discussed in conjunction with further numerical results on the dependence of the energy dissipation rate on resolution. Description: L. Blackbourn was supported by an EPSRC post-graduate studentship.

Understanding : moral evaluation and the ethics of imagining

2013-06-11T15:48:25Z

Abstract: Analytic ethics often neglects the exploration and appreciation of morality as it is actually practised on a day-to-day basis. But by looking at how, in a practical sense, we are able to interact with others in a morally appropriate way we can construct a compelling picture of what some of our most pervasive obligations are. This thesis takes such an approach through the concept of understanding – understanding essentially taken here to involve those processes involved in detecting and correctly responding to beings typically possessing inherent moral significance. In the first two chapters ‘understanding’ and the understanding approach are themselves explicated, and placed in the context of several other related approaches in the English-speaking tradition – Adam Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments, Nel Noddings’ ethics of care and Richard Hare’s preference utilitarianism. This approach is then used to provide us with an alternative idea about what our moral reasoning suggests to be of fundamental ethical significance, and of what kinds of activity morality recommends to us. The activity explored in most detail here is that of engaging with fiction – or more broadly, fictive imaginings. While understanding shows us that fictional characters and events themselves cannot have an inherent moral valence or significance, it also shows us when and how it is possible and appropriate to ethically assess fictive engagement, be it as creator or consumer. This is seen after exploring how and in what ways our moral understanding can be appropriately applied to and exercised by fictions at all, and why fiction should be of particular interest to the understanding agent, looking at the work of Martha Nussbaum, Jenefer Robinson, Peter Lamarque and others on aesthetic cognitivism. Ultimately this leads us to discern a minimal ethical constraint on our interpretation of fiction and art in general, further proving understanding’s usefulness.

Ethnic inequalities in social mobility at the neighbourhood scale : evidence from the Office for National Statistics Longitudinal Study in England

2013-06-11T11:41:16Z

Abstract: Compared to their White peers, ethnic minorities in England are often at higher risk of becoming unemployed, unable to find employment, and more likely to experience downward, rather than upward social mobility. Qualifications, gender, age, marital status and migrant generation all play a role; but do not explain these ethnic inequalities, or ethnic penalties. Despite ethnic minorities being more likely to live in deprived neighbourhoods than Whites, research on ethnic inequalities in social mobility has rarely taken account of the role of context. Neighbourhood deprivation may reduce life-chances for various reasons, and the concentration of ethnic minorities into deprived neighbourhoods may have additional influences for social mobility: some positive, but also some negative. In this thesis, I ask: does neighbourhood deprivation and ethnic composition explain the ethnic inequalities in social mobility? Using a longitudinal analysis of the Office for National Statistics Longitudinal Study, I tracked the intragenerational social mobility of people living in urban areas of England between 1991 and 2001. Binary and multinomial logit regression models were fit with ethnicity as an independent variable to explore statistical differences between groups, and also for the White, Indian and Black Caribbean groups separately. My research shows that after controlling for education, couple status, and a number of other important characteristics, geography does play a role in life-chances; but does not fully explain the ethnic inequalities in social mobility. People in more deprived neighbourhoods tended to fare worse in all economic outcomes: more at risk of unemployment; less likely to find employment; more at risk of downward social class mobility; less likely to experience upward social class mobility. However, these results were statistically significant only among White people, with less consistent associations for ethnic minorities. Ethnic diversity had a positive influence upon outcomes (e.g. upward social class mobility), but only among White people. Positive outcomes were also more common among people living in the south of England. Place of birth was less important for social mobility. For policymakers attempting to reduce the geographical inequalities of deprivation and affluence, dissolving residential concentrations of minorities alone is unlikely to reduce the gap in life chances between Whites and ethnic minorities. No evidence was found to support the pejorative stereotyping of so-called ‘ethnically segregated’ neighbourhoods, which are some of the most diverse in England and, on balance, appear to improve the life chances of White people.

God, artist and material : toward an ethical paradigm for artistic creativity

2013-06-11T11:07:01Z

Abstract: The central argument running through this project is that, if re-imagined in light of a Christian theology of creation, comparisons between divine and human creativity provide a valuable ethical paradigm because of the structure they provide for thinking about and engaging in creative practices. Because there is not enough space to do justice to the full gamut of the human experience of creativity, I have chosen to narrowly focus on comparisons between divine and artistic creativity. Very specifically, this project is concerned to show that comparing the artist’s relation to her materials to God’s relation to the cosmos as a whole can envision the artist as respectfully transforming her materials. In part one, I present negative and positive arguments for the use of comparisons between divine and artistic creativity as ethical paradigms in a theology of art. I then suggest that the theological term ‘kenosis’ might serve as the focus of such an ethical paradigm, and that those who describe divine creativity as kenotic are helpful dialogue partners for the development of a comparison between divine and artistic creativity. The heart of this project is part two, in which I consider three different types of comparisons. By ‘type of comparison,’ I refer to the comparisons’ central content. The three types considered are: the modern concept of genius, the incarnation as revelation and the incarnation as redemption. I argue that the latter type provides the best ethical paradigm for encouraging artists to respectfully transform their materials. In Part three, I assess the comparison between artistic creativity and the incarnation as redemption according to its anthropological and theological costs. Turning to recent formulations of divine kenotic creativity, I develop a comparison between divine and human creativity that includes vulnerability and risk.

Microphytobenthic diversity and function in estuarine soft sediment

2013-06-11T10:48:02Z

Abstract: Corophium volutator (Pallas) fit the criteria of ‘ecosystem engineers’ as defined by Jones and colleagues (1994, 1997): they are widely distributed within and across North Atlantic estuaries, are often present in intertidal soft sediment in vast numbers, and build semi-permanent burrows in the sediment matrix, which they irrigate continuously. Previous studies have demonstrated that C. volutator burrowing and feeding not only modifies the sediment biogeochemistry but can also modify the overlying water biogeochemistry (during immersion). C. volutator activities have also been shown to be detrimental to microphytobenthic (MPB) biofilms in the immediate vicinity of the burrows. As MPB are the stabilizing force in the estuary, the decimation of biofilm destabilizes the habitat for all the organisms colonising it. However, several aspects of C. volutator ecology remain unclear. First, previous studies on the effect of C. volutator on local (within burrow proximity) MPB diversity have not presented a clear signal as to whether they increase or decrease biodiversity or established whether there is preferential survival amongst MPB taxa with certain cell shapes and sizes or lifestyles. Second, as it has been established that C. volutator have the potential to change the water column, it is possible for them to effect MPB populations remotely (outwith burrow proximity). It is therefore of interest to determine the effects they have, whether such an effect can be achieved within a tidal period, and whether these effects can change MPB biomass, behaviour or diversity over time. A series of controlled mesocosm experiments were carried out to quantify those effects of C. volutator on the water column which were likely to impact MPB survival, to determine whether those effects were specific to C. volutator or common to deposit‐feeding bioturbators, to determine to what degree they could be achieved within a single immersion period, and to separate the effects of C. volutator on MPB bulk (chlorophyll-a in top 5 mm) and photosynthesizing (fluorescing) biomass and diversity both ‘locally’ and ‘remotely’. The results of the first 3 experiments consistently showed that C. volutator substantially increased the resuspension of sediment to the overlying water column and that the resulting turbidity could reduce lightpenetration to the sediment by as much as 50% within one immersion period. Results of nutrient fluxes were less consistent and clear within and between experiments but there was some suggestion that increased bioirrigation increased inorganic nitrogen flux to the overlying water column in accordance with previous studies. The effects of C. volutator on local and remote MPB biomass (bulk and surface) and diversity varied between experiments but, broadly speaking: (1) bulk biomass was unaffected, reduced locally, or increased remotely; (2) surface biomass was reduced both locally and remotely; and (3) community diversity (Simpson’s diversity index) was consistently unaffected, both locally and remotely. Because increased water column turbidity is the most distinctive calling card of C. volutator but is only likely to affect the photosynthetically active (surface) MPB biomass during immersion, a controlled laboratory experiment was designed to examine the extent to which turbidity could influence MPB migratory behaviour and photosynthetic activity. MPB bulk migration was shown to be driven by sitespecific, entrained rhythms of light availability and spatial variation in light availability only drove micro‐cycling in the photic zone during the immersion period. So, in the absence of C. volutator, or any other turbidity producing phenomenon (deep water columns, high flow rates, physical disturbance, etc.), MPB will remain at the surface to photosynthesize during immersion and the productivity during this period is determined by total light intensity and exposure hours (or ‘light dose’). Therefore, the proximity and size of C. volutator populations to a site is likely to be influential in determining local productivity patterns of MPB. In addition, differences in MPB assemblage composition were shown to influence the biofilm productivity but what drives changes in MPB assemblage composition is still unclear and requires further investigation.

Synthesis of the originally proposed structure of palmerolide C

2013-06-11T10:23:55Z

Abstract: The palmerolides are an emerging class of polyketide natural products isolated from marine organisms inhabiting the Antarctic Sea. Although there has been a substantial effort to prepare the most active family member palmerolide A, no synthetic work has been performed in the area of the other members of the family; palmerolides B and C of different ring structure. These compounds are particularly interesting due to their complex structures with undefined stereochemistry and both display high selectivity towards human melanoma cancer cell lines. A highly convergent strategy to access palmerolide C has been developed, relying on the assembly of three fragments using key bond couplings at C6-C7 (boron-mediated aldol reaction/dehydration) and C14-C15 (Julia-Kocienski olefination), followed by a suitable macrolactonisation step and Buchwald enamide formation. Prior to subunit synthesis, the relative configuration of the C8-C10 stereotriad was resolved via the synthesis of diastereomeric degradation fragments by the application of organocatalytic cross aldol reactions and a suitable 1,3-selective reduction.

Mammalian upstream Hippo signalling pathway proteins activate core pathway kinases and functionally antagonize oncogenic YAP

2013-06-11T10:26:32Z

Abstract: The mechanism of body and organ size control is an unsolved puzzle. Initially characterized in Drosophila melanogaster, the Salvador/Warts/Hippo (Hippo) signalling pathway, highly conserved throughout evolution, defines a novel signalling cascade regulating cell contact inhibition, organ size control, cell growth, proliferation, apoptosis, and cancer development in mammals. The upstream regulation of this pathway has been less well defined than the core kinase cassette. Previously Willin/FRMD6 has been proposed as the human orthologue of Expanded and, to date, little is known about the functional role of Willin in mammalian cells. My study elucidated the mechanism by which Willin antagonizes the transcriptional co-activator YAP. In MCF10A cells, Willin ectopic expression antagonizes YAP-induced epithelial-mesenchymal phenotypes via YAP Ser127 phosphorylation site. Loss of Willin expression attenuates MST1/2, LATS1, and YAP phosphorylation promoting YAP’s oncogenic transformation activity in vitro, as analysed by its ability to display epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) features. These biological outputs are YAP dependent. These data support the involvement of Willin in the regulation of the mammalian Hippo signalling activity by activating the core Hippo pathway kinase cassette. KIBRA has been shown to function as an upstream member of the Hippo pathway by influencing the phosphorylation of LATS and YAP, but the functional consequences of these biochemical changes have not been previously addressed. I showed that in MCF10A cells, loss of KIBRA expression displays EMT features, which are concomitant with decreased LATS and YAP phosphorylation, but not MST1/2. In addition, ectopic KIBRA expression antagonizes YAP via the Ser 127 phosphorylation site and I showed that KIBRA, Willin and Merlin differentially regulate genes controlled by YAP. Willin/FRMD6 was first identified in rat sciatic nerve, which is composed of Schwann cells and fibroblasts. To elucidate the function of Willin in the mammalian sciatic nerve, I showed that Willin is predominantly expressed in fibroblasts and that its expression activates the Hippo signalling cascade and induces YAP translocation from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. In addition within these cells, although it inhibits cellular proliferation, Willin expression induces a quicker directional migration towards scratch closure and an increased expression of factors linked to nerve regeneration. These evidence show that Willin modulates sciatic nerve fibroblast activity, indicating that Willin may have a potential role in the regeneration of the peripheral nervous system.

Maternal effects on oocyte quality in farmed Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus L.)

2013-06-11T08:38:05Z

Abstract: Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) oocyte quality is highly variable and one of the major bottlenecks during fry-production for on-growth in commercial Atlantic halibut farming. In this study, the effect of maternally derived oocyte constituents (i.e. yolk components and mRNAs) on oocyte quality (i.e fertilisation, embryonic hatching and normal blastomere symmetry) in farmed Atlantic halibut has been investigated. Atlantic halibut embryos and larvae depend on nutritional yolk components until larval first feeding. The importance of yolk n-3 fatty acids for oocyte quality was confirmed. However, highest positive correlations with oocyte quality were found for the less studied fatty acids dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA, 20:3n6) and docosapentaenoic acid (DHA, 20:5n3) that are known to compete with two of the most abundant fatty acids, arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4n6)and docosahexaenoic acid (DPA, 22:5n3), respectively during fatty acid metabolism. High methionine and aspartic concentrations, amino acids essential to eukaryotic protein synthesis, were found to influence oocyte quality positively while no significant correlations were found between oocyte folate concentrations and oocyte quality. Before activation of zygotic transcription, maternal mRNAs control cell divisions and embryonic patterning. Due to the limited available genomic information on Atlantic halibut maternal transcripts, an expressed sequence tag (EST) maternal library containing 2,341high quality ESTs was created by suppressive subtractive hybridization (SSH). The maternal library constitutes an EST pool to identify suitable Atlantic halibut reference genes and identify differentially expressed maternal genes in high and low quality Atlantic halibut oocytes. To perform reliable quantification of gene expression by qPCR, stable reference genes have to be used to normalize target gene expression. Tubb2/Actb and Tbb2/Fau were identified as the best two-gene normalization factors during Atlantic halibut embryonic and larval development. Either of these normalization factors can be used for future developmental gene expression studies in Atlantic halibut. Tubb2/Actb was further used as reference gene during this study. Poor embryonic hatching success was found to not be correlated with a general decrease in oocyte maternal transcript abundance but with low transcript levels of specific maternal transcripts by qPCR. The majority of genes showed either no or very minor correlations between their transcript levels and oocyte quality parameters (Fertilisation: 13-93 %, embryonic hatching: 1-94 %). However, maternal transcript levels of three genes, most likely involved in nuclear protein and mRNA transport, growth factor regulation, and embryonic patterning, correlated with oocyte quality. Further, a new Atlantic halibut 4x44k oligonucleotide microarray was constructed and used to identify 192 strictly maternal genes during Atlantic halibut embryonic development and 20 differentially expressed genes between high and low quality oocytes, involved in immune response, metabolism, RNA transcription, protein degradation, cell signalling and the cytoskeleton. Microarray validation confirmed its suitability for future gene expression studies during Atlantic halibut embryonic development. The identified maternal genes in this study can serve as a pool for future in-depth studies of embryonic gene expression to advance the knowledge of important developmental processes such as germ cell development, growth and immune response in Atlantic halibut. Some of these may serve as possible markers for Atlantic halibut oocyte quality due to their high expression differences between high and low quality oocytes. Future nutritional studies on Atlantic halibut broodstock should focus on the identified yolk constituents acting positively on oocyte quality.

Locating South China in Rodinia and Gondwana : A fragment of greater India lithosphere?

2013-06-10T16:01:02Z

Abstract: From the formation of Rodinia at the end of the Mesoproterozoic to the commencement of Pangea breakup at the end of the Paleozoic, the South China craton first formed and then occupied a position adjacent to Western Australia and northern India. Early Neoproterozoic suprasubduction zone magmatic arc-backarc assemblages in the craton range in age from ca. 1000 Ma to 820 Ma and display a sequential northwest decrease in age. These relations suggest formation and closure of arc systems through southeast-directed subduction, resulting in progressive northwestward accretion onto the periphery of an already assembled Rodinia. Siliciclastic units within an early Paleozoic succession that transgresses across the craton were derived from the southeast and include detritus from beyond the current limits of the craton. Detrital zircon age spectra require an East Gondwana source and are very similar to the Tethyan Himalaya and younger Paleozoic successions from Western Australia, suggesting derivation from a common source and by inference accumulation in linked basins along the northern margin of Gondwana, a situation that continued until rifting and breakup of the craton in the late Paleozoic. Description: This work was supported by NERC [Grant ID NE/J021822/1]

The integration of phylogenetic and functional trait information into monocot biodiversity conservation

2013-06-10T15:54:21Z

Abstract: It is now widely acknowledged that a high proportion of the world’s species are threatened with global extinction in the near future. Conserving all endangered species is impractical due to limited financial resources and manpower. Therefore, there is a real need to understand the mechanisms behind the extinction process in order to develop a proactive rather than reactive conservation strategy. Furthermore, given these limitations there is a need to be selective, prioritising species or areas not just on the basis of extinction risk or the number of species present, but with consideration for their role within the ecosystem. In this thesis, I investigate three aspects of current global extinction: What causes species to become threatened, how we should prioritise those that are, and how such information can be translated into area-based conservation priorities. Firstly, I developed models of plant extinction risk in relation to environmental (anthropogenic, climatic, and physical) variables and used them to show that non- randomness in extinction risk is highly influenced by interactions between the plants traits and their environment. Incorporating such interactions, my models were able to explain ~30% of the variation in plant extinction risk. Results from this large-scale comparative study suggest the biological traits that increase species’ susceptibility are dependent upon local environmental conditions. Secondly, I looked at how much unique evolutionary history, a proxy for species value, will be lost under current extinction patterns, whilst investigating how effective current conservation methods are at prioritising species based on their evolutionary value. The results are not promising; species threatened with extinction had disproportionately high quantities of unique evolutionary history. Furthermore, the IUCN Red List makes no allowance for this, for example, species considered Critically Endangered, the highest threat status under the IUCN Red List, may not necessarily be the most evolutionary unique. Finally, I looked at the relationships among species richness, versity (FD) and phylogenetic diversity (PD) as measures of biodiversity and therefore the conservation value of an area. It was found species richness is generally a good surrogate for FD and PD. However, agricultural development and climatic variation bring out discrepancies between species richness, FD and PD, challenging the claim of interchangeability of different diversity measures, with potential consequences for conservation planning.

Aspects of asceticism in the poetry of T. S. Eliot

2013-06-10T14:54:07Z

Abstract: This thesis examines asceticism in T. S. Eliot's poetry by recapitulating his education in mysticism and theology then applying both the texts and doctrines to Eliot's poetry. Harvard's Houghton Library contains a record of approximately thirty books that he read during his graduate study, and a partial list appeared in Lyndall Gordon's 1977 biography T. S. Eliot's Early Years. Yet, these works have received little critical attention, and this is the first study to examine these works significantly. Intense reading of these neglected sources composes a large portion of the research for this thesis and offers original insight into the theme of asceticism. Eliot's poetry frequently displays broad ideals of asceticism—often in the form of discipline and purgation, but the nature of the asceticism is not consistent. In the poems before his conversion, Eliot engages significantly with his education by portraying ascetic failures and their consequences. After Eliot's conversion, the asceticism becomes more orthodox in nature, and the doctrines encountered early in life are openly espoused.

Cognition in inter-group relations : the effect of group membership on theory of mind and its precursors

2013-06-10T14:39:37Z

Abstract: Social categorization based on group membership has a significant and broad influence on behaviour (Turner, Hogg, Oakes, Reicher, & Wetherell, 1987). People perceived as being of the same group, ‘in-group’ members, are accorded all kinds of special treatment, such as the tendency to reward them over out-group members (Tajfel, Billig, Bundy, & Flament, 1971). At the other extreme is denigration based solely on a person’s status as ‘out-group’ member, sometimes even to the point of perceiving that person as less human than fellow in-group members, a phenomenon termed dehumanisation (Leyens et al., 2001). Historic examples of dehumanisation are abundant, such as the extermination of Jews in Nazi Germany. What is less well understood, however, are the cognitive processes involved in these inter-group phenomena. How can a normal human being, with fully functioning cognitive faculties, come to not only view another person as sub-human but also to act on such irrational beliefs? One cognitive ability that, according to theory, plays a pivotal role in every human social interaction is the ability to attribute mental states to others, which enables humans to construct a theory of the minds they interact with. Having a ‘theory of mind’ allows an individual to interpret and predict behaviour in terms of underlying mental states (Premack & Woodruff, 1978). It is widely acknowledged that theory of mind is of fundamental importance to human social interactions (Baron-Cohen, Tager-Flusberg, & Cohen, 2000). For example, the ability to understand others’ intentions and goals allows humans to participate in collaborative action with shared ends, a hallmark capacity required for human social structures such as governments and economic systems (Tomasello, Carpenter, Call, Behne, & Moll, 2005). Given the importance of theory of mind to daily human life, a critical question thus is when and how theory of mind is actually used, especially in inter-group contexts such as those previously mentioned. While the developing, abnormal, and non-human theory of mind have been thoroughly investigated, much less is known about how normal adults deploy their theory of mind in actual social situations, including in situations of inter-group conflict. The present thesis has the primary aim of understanding how group membership affects the quotidian functioning of theory of mind and the social cognitive abilities that form its foundation, representation of intentionality and more basic processes of social learning. To this end, I will examine the effects of group membership on normal adults’ theory of mind usage (study 1). I will then go on to look at the deeper effects of group membership on social cognition, particularly its effect on some of the building blocks of theory of mind, representation of intentionality and basic social learning. To this end, I will first look at how intentionality is represented as a function of a person’s group membership with and without social competition (studies 2 & 3), and on how perceptions of group membership and social power impact basic social learning processes (studies 4 & 5). This process will elucidate the degree to which social cognition processes, from theory of mind down to its basic cognitive roots, are affected by perceptions of group membership. A secondary goal is to generate more informed hypotheses about the nature of the cognitive mechanisms underlying group- based social phenomena, such as dehumanisation.

Transport studies of the itinerant metamagnet Sr₃Ru₂O₇ near its quantum critical point

2013-06-10T14:26:57Z

Abstract: Strongly correlated metals are known to give rise to a variety of exotic states. In particular, if a system is tuned towards a quantum critical point, new ordered phases may arise. Sr₃Ru₂O₇ is a quasi-two dimensional metal in which field-tuned quantum criticality has been observed. In very pure single crystals of this material, a phase with unusual transport properties forms in the vicinity of its quantum critical point. Upon the application of a small in-plane field, electrical resistivity becomes anisotropic, a phenomenon which has led to the naming of this phase as an `electron nematic'. The subject of this thesis is a study of the electrical transport in high purity crystals of Sr₃Ru₂O₇. We modified an adiabatic demagnetisation refrigerator to create the conditions by which the entire temperature-field phase diagram can be explored. In particular, this allowed us to access the crossover between the low-temperature Fermi liquid and the quantum critical region. We also installed a triple axis `vector magnet' with which the applied magnetic field vector can be continuously rotated within the anisotropic phase. We conclude that the low- and high-field Fermi liquid properties have a complex dependence on magnetic field and temperature, but that a simple multiple band model can account for some of these effects, and reconcile the measured specific heat, dHvA quasiparticle masses and transport co-efficients. At high temperatures, we observe similarities between the apparent resistive scattering rate at critical tuning and those observed in other quantum critical systems and in elemental metals. Finally, the anisotropic phase measurements confirm previous reports and demonstrate behaviour consistent with an Ising-nematic, with the anisotropy aligned along either of the principal crystal axes. Our observations are consistent with the presence of a large number of domains within the anisotropic phase, and conclude that scattering from domain walls is likely to contribute strongly to the large measured anisotropy.

Animal population estimation using mark-recapture and plant-capture

2013-06-10T14:12:09Z

Abstract: Mark-recapture is a method of population estimation that involves capturing a number of animals from a population of unknown size on several occasions, and marking those animals that are caught each time. By observing the number of marked animals that are subsequently seen, estimates of the total population size can be made. There are various subclasses of the mark-recapture method called the Otis-class of models (Otis, Burnham, White & Anderson 1978). These relate to the assumed behaviour of the individuals in the target population. More recent work has generalised the theory of mark-recapture to the so-called plant-capture, where a known number of animals are pre-inserted into the target population. Sampling is then carried out as normal, but with additional information coming from knowledge of the number of planted individuals. The theory underpinning plant-capture is less well-developed than mark-recapture, with the difference on population estimation of the former over the latter not often tested. This thesis shows that, under fixed and random sample-size models, the inclusion of plants can improve the mean point population estimation of various estimators. The estimator of Pathak (1964) is generalised to allow for the inclusion of plants into the target population. The results show that mean estimates from most estimators, under most models, can be improved with the inclusion of plants, and the sample standard deviations of the simulations can be reduced. This improvement in mean point population estimation is particularly pronounced when the number of animals captured is low. Sample coverage, which is the proportion of distinct animals caught during sampling, is also often sought by practitioners. Given here is a generalisation of the inverse population estimator of Pathak (1964) to plant-capture and a proposed new inverse population estimator, which can be used as estimates of the coverage of a sample.

Cult associations in the post-classical polis

2013-06-10T13:55:38Z

Abstract: This thesis investigates the emergence, spread and characteristics of voluntary associations in the Greek cities of the Aegean world in the Hellenistic and Roman periods. It is based on archaeological and epigraphic evidence and contains two case studies on Athens and Delos and three thematic chapters. The first chapter provides an introduction and definition of the subject matter, material, methods and state of research and the leading questions. The second chapter is a case study in which the evidence referring to voluntary associations in post-classical Athens is analysed. Chapter three comprises another case-study, investigating the evidence from Delos. Chapter four investigates the people involved in voluntary associations from founders to benefactors and ordinary members. I compare the evidence from various places and cults, focusing on the origins of people and their choice of deity. The fifth chapter discusses the location of buildings within cities, the kinds of building and facilities used by voluntary associations, and possible patterns in the structure of buildings. In chapter six I analyse the relationship between voluntary associations and civic institutions in the cities of Athens, Delos and Rhodes. Chapter seven provides a conclusion of the thesis. The concept of the voluntary association offered worshippers in Greek poleis an opportunity to establish a religious identity that was characterised by new social spaces, new rituals and new approaches to older rituals that had previously not been provided by the polis religion. The successful establishment of a voluntary association was secured by various factors, yet one main concept seems pre-eminent: by using the pre-existing terminology and categories of civic institutions of each polis for their own purposes, voluntary associations of worshippers paved a way of communicating with both the civic authorities and individual inhabitants. In doing so, they also signalled openness to their environment, an aspect of particular importance to those worshippers who had immigrated to a new city.

England, the English and the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648)

2013-06-10T13:39:42Z

Abstract: This thesis explores the role of England and the English during the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648), and provides the first major study of the between 50,000 and 60,000 Englishmen who fought for the ‘Protestant cause’ within the armies of countries such as the Dutch Republic, Denmark and Sweden. These findings provide an alternative perspective on a number of widely accepted theories, such as the demise of English military power throughout the period and the failure of the Stuart monarchs to engage within continental warfare. The actions of the English abroad openly contributed not only to crucial European events, such as during the struggle to hold the Palatinate (1620-1623) and at the sieges of Maastricht (1632) and Breda (1637) but also to domestic events such as the breakdown of relations between the Crown and Parliament. By making extensive use of continental archives to analyse the role of the English abroad, this thesis provides a new perspective on not only events in Europe but also events within the borders of Stuart Britain. Through an analysis of the networks and motivations that linked these men, it challenges any idea these they were unimportant or simply mercenary by showing they were, in fact, an active part of Stuart policy while also actually fighting for a host of individual motivations. Explaining the role of these men during the breakdown of Stuart government in the late 1630s and 1640s illustrates the considerable influence this body of men had on their homeland. The thesis not only contributes to English historiography but also allows the existent work on Scotland and Ireland by historians such as Steve Murdoch, Alexia Grosjean, David Worthington and Robert Stradling to be placed within a wider British context. It also provides a contribution to the beginnings of a wider analysis of the English abroad during the early modern period, which has been sorely under-researched.

Estimating anglerfish abundance from trawl surveys, and related problems

2013-06-10T13:13:40Z

Abstract: The content of this thesis was motivated by the need to estimate anglerfish abundance from stratified random trawl surveys of the anglerfish stock which occupies the northern European shelf (Fernandes et al., 2007). The survey was conducted annually from 2005 to 2010 in order to obtain age-structured estimates of absolute abundance for this stock. An estimation method is considered to incorporate statistical models for herding, length-based net retention probability and missing age data and uncertainty from all of these sources in variance estimation. A key component of abundance estimation is the estimation of capture probability. Capture probability is estimated from the experimental survey data using various logistic regression models with haul as a random effect. Conditional on the estimated capture probability, a number of abundance estimators are developed and applied to the anglerfish data. The abundance estimators differ in the way that the haul effect is incorporated. The performance of these estimators is investigated by simulation. An estimator with form similar to that conventionally used to estimate abundance from distance sampling surveys is found to perform best. The estimators developed for the anglerfish survey data which incorporate random effects in capture probability have wider application than trawl surveys. We examine the analytic properties of these estimators when the capture/detection probability is known. We apply these estimators to three different types of survey data in addition to the anglerfish data, with different forms of random effects and investigate their performance by simulation. We find that a generalization of the form of estimator typically used on line transect surveys performs best overall. It has low bias, and also the lowest bias and mean squared error among all the estimators we considered.

Spatial cognition in three dimensions

2013-06-10T13:02:54Z

Abstract: To date, most studies of spatial learning have been conducted in the horizontal plane, with few addressing the vertical dimension. I aimed to investigate learning of 3-D locations by wild, free-living hummingbirds and compare them with rats. In my first experiment, I found that hummingbirds can encode a 3-D rewarded location after a single visit. Using a one-dimensional array, I then found that the birds more readily learned a location in a horizontal than in a vertical linear array. However, the ease of learning was a product not only of the orientation of the array but also of its spacing scale. By the end of training, hummingbirds visited the central rewarded flower and the two adjacent flowers more than they visited the distal flowers for all arrays. However, when the array was horizontal and the flowers spaced 30 cm apart, they learned the absolute location of the rewarded flower. In a diagonal array birds learned the 2-D reward location but they chose at random when tested on a vertically or horizontally oriented array. However, when birds trained in the diagonal array were tested on a 180° rotated diagonal array they chose the flower with the same horizontal component as the rewarded flower rather than with the flower with the same vertical component. Finally in order to compare the spatial learning of animals that move in volumes with those who move in two dimensions I trained hummingbirds and rats to a rewarded location in a cubic maze. Although both hummingbirds and rats learned a 3-D location within a cubic maze, hummingbirds appeared to learn the rewarded location as a 3-D coordinate while rats seemed to learn the vertical and horizontal component of the 3-D location independently. In addition, hummingbirds were more accurate in the vertical and rats in the horizontal, which is consistent with their type of locomotion. More experiments in volumetric, terrestrial and climbing animals are needed in order to determine whether the contrasting search strategies and learning accuracies constitute adaptations to particular spatial niches.

On the perception of monocular regions in binocular scenes

2013-06-10T11:47:04Z

Abstract: Our two forward facing eyes supply the visual system with slightly different versions of the world around us. These slight differences in the two retinal images are used to obtain depth information about a visual scene. Conventionally, it has been assumed that points in one retinal image that do not have corresponding points in the other image are treated as noise. However, if one object is partially occluded by another, monocular points and regions occur. While it is, by now, established that we do not ignore geometrically plausible monocular points and regions, we know much less about our percept of such regions. So far it has not been studied how our percept of monocular regions compares to that of binocular regions and how well we are able to use the information contained in them. In this thesis I explore our percept of such monocular regions and ask how we treat them in relation to their binocular surround. Using classical psychophysical methods as well as reaction-times and eye-tracking data, I find that we are perfectly capable of using monocular regions to interact with them and to arrive at a stable, seemingly complete percept of them. Sometimes our performance even benefts from the presence of a monocular region. However, this breaks down when we are asked to integrate the information contained in monocular regions with information in binocular regions. The experiments in this thesis show that even though we do not ignore monocular regions and can, if we have to, interact with them, we show a strong preference towards relying on binocular information when given the option.

Footsteps of the dead : iconography of beliefs about the afterlife and evidence for funerary practices in Etruscan Tarquinia

2013-06-10T11:36:28Z

Abstract: This thesis is a study of Etruscan attitudes to the afterlife, based on analysis of the funerary archaeology, architecture, and iconography of death from the ancient city of Tarquinia. The focus on one settlement allowed for a more precise reconstruction of funerary attitudes; it also avoided the pitfalls of approaching Etruscan civilisation as uniform and homogeneous across its varied city-states; and it made clear when particular beliefs about the afterlife changed or developed. After a general discussion of approaches to the subject in the published literature and of the specific conditions at the site of Tarquinia, it proceeds through a series of case studies chosen from each of the major periods of Etruscan civilisation from the Villanovan to the Hellenistic period. The analysis is based on published excavations and studies, supplemented by fieldwork conducted in Rome and at Tarquinia. The case studies were chosen based on the type of information that they can give about the way the underworld was imagined. No one tomb can be used to illustrate the entire set of beliefs and traditions that occurred at one time. Throughout the course of this study, I focus on the changes and developments of funerary traditions over the nine centuries of Etruscan civilisation at Tarquinia. The main finding to emerge from these studies relates to the long term stability of funerary practices at Tarquinia. As elsewhere in Etruria, there are changes in the scale and design of tombs and in the subjects and manner of their decoration. Yet it is difficult to identify any sudden discontinuities of practice. In a number of cases, it is argued that motifs that are well attested only in later periods can already be seen in the earlier material, while few themes introduced into the repertoire are ever completely lost. Rather, the same motifs are occasionally represented in different form from period to period. Whether the explanation is to be sought in the conservative influence of a small number of ruling families, or in the absence of social revolutions of the kind that characterised some Greek poleis, or in a conscious desire to preserve local, i.e. Tarquinian, traditions and styles, it seems that the history of Etruscan death is –in this case at least –not to be written in terms of dramatic changes so much as of gradual evolution and development. On this basis, a tentative account of the (local) Etruscan underworld is offered as it emerges from material drawn from all the periods studied.

Understanding exciton diffusion in organic solar cells

2013-06-10T11:19:29Z

Abstract: Organic solar cells are promising candidates for future energy production. However, many challenges remain to optimise efficiency. One particular challenge lies in our understanding of the factors affecting exciton diffusion and the length scale of this process. This is particularly relevant to morphology optimisation for organic solar cells. A powerful tool to gain insight into this is femtosecond photophysical measurements. This thesis details work undertaken at the University of St Andrews between September 2009 and December 2010 towards a Masters of Philosophy. It includes an introduction to the field and a description of experimental methods used. Experimental chapters discuss measuring the optical constants of P3HT, a study of low concentration volume quenching, surface quenching measurements using titanium dioxide, surface quenching measurements using other quenchers and an investigation of the thickness dependence of the photoluminescence decay time in thin polymer films.

Changes in localisation and dynamics of splicing and alternative splicing factors in human lens epithelial cells of myotonic dystrophy type 1 patients

2013-06-10T11:08:09Z

Abstract: Lens growth and development is a life-long process in which epithelial cells from the perimeter of the lens migrate towards the centre of the lens and follow a dynamic programme of differentiation and structured DNA and organelle degradation resulting in the optical clarity of the lens. Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a genetic disease resulting in multiple symptoms including skeletal muscle wasting, cardiac conduction defects, myotonia and endocrine system malfunction. DM1 is caused by an expanded CTG repeat in the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of the myotonic dystrophy protein kinase (DMPK) gene. Mutant DMPK RNA has been demonstrated to form abnormal foci within the cell nucleus in muscle cells from DM1 patients. The link between these foci and the multiple symptoms of DM1 is not fully understood. The alternative pre-mRNA splicing factor muscle blind-like 1 (MBNL1) is found in the foci and sequestration of MBNL1 is a leading hypothesis for pathogenesis. Results shown in this thesis demonstrate that only a small percentage of nuclear MBNL1 is sequestrated into foci. Furthermore MBNL1 is shown to co-localise with splicing speckles in a transcriptionally dependent manner. Interestingly eye lens histological samples suggest a change in MBNL1 distribution during lens growth. The data presented in this thesis shows a strong relationship between MBNL1 and CUGexp pre-mRNA foci and presents data which highlights the sensitivity of lens epitheial cells to changes in MBNL1.

Pyrazolidinones as templates in asymmetric catalysis

2013-06-10T10:48:30Z

Abstract: This thesis principally focuses on the development of a novel series of asymmetric iminium ion organocatalysts, based on the pyrazolidin-3-one template. Also described is the development of a novel asymmetric Steglich rearrangement with pyrazolyl carbonates. The pyrazolidin-3-one framework has been identified as a potentially effective new scaffold for iminium ion organocatalysis. The development of a synthetic route to racemic pyrazolidinone catalysts is outlined which allows for systematic variation of key substituents. The influence of these groups on reactivity and diastereoselectivity in the Diels-Alder reaction of (E)-cinnamaldehyde and cyclopentadiene is described and an optimised catalyst identified. A method for the resolution of a simple pyrazolidinone precursor was then investigated in order to access an enantioenriched catalyst for asymmetric reaction. Resolution was achieved by amide coupling to a chiral acid, chromatography to separate the subsequent diastereoisomers and acid cleavage. The initial enantioenriched catalyst gave modest enantioselectivity in the Diels-Alder reaction. The diastereoisomeric intermediates in the resolution process were themselves identified as active and enantioselective iminium ion organocatalysts. In general, one diastereoisomer was superior in terms of enantioselectivity, indicating a ‘matching’ of the two catalyst stereocentres. An optimised asymmetric diastereoisomeric catalyst derived from a trifluoromethyl-substituted pyrazolidinone and Cbz-protected proline gave good diastereo- and enantioselectivities in Diels-Alder reactions with a range of aryl aldehydes. Mechanistic investigations with this compound then found that fast ring-opening occurs under catalysis conditions creating a new chiral hydrazide which was catalytically active at catalyst loadings as low as 1 mol%. Also explored was the Steglich rearrangement of structurally related pyrazolyl carbonates. Rearrangement was observed with a range of Lewis base organocatalysts, with N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) generally superior. Chiral NHCs were also effective in an asymmetric reaction, particularly with methyl substituted pyrazolyl carbonates.

'To be translated at the last' : Christopher Smart's Englishing endeavour

2013-06-10T10:29:45Z

Abstract: In this thesis, Christopher Smart’s work is presented as a coherent project of ‘Englishing’ to produce nationalised verse celebrating England and promoting the Anglican Church. Chapter One places Smart’s original religious poetry within the context of his translations. The analysis concentrates on three themes: the promotion of England in the Hymns and Spiritual Songs; Smart’s manipulation of verbal effects as a variety of translation in Jubilate Agno; and an interpretation of A Song to David as a form of applied praise. Chapter Two provides an analysis of Smart’s translation of the Psalms alongside a number of other similar productions. Five elements are examined: narrative identity in translation, the place of Smart’s psalms within an anglicised liturgy; Christian elements, censoring the Psalms; and the creation of English lyric through the domestication of biblical verse. Chapter Three examines Smart’s translation of the fables of Phaedrus, where the significance of Smart’s Englishing project is reinforced in the context of his interpreting a Romanised text. The genre of fable is considered in its eighteenth-century political and educational contexts, illustrated with detailed reference to Smart’s periodical fables from the 1750s and the poet’s rewriting of Phaedrus in the following decade. Finally, Chapter Four provides a complete assessment of the 1767 Works of Horace. First, Smart’s translation is considered alongside other translations and interpretations of Horace and his work. Smart’s Englished text is then explored in three areas: the translator’s paratextual mediation between text and reader, the creation of anglicised settings, and the development of English lyrical forms from Latin originals. The thesis concludes with an examination of how Smart’s translation work results in the creation of original lyric verse that seals the poet’s literary permanence.

Diving and depth use in seals : inferences from telemetry data using regression and random walk movement

2013-06-10T10:12:22Z

Abstract: This thesis focuses on methods for using telemetry data to make inferences about the diving behaviour of seals, in terms of their use of depth over time. Three species are considered: grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) and elephant seals (Mirounga leonina and Mirounga angustirostris). Data came from Geographic Positioning System phone tags (GPS phone tags) for grey seals, and Conductivity Temperature Depth Satellite Relay Data Loggers (CTD-SRDLs) for southern elephant seals (M.leonina); both are instruments that transmit Information in abstracted form. Data for northern elephant seals (M.angustirostris) came from anarchival prototype SRDL-type instrument that stored tri-axial acceleration information at high resolution and required recovery to obtain the data. The usefulness of maximum dive depth as a measure of depth use in grey seals, known to forage on the seabed, is explored with a logistic regression analysis using a Generalized Additive Model. Often, maximum dive depth will not be a representative measure of the way seals apportion their time in the water column, so a framework for quantifying depth use is developed for abstracted dive data from southern elephant seals and validated with high resolution time-depth data from northern elephant seals. The implications of using a broken-stick model for abstracting dive data on-board CTD-SRDLs are investigated in terms of its performance and uncertainty. A method for obtaining limits on the time-depth area within which these abstracted dives occurred is developed and used as part of a Bayesian state-space random walk model framework to reconstruct dive trajectories and estimate depth use profiles for abstracted dive data.

Controlling crystal growth of platy porous materials as potential substrates for effects pigments

2013-06-10T09:32:01Z

Abstract: The mesoporous silica SBA-15 (SBA = Santa Barbara) has been prepared with a hexagonal platy morphology, particle sizes 8 µm × 0.5 µm thick, of interest as a substrate for effects pigments. Starting from a literature preparation [Park et al. Chem. Com. 2006. 4131] the synthetic variables of reactions temperature, time, concentrations and additives have been optimised. Characterisation (SEM, HRSEM, TEM, N₂ porosimetry) indicated the product was SBA-15 with a BET surface area of 635 m² /g. Calcination resulted in a pore volume of 1.17 cm³ g⁻¹, whereas extraction gives a pore volume of 1.04 cm³ g⁻¹, indicating an extraction efficiency of 88.5%. A simple DOE (DOE = Design of Experiment) was carried out to examine the interaction between dissolution temperature and hydrolysis time. A general trend was seen, indicating that conditions which favoured uniform plates also discouraged intergrowth. The optimum product formed from the DOE had a dissolution temperature of 5°C and a hydrolysis time of 60 minutes. It had an average size of 3.5 µm × 0.4 µm (aspect ratio 8.7). In addition, the literature synthesis of the crystalline layered silicate Na-RUB-18 (RUB = Ruhr Universiteit Bochum) has successfully been repeated, giving rectangular plates 5.4 µm × 0.7 µm (aspect ratio 7.7). Crystallinity curves were constructed of the standard reaction and seeded reaction, and it was found the majority of the product was formed within the first 20 days of the reaction. Using seeds did reduce the nucleation time but did not decrease the overall time required for the crystallisation to become complete. Agitating the mixture through stirring or tumbling prevented the reaction from occurring. This material was then rendered slightly porous (0.09 cm³ /g) through exchanging the sodium ion with CTA+ ion (CTA⁺ = cetyltrimethylammonium) and then calcining the product. Finally, the synthetic method for the synthesis of a crystalline platy magnesioaluminophosphate prepared previously in the Wright group as part of a mixture, [Mg₁Al₃P₄O₁₆]PPh₄⁺(PPh₄⁺(TPP) = tetraphenylphosphonium), has been simplified, giving a pure solid consisting of hexagonal plates 30 µm × 2 µm suitable for further characterisation. The final preparation includes two organic additives, TPP, which acts as the ‘template’, and tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBA) which is used to control the reaction pH to 6.8.Comparisons of experimental XRD patterns and patterns predicted from the structure of the material, derived from single crystal X-ray diffraction data indicated ordering of TPP+ cations within the interlayer region. The additional diffraction peaks observed can be accounted for by a doubling of the unit cell derived from single crystal diffraction [a = 16.48 b= 10.76 c=9.32 Sp. Gp. P2(1)/c β= 100.81°]. This layered structure could also be prepared as a silicoaluminophosphate (SAPO), and EDX data confirmed the presence of silicon in the structure. Attempts were made to exchange the TPP ion with CTA ions but this was unsuccessful.

Theology through the looking-glass : literary nonsense and the Christian imagination

2013-06-10T09:16:15Z

Abstract: This project is an investigation into the character of the Christian imagination. It examines in depth three central aspects: paradox, anarchy and the childlike, acknowledging that within each category there is something of the unreasonable or nonrational. Rather than trying to iron out or explain away the logically problematic, the thesis explores the possibility that an idea can be contrary to rationality and yet be true and meaningful. It is demonstrated that a number of central tenets of the Christian doctrine require a faith that often goes beyond reason or does not exclusively identify with it. The study involves the systematic analysis of central stylistic features of literary nonsense using Lewis Carroll’s famous Alice stories as exemplar. The construction of a nonpejorative model of nonsense is then used to introduce analogous components of Christian theology with a particular focus on the doctrine of Salvation. Sparked by G. K. Chesterton’s description of the Fall as the condition of ‘being born upside-down’, soteriology is conceived of as a tospsy-turvy reorientation of the will and an imaginative attunement to the absurd. The project culminates in the setting-up of a nonsense theology by considering the practical and evangelical ramifications of associating Christian faith with nonsense literature; and conversely, the value of relating theological principles to the study of literary nonsense. Ultimately, the research suggests that faith is always a risk and that a strictly rational apologetic misrepresents the nature of Christian truth.

The application of database technologies to the study of terrorism and counter-terrorism : a post 9/11 analysis

2013-06-10T08:42:51Z

Abstract: Data and information of the highest quality are critical to understanding and countering acts of terrorism. As a tool, database technologies are becoming integral to the field of terrorism studies. The intelligence failings of September 11th 2001 illustrate the need for timely, relevant and accurate data, derived from a plethora of complex intelligence sources. This thesis will argue that, at least until 9/11, the academic study of terrorism and counter-terrorism databases has been limited and that the subject lacks an overall coherency and direction. The thesis asks: what is the quality and practical value of database technologies in the field of terrorism and counter-terrorism post 9/11? The study will provide a cross-disciplinary approach, specifically from the disciplines of political science and computer science. It will present an understanding of the conceptual, design, operation, strengths and weaknesses of terrorism and counterterrorism databases. The ramifications of post 9/11 and its impact upon the intelligence community, and the areas of security, privacy and emerging technologies in data mining and terrorism informatics are assessed. This study will examine mainly open source information on terrorism and counterterrorism databases. The research methodology will be carried out using a series of case studies, from the ITERATE, RAND/MIPT, WITS, and GTDB data sets. Primary sources, for example, codebooks, and secondary source materials such as Library of Congress and GAO reports are used. A comparative sampling of relational databases and terrorism data sets is undertaken. The thesis will illustrate that with increased federal funding, new terrorism database technologies, post 9/11, operate under sophisticated schemata, requiring complex and systematic synthesis. In addition, issues of data sharing, fusion, interoperability and ethical concerns will be addressed. Implications for future terrorism database technologies will be articulated. These require rigorous design methodologies be adopted, while safeguarding ethical and privacy concerns. The thesis provides a coherent systematic analysis of terrorism and counter-terrorism databases, from what to date has been a disaggregated subject field.

Structural and compositional analysis of cobalt palladium model catalyst surfaces

2013-06-10T08:25:56Z

Abstract: To date there has been much work carried out in the field of surface science to gain a better understanding of the fundamentals of a wide range of catalytic systems and reactions. The central theme of this thesis relates to cobalt based Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) with particular focus on the structure, composition and surface chemistry of CoPd bimetallic systems and on the interaction of Co with oxide support materials. In the work described in this thesis MEIS and STM are used to examine the growth of Co on Pd{111} and to characterise the structure of CoPd alloys created by thermal treatment of thin Co films. MEIS investigations indicate that Co grows initially as an fcc overlayer, but beyond a few layers, a stacking fault exists resulting in hcp growth. On annealing between 550 and 700 K, a previously unreported ordered surface alloy is observed giving rise to a p(2 x 1) structure which is concluded to be the surface termination of an ordered CoPd bulk alloy. At higher annealing temperatures, long range Moiré structure is observed by STM which MEIS reveals to correspond to a Pd-rich alloy. MEIS is used to investigate adsorbate induced segregation effects at CoPd surfaces on Pd{111}. The adsorption of O2, CO, H2 and CO/H2 mixtures (syngas) were all examined on a range of bimetallic surfaces. Oxygen adsorption on CoPd alloys strongly segregates cobalt to the surface as a result of the facile oxidation reaction. The behaviour of the components of syngas was more complex with the most noticeable effects being observed on surfaces which were more defect rich. The growth, annealing behaviour and adsorption properties of Co particles on oxide and mixed oxide surfaces are examined using MEIS and TPD.

Coatings on stainless steel for solid oxide fuel cell interconnects

2013-06-07T15:41:09Z

Abstract: Enabling inexpensive and ubiquitous steels for use as solid oxide fuel cell interconnects has two major hurdles to overcome. Firstly, corrosion must be limited such that the interconnect can have longevity. Secondly, the evaporation of chromium from the corrosion layer must also be limited such that the fuel cell can have longevity. The evaporation of chromium from chromia, titanium doped chromia, and chromium cobalt spinels was studied and characterized. Spinels lost the least amount of mass during evaporation experiments, and changed the least after experimental conditions were imposed on them that. Chromium titanate samples retained a significant amount of chrome that would have evaporated had the sample been chromium oxide alone. This was due to local changes at the surface with titanium becoming enriched and blocking loss of further chromium. Various methods of depositing titanium doped chromia on the surface of SS430 were investigated. Sol-gel was attempted, but proved problematic. Evaporation of elemental titanium onto SS430 followed by conversion to rutile by heating followed by the evaporation of chromium into the rutile layer was investigated at length. These layers are nanoscale when evaporated and about 10 times thicker after oxidation. Characterization of the resulting Ti layers showed that at low temperatures a thick dense layer of rutile could be observed. At higher oxidation temperatures, the titanium was difficult to find. Evaporation of cobalt onto SS430 created thin films when oxidized. The films were shown to control the evaporation of chromium by production of spinels. These layers were characterized with X-Ray Diffraction and scanning electron microscopy and impedance spectroscopy. They were shown to be quite conductive compared to the titanium coatings.

Chemical bonding properties in substituted disilynes

2013-06-07T14:58:08Z

Abstract: The molecular structures of the Si2HX, Si2Li2, SiGeHLi and C2H2 species (where X= H, Li, F and Cl) were studied. All of these species have more than one isomeric form. The critical points on the potential energy surfaces of the Si2HX, Si2Li2and C2H2 species and the minima on the SiGeHLi surface were located. The full six-dimensional potential energy surface (PES) of the Si2Li2 molecule was calculated (for the first time) using the CCSD(T)-F12a/cc-pVTZ-F12 level of theory. The core-valence, zero-point energy and relativistic corrections for the Si2HLi and Si2Li2 species were calculated. Additionally, the electron affinity and Li+ /H+ binding energies for the Si2HLi and Si2Li2 structures were investigated. Furthermore, the anharmonic vibrational-rotational properties for the Si2HLi and Si2Li2 structures were calculated using second-order perturbation theory. The recently developed CCSD(T)-F12a method with the cc-pVTZ-F12 basis set was employed to obtain geometries and relative energies (for the Si2HLi, Si2HF, Si2HCl and Si2Li2 structures) and vibrational frequencies (for the Si2H2 and Si2Li2 structures). The CCSD(T) method with the cc-pVXZ, aug-cc-pVXZ and aug-cc-pV(X+d)Z basis sets, CCSD(T)-F12a/cc-pVXZ (where X=2-4) and the B3LYP/6-311+G(d) levels of theory were also used. Comparison was made of the geometric properties and vibrational frequencies calculated at the different levels of theory. The calculated geometric properties for all the studied species and vibrational frequencies (for the Si2H2 structures) show good agreement with the experimental and theoretical literature. The PES of Si2Li2 was used to perform large scale variational vibrational calculations using the WAVR4 program. The first 2400 totally symmetric energy levels were calculated. The low-lying energy levels were qualitatively correct. Conclusive assignments of the vibrational modes of the Si2Li2 structures were made for the eleven lowest lying energy levels.

The political career and ideology of Mariano Otero, Mexican politician (1817-1850)

2013-06-07T14:43:00Z

Abstract: The traditionalist historiography of nineteenth-century Mexico produced a simplistic binary view of the period in which politics were characterised by a clear-cut liberal/conservative divide. According to this interpretation, the liberals were repeatedly depicted as the patriotic forefathers of the great reformist liberals of the mid-century Reforma period, whilst the conservatives were presented as the treacherous defenders of the dark forces of reaction. A revaluation of the fragmented politics of Mexican liberalism during the critical decade of the 1840s, focussing in particular on the actions and ideas of moderate political thinker and actor, Mariano Otero, provides a much needed nuanced understanding of the political issues, factions, and tendencies of the time. It highlights for one, the nature of the divisions that prevented Mexican liberals from presenting a united front, even during the traumatic Mexican-American War (1846-48). It also forces us to revise the view that there were only two political factions or worldviews during this period. This thesis examines, therefore, Mexican moderate liberalism in the 1840s through the figure of Mariano Otero (Mexico, 1817-1850), never quite fully researched in the historiography. A moderate liberal ideologue, politician, lawyer and essayist, he was politically active during the turbulent decade from 1841 until his death in 1850. He served as congressional deputy in 1842 and 1846, senator from 1847-1849, and government minister in 1848. Author of the seminal Ensayo sobre el verdadero estado de la cuestión social y política que se agita en la República Mexicana (1842), and architect of the 1846 Acta de Reformas that reformed the 1824 constitution, he is lauded as the father of the Juicio de Amparo a legal recourse which provided the individual with a means of protection from the abuses of the state. This thesis thus approaches the subject by offering an in-depth biographical study of Otero and an analysis of the political ideology that informed his writings and actions. By contrasting Otero’s political ideas with those others that were in vogue and showing how these were, in turn, put into effect, bearing in mind a backcloth of political and military alliances that was constantly changing, the aim of this study is to allow the reader to understand the nature of Otero’s political standpoint as well as that of Mexico’s mid-century moderados in context. The Otero that emerges from this revision is a man of firm convictions, a committed constitutionalist, unwavering in his belief in federalism as the answer to Mexico’s ills but forced to compromise to achieve his aims. This was a man who in attempting to shape the time was himself shaped by it. Certainly no such cut and dried portrait as that previously portrayed emerges.

Traditional authority revisited : ancestors, development and an alternative tempo-morality in Ho, Ghana

2013-06-07T14:23:27Z

Abstract: This thesis endeavours to re-theorise traditional authority through a consideration of chieftaincy within Ghana’s Asogli Traditional Area. Chiefs’ increasing activity in the implementation of development projects, has piqued anthropological interest in traditional authority once more. Recent anthropological analyses have focused on chiefs’ proficiency in mediating between tradition and modernity, and in particular, their ability to use their traditional past as a means towards the establishment of a modern and developed present and future. The ancestors, while a central feature of colonial studies of traditional authority, remain notably absent within these recent post-colonial studies. However, my own research suggests that traditional authorities were recognised by people as credible development leaders precisely because their authority was ancestral. I argue that tradition – by way of the ancestors – provided an alternative temporal mode through which people could realistically envisage development and future well-being. Because of their very ontological ground as once living, historical kins-people, I contend that the ancestors were able to fashion a tradition which was not temporally opposed to the present or the future, and a tradition whose authenticity was not dependent upon the eclipsing of the colonial and European relations which equally constituted it. Secondly, this thesis argues that development and future well-being was also conceived of as a moral project and one which the traditional authorities – as caretakers of ancestral morality – were best placed to oversee. Traditional morality was based upon the ideal relationship of care and respect between ancestors and their descendants. As such, chiefs and elders were increasingly valued as leaders capable of articulating and resolving tensions between freedom and obligation, accumulation and distribution. It was in the funerary context, where ancestors and morality were made, that the traditional authorities, as the ‘police of death’, revealed both the honour and burden of traditional authority. I focus primarily on the views and practices of the traditional authorities themselves and those for whom the ‘traditional complex’ resonated most strongly. Theoretically, I refuse to take Asogli tradition less seriously because it was discredited by some anthropologists as a modern invention. I also resist the temptation to question appearances by attributing to Asogli Traditional Authority the status of an alternative modernity. By thinking through the ancestors, this thesis seeks to engage with tradition rather than ‘tradition’, but without fully subscribing to the recent ‘ontological turn’ in anthropology.

Is it only specificity? : an investigation into the relationship between autobiographical memory and social problem-solving

2013-06-07T14:04:32Z

Abstract: Research suggests that deficits in retrieving specific autobiographical memories (ABMs) relate to deficits in social problem solving (SPS). Williams (1996) proposes depressed individuals have deficits in SPS because of difficulty accessing relevant information stored in specific ABMs. This thesis investigated the relationship between SPS and ABM. First, it explored a new version of the Means End Problem Solving task (MEPS; Platt, Spivack, & Bloom, 1975), which incorporates a wider range of social problems. Utilizing the MEPS, it examined multi-dimensional SPS across the mood spectrum. Chapters 3 and 5 indicated that depression is associated with general SPS deficits. However, Chapters 4, 5, and 6 demonstrated that dysphoria in not related to SPS deficits. Next, the thesis examined the relationship between specific ABM retrieval during SPS and SPS performance. Chapter 4 attempted to increase specificity of ABM through an imagery manipulation but was unsuccessful. Furthermore, specificity did not relate to SPS performance in Chapters 4, 5, and 6. Additionally, it explored characteristics beyond specificity that may be important to SPS. Although Chapter 5 reported differences in the memory characteristics between the control, dysphoric, and depressed groups, none of the characteristics in Chapters 5 and 6 related to SPS. Chapter 6 also found that individuals who reported more automatically retrieving memories performed better at SPS. Chapter 6 examined the relationship between intrusive memories and SPS and found that the more individuals reported memory intrusions, avoided and had negative appraisals of the intrusions over the past week, the poorer they were at SPS. This thesis demonstrates that specificity is not a fundamental component of SPS performance. Instead, generating specific memories and SPS may both rely on effectively utilizing the ABM structure. The thesis emphasizes the importance of exploring mode of retrieval in the relationship between ABM and SPS as well as the relationship between intrusive memories and SPS.

The synthesis of natural and novel glucosinolates

2013-06-07T13:52:44Z

Abstract: This thesis describes the synthesis of natural and novel glucosinolates 1.Chapter 1 gives an overview of glucosinolates, from isolation and biosynthesis to previous chemical syntheses. Chapter 2 describes an improved method for the formation of thiohydroximate bonds and its application over a variey of substrates. Chapter 3 focuses on exploring new chemistry on intact glucoinolates and details oxidative chemistry on an alkene containing side chain glucosinolate. Futhermore, the total synthesis of novel glucosinolates 150, 156 and 161 is illustrated.Chapter 4 describes a model study for the solid phase synthesis of glucosinolates. Finally experimental procedures for the compounds synthesised in the thesis are described in Chapter 5.

Overcoming limited selectivity in recognition-mediated replicating systems

2013-06-07T13:26:42Z

Abstract: Traditionally, synthetic chemistry has always focused on yielding a target compound from the linear application of chemical transformations. After each step, a single compound is usually required and the presence of mixtures often demands lengthy purification prior to the next synthetic step. The emerging field of systems chemistry aims to study the currently under-exploited science of networks and complex mixtures. Through the chemistry of reversible chemical bonds, dynamic covalent chemistry (DCC), the creation of networks of compounds linked through a plethora of equilibrium processes, termed dynamic combinatorial libraries (DCLs), is possible. In this research, a DCL based on imine/nitrone exchange is designed and presented. The DCL is subsequently coupled to an irreversible chemical reaction based on molecular recognition and the dramatic responses observed within the DCL are discussed. The properties of the dynamic systems developed during the course of this research is then applied to the competition between emerging self-replicators in an attempt to demonstrate Darwinian Evolution. A through discussion of the inherent limitations placed upon a system by kinetic selection is presented in the context of self- replicators. Finally, non-linear chemical dynamics are discussed and successfully incorporated into a competitive replication scenario. The application of reaction diffusion fronts allows a self-replicating system to break the stranglehold of kinetic selection and exhibit its dominance over weaker competitors.

Cellular and proteomic studies of the mitochondrial ABAD/Aβ complex : investigating its role in Alzheimer's disease

2013-06-07T13:14:06Z

Abstract: The focus of this thesis is to investigate the intracellular protein-peptide complex 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (HADH), also known as ABAD (amyloid- binding alcohol dehydrogenase) and amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ). This complex has been identified in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and this study tries to identify if ABAD is a useful biomarker for genetic risk profiling strategies for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, or a suitable target for disease-modifying drug development. The major aim of this project is to explore the biochemical and cellular processes activated as a result of the interaction of ABAD and Aβ. Understanding the cellular responses to these interactions could help identify important biomarkers and/or drug targets for the diagnosis or treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. This study assesses the cytotoxic effects of Aβ in tissue culture and in animal models overexpressing ABAD. An in vitro cell system using SK-N-SH cells was developed for investigating the effects of ABAD expression in cells when incubated with synthetic Aβ peptide. In vitro studies confirmed ABAD to be a mitochondrial protein. There were problems with the efficiency of the synthetic Aβ peptide used, which was found to aggregate excessively. Trial of a soluble oligomeric Aβ peptide proved to be more efficient. A cell system was also developed, culturing neurospheres from murine stem cells. This proved to be a reliable system for culturing primary cells and keeping them in culture for up to 8 weeks. Cells were grown from a wild type strain and then differentiated and stained for endogenous expression of proteins. Proteomic studies were carried out with novel transgenic mouse models for AD. Seven proteins were identified with changed expression in the 2x Tg mouse model. Further immunocytochemistry of human AD brain tissue confirmed the upregulation of peroxiredoxin II and endophilin I. Both proteins could be returned to normal expression in the mouse models by peritoneal injection for two weeks of a novel peptide inhibitor to ABAD, confirming the involvement of the ABAD/Aβ complex in the increased expression of these proteins. Finally ABAD/Aβ was investigated as a possible target for AD therapy by screening with a small molecule fragment library. Only an initial screen was carried out, but several small molecule compounds were found to bind to ABAD. Further screening may produce lead compounds for a synthetic drug to inhibit the enhanced Aβ toxicity associated with the ABAD/Aβ complex.

Preachers and governance in fifteenth-century Italian towns : a comparative investigation of three case studies

2013-06-07T11:56:53Z

Abstract: This thesis examines the sermons of three conventual mendicant preachers in three 15th -century Italian cities: the Easter Sunday sermons of 1416 and 1417 of a Franciscan, Giovanni Coltellini; a 1446 sermon for the feast-day of St Mark by a Dominican, Leonardo Mattei; and the 1460 Palm Sunday sermon of another Dominican, Tommaso Liuti. These are studied through the contextual framework provided by the use of sacristy records, treatises, chronicles, diaries, council minutes, papal bulls, and other sermons. Through these sources, the thesis explores the theme of mendicant preaching in support of secular governing authority. Whereas most historians have concentrated on the criticisms of observant friars, it is here argued that mendicant preachers were employed as a ‘routine’ business of government at both critical and non-critical moments in order to promote the governance of a secular authority, its policies, or its ideology. The first three parts form case studies of preaching in socio-politically distinct contexts. The preaching on peace and unity by the Bolognese Coltellini during political upheaval in his native city is examined first, and establishes how the preacher sought to strengthen links between the governing coalition of factions. The second part investigates promotion of Venetian governance by Mattei in occupied Udine within a period characterised by claims of mismanagement. The last case study approaches from the viewpoint of personal motivation. It investigates Liuti’s relationship with the Este court in Ferrara and the links between the friar’s treatise on good governance, a sermon on a closely-related theme, and his future career. The final section is a comparative analysis of the case studies, assessing similarities and differences in approach, style, and content. It highlights the importance of a preacher’s local origin in forming bonds with audience and governing authority, and the crucial role played by the use of classical authorities in communicating with ruling elites. Lastly, the commonality of aims, if not ultimate goals, between preacher and secular authority is underscored. The involvement of holy men in secular affairs was perceived on the whole as uncontradictory, and provides evidence for an intrinsic inseparability between religion and public life in Quattrocento Italy.

Sex differences in interpretation bias and interpersonal difficulties in adolescence and young adulthood

2013-06-07T11:31:20Z

Abstract: Females are more likely to become depressed and experience social anxiety than are males, and this sex difference emerges during adolescence. A difference in interpretation of ambiguous social scenarios has been posited as a potential causal factor of the sex differences in mood disorders. Females are also thought to place a higher value on social relationships than are males, which may cause them to view interpersonal relationships as more difficult, further affecting their interpretations of ambiguous social events. To test these hypotheses, differences in interpretation of ambiguous events and perception of interpersonal difficulty were measured using the AIBQ in adolescents (aged 12-15) and young adults (22-25). The participants also rated the level of perceived difficulty of different interpersonal relationships using the QIDA, such as romantic, peer, family, etc. Results showed that females were more likely than males to have negative explanations come to mind for ambiguous social and nonsocial scenarios, and had more negative beliefs than males about ambiguous social scenarios. Adolescents were more negative in belief for social events than for nonsocial events, and were more negative in belief for social scenarios than were adults. All participants had more positive interpretations for nonsocial scenarios than social. No sex or age differences in positive interpretations or interpersonal difficulties were found. Future studies could track the changes as adolescents age and transition into young adulthood.

"We belong to the future, the tyrants belong to the past" : the Islamic Republic of Iran's regime foreign policy discourse and behaviour in the period 2005 until 2011

2013-06-07T11:34:09Z

Abstract: The foreign policy ideology that is communicated by the rulers and foreign policy makers of the Islamic Republic of Iran between 2005 and 2010 builds on the identification of Iran as a changed nation through the 1979 Revolution, and presents Iran as an example for other nations in a changing world. This dissertation shows how Iran's foreign policy behaviour can be made sense of in the context of this ideology. For this purpose, Iran's foreign policy behaviour, regionally and internationally, is discussed against the background of the ideology as communicated by Iran's president and supreme leader as to show this behaviour was made possible in the context of the discourse. Also, the dissertation provided two case-studies, one on the nuclear issue and one on the 2009 events, to show how the discourse on these specific issues stands in relation to foreign policy behaviour, and how this fits with Iran's broader discourse. It show's how the Islamic Republic's foreign policy behaviour is not only made possible in the context of ideology, but ideology is also reinforced through foreign policy. Particularly, as Iranian leaders are engaged in an active shaping of the international order to the advantage of the Iranian regime and the goals they see for the Iranian nation.

The mediaeval beastiary and its textual tradition

2013-06-07T11:13:37Z

Abstract: This thesis examines the textual development of the medieval Latin prose bestiary throughout Europe over the course of the Middle Ages and uses this, in conjunction with a detailed study of the manuscripts, to propose new theories about bestiary users and owners. The Introduction describes previous bestiary research, focusing on that which concerns the relationships between manuscripts and the different textual versions, or bestiary ‘Families.’ This is used to justify my research and show how it is more comprehensive than that which has been done before and concentrates on English illuminated bestiaries. Part One takes a wider look at the bestiary in terms of geography and utilisation. The bestiary is shown to have been found across Europe in a variety of manuscript types, disproving the assumption that the bestiary is primarily an illustrated English text. Several manuscripts, both English and Continental, are then examined in greater detail to show how the physical qualities of the manuscript, along with the text, may be used to suggest (sometimes unexpected) bestiary users. Part Two makes an in-depth examination of the early development of the bestiary text, from various sources, into the different Families. A comparison of the bestiary texts allows the manuscripts of each Family to be grouped according to both the textual characteristics and place of production. The relevant features of each group and its members are discussed in detail, and the results of this examination are then used to propose new patterns of bestiary development and exchange between England and the Continent. Part Three summarises the textual changes made to each bestiary chapter and shows how these alter the sense of the individual chapter, and the text of each Family as a whole. The thesis concludes with a reiteration of the importance of the entirety of the manuscript evidence when making hypotheses about the development of a text and its users. This is particularly relevant in the case of the bestiary, which is found in such a variety of manuscripts throughout Europe during the Middle Ages.

From family metaphor to national attachment? a social identity approach towards framing nationhood

2013-06-07T11:28:25Z

Abstract: The central question of this thesis is: “How can people be mobilised to feel strongly attached to or invest into their nations?” Following a review of literature on the psychology of nationhood, a social identity approach towards national attachment is suggested. The possibility of the family metaphor (e.g. fatherland) as a rhetorical device anchoring the nation in filial qualities (e.g. belonging) is discussed. In the first study, establishing the general prevalence of family metaphors and aiming to test their use as a means of mobilisation, the content of language corpora, speeches, parliamentary debates and national anthems is analysed. The results demonstrate frequent use, especially in connection to mobilisation (e.g. in speeches). Study II tests whether merely linking a stimulus to a family metaphor will elicit a positive response and increase national identification. It does so by presenting a student sample (n = 149) with a neutral picture stimulus with different titles including family terms and family metaphors; no effects of any particular picture title on national identity emerged, but a considerable share of participants provided negative Nazi-related associations when primed with ‘fatherland’. Given the apparent relevance of meaning, the third study employed a word association task to provide a more in-depth account of German (n = 119) and British students’ (n =138) common associations for family metaphors, confirming that some participants associate them with a negative past (e.g. WW II) or negative politics (e.g. nationalism). In an attempt to avoid the impact of said negative associations, Study IV draws on brotherhood – the metaphor seen as most positive – adding a call for ‘working in unity as volunteers’, i.e. a context matching the metaphoric use in anthems, contrasting it with a) a call to work ‘as citizens’ or b) a non-matching context (‘being devoted’). While it was assumed that such a fitting mobilisation context (i.e. ‘working together’) would be buttressed by a family metaphor, similar results emerged. In a sample (n = 102) matched to the overall population, the brother metaphor did not have an effect on national identification and participants reported lower agreement with a statement presented together with a family metaphor, often providing associations of nationalism or Nazism. The fifth study responded to the frequent associations of the Second World War by providing British (n = 109) and German (n = 113) students with a distant past (1830s) or WW II context prior to presenting a text that was either using family metaphors or not. It aimed to test whether avoiding a link to the Second World War would alleviate the negative associations. However, the results pointed in the opposite direction, i.e. German participants were more likely to invest in their nations if family metaphors and the 1930s occurred together, albeit the negative understanding of family metaphors provided in the previous studies remained, which can be interpreted as an expression of collective guilt. In the last study, a fictitious nation was presented to a general student sample at the University of St Andrews (n = 198) as either trying to achieve independence through militant struggle or building cultural institutions. As in the previous studies, the majority of participants saw family metaphors as negative, and only a small minority from countries with a higher acceptance of power-distance described them in a positive light. This thesis argues that, in the light of the results, the family metaphor has to be understood as evoking historically situated meanings and is seen as essentialising nationhood, a notion predominantly not matching the understanding participants had of their nation and consequently being rejected. It suggests that a) (national) identity research needs to be aware of context and b) other frameworks for exalted attachment should be investigated.

Landuse change and organic carbon exports from a peat catchment of the Halladale River in the Flow Country of Sutherland and Caithness, Scotland

2013-06-07T10:50:21Z

Abstract: Upland peat catchments are usually assumed to function as carbon sinks, however, there have been extensive studies witnessing increasing trends in concentrations and fluxes of organic carbon in UK rivers over the last few decades. A number of controls on dissolved organic carbon (DOC) release from peatlands, such as climatic changes and landuse management, have been proposed. This study examines the effects of land use and management on organic carbon exports in the Dyke catchment of the River Halladale (northern Scotland) with a nested catchment approach. This study provides insight into the processes controlling the DOC dynamics in the Dyke catchment, and the impact of disturbance caused by landuse changes such as afforestation and tree felling for restoration. The results from factor analysis, end-member mixing, absorbance (E4/E6), and hysteresis analyses on stream water chemistry from individual sub-catchments identified the major hydrological pathways during storm events, and based on these results, conceptual models were developed to explain DOC evolution during storm events. At all the sites studied, nearsurface soil water was identified as the major controlling end-member for stream DOC concentrations. The calculated annual flux of DOC from the Dyke catchment, up-scaled from the results of the individual sub-catchments, is 521.6 kg C ha-1 yr-1, which is significantly (~5 times) higher than the previously published value (103.4 kg C ha-1 yr-1) for the River Halladale catchment (Hope et al., 1997). In this study, it is shown that about 57 - 95% of the DOC export occur during 5 - 10% of the high flows, therefore, it is crucial that quantitative records of DOC export are developed using high frequency storm event measurements, as well as lower frequency low flow sampling. Climatic changes related to precipitation, temperature, coupled with water yield capacity of the sub-catchments, are identified as significant controls on DOC fluxes, rather than landuse change, as the intact site releases more organic carbon per unit area compared to the disturbed and re-wetted site undergoing restoration. In addition, the results from this study provide landowners, policy makers and organisations with the evidence they require for initiating future peatland restoration works, as felling of forestry coupled with drain-blocking is shown to be an effective restoration technique that may help a catchment to eventually return to a near-pristine state.

The impacts of climate change on estuarine ecosystems : a case study on the Eden estuary, Fife, Scotland

2013-06-07T10:29:14Z

Abstract: The Eden Estuary is a small, coastal inlet situated in Fife between the Tay and Forth Estuaries on the east coast of Scotland. A multidisciplinary case study of the estuary was conducted over a three year period observing the dynamic responses of biotic and abiotic behaviour to long term patterns of climate variability. Historical Trend Analysis (HTA) was combined with autocorrelation and spectral density analysis to identify trends, patterns and periodicity in natural cycles. River flow and wind direction data were cross-correlated with the North Atlantic Oscillation Index (NAOI) to link local responses to patterns of northern hemisphere circulation, and with Wolfe Sunspot Numbers representing variable solar activity as a potential driving mechanism for climate driven change. Assessment of the current state of ‘estuary health’ used a proxy analysis of ecosystem function, combining Bray-Curtis similarity nMDS of macrofaunal community diversity with species functional traits. The observed estuary responses were subsequently projected onto the forecasted climate change scenarios reported by the IPCCAR4, UKCIP09 and to modelled projections of solar activity to propose future trajectories of change for the estuary. Autocorrelation analysis of river flow and wind direction data identified significant (95%) correlations corresponding to solar, lunar, planetary and volcanic events. Spectral density analysis similarly identified significant (>95%) frequencies corresponding to known periods of solar activity, lunar cycles and Bruckner climatic cycles. Formal cross -correlation revealed significant (95%) relationships between both river flow and wind data with the NAOI, and using a longer times series, between river Thames annual flow and Wolfe sunspot numbers; correlating solar maximums with high flow. Periods consistent to Schwabe and Hale solar cycles were evident in the wind and river data however the NAOI only displayed Hale periodicity, inferring the river and wind data are not solely influenced (or potentially driven) by the NAO. No detrimental impact of estuary change was observed in the biotic responses inferring maintenance of estuary health. This study identifies potential driving mechanisms of estuary perturbation and whilst causal mechanisms can only be proposed, these observations form a baseline for future targeted modelling, monitoring and management.

The modern political film : biopolitical production and cinematic subjectivity

2013-06-07T10:19:59Z

Abstract: This project uses Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari's concept of the minor cinema to argue for a contemporary political mode of film that critiques dominant or majoritarian ideologies. I argue that these 'modern political films' perform this critique by rupturing the sensory-motor schemata that make up official times and create a space for everyday life and labor to emerge on screen. While political theorists such as Carl Schmitt argue proper politics necessitate oppositional conflict and dialectical progression, a classical model based on the opposition between ultimately Other subjects, modern political films challenge this notion by fragmenting the concept of an appropriate subject and revealing the networks that contribute to and create modern, multifaceted subjects. I locate modern political films in four global contexts: Algeria, Iran, China, and the United States. While the political circumstances of each context differ greatly, the filmmakers I examine turn to a slower pace or use of cinematic time that resists narrative conclusion to address political, economic, and social issues affecting populations within these global locations. Through this slower pace, these directors also address the biopolitical concerns of the subjects they depict: intolerable laws, ideologies, and economic forces that structure or otherwise control how individuals live their lives. As a result, these films operate according to a particular form of politics that opposes the subject-creating assemblages of regulatory biopower, and affirms the potential for new life to emerge on screen.

Resolving the defacto statehood dilemma in Iraq : evolving sovereignty norms and post-modern federalism

2013-06-07T09:50:39Z

Abstract: Through a case study of Iraq, this dissertation examines one manifestation of the increasingly prevalent phenomenon in struggling de jure states of the establishment of alternative forms of political sovereignty embodied by defacto states. Tracing Iraq's failed state-building endeavor to the adoption of an ill-suited Weberian model of state-building that idealized order and centralization to the exclusion of Iraq's Kurdish minority, it argues that much of the contestation and instability witnessed by the Iraqi state since its birth into modern statehood has stemmed from an effort to create a state inimical to the very real dispersal of social and political capital endemic to its society. The result has been continual coups, instability, and civil conflict that ultimately defined Iraq’s modern history. Using this framework, the contention is defended that democracy cannot survive in Iraq without the preservation of its federal character, which alone guarantees the social, economic, political, and coercive dispersal of power necessary to maintain a free expression of Iraq’s diverse interests. By restricting the responsibilities and obligations of the central state to more manageable tasks while dually creating a mechanism for a minority buy-in, federal institutions have pulled previously contentious social sources of power into legitimate state institutions and laid the foundation for a genuine, inclusive state-building process that will eventually benefit all Iraqis. While recognizing that this model is still contested by some leaders in Baghdad, the dissertation traces the path of the two key outstanding issues left unresolved --the exploitation of Iraq’s vast natural resources and the territorial delineation of its disputed internal boundaries-- to argue for a resolution that will bolster Iraqi federalism without sacrificing the hope of greater unity.

Applications of NHCs and isothioureas as Lewis base organocatalysts

2013-06-07T09:36:26Z

Abstract: This thesis details investigations into two modes of organocatalytic enolate generation and reactivity. The first is the addition of chiral NHCs to a ketene to form an azolium enolate. Investigations into three different electrophiles within this system will be discussed. The second catalytic system investigated is the formation of a C1-ammonium enolate through the addition of chiral isothioureas to activated carboxylic acids. Studies on one electrophile within this system will be discussed. Chapter 2 investigates the use of bespoke C2-symmetric NHCs in the asymmetric Staudinger reaction: the formal [2+2] cycloaddition between ketenes and imines. A chiral relay mechanism was proposed and experimentally validated with β-lactams prepared in good yields (up to 85%) and moderate enantioselectivity (up to 61% ee). Chapter 3 describes the asymmetric formal [4+2] cycloaddition between alkylarylketenes and γ-substituted-β,γ-unsaturated α-ketocarboxylates. A substrate dependant switch in diastereoselectivity was observed with γ-aryl α-ketocarboxylates giving preferentially the syn-dihydropyranones (up to 70:30 dr syn:anti, up to 98% ee syn) and γ-alkyl α-ketocarboxylates giving preferentially the anti-dihydropyranones (up to 18:82 dr syn:anti, up to 75% ee anti, 97% ee syn). Chapter 4 illustrates the extension of the methodology described in Chapter 3 to include γ-substituted-β,γ-unsaturated α-ketophosphonates. Once more, a substrate dependant switch in diastereoselectivity was observed with γ-aryl α-ketophosphonates giving preferentially the syn-dihydropyranone-phosphonates (up to 72:28 dr syn:anti, up to 98% ee syn) and γ-methyl α-ketophosphonate giving preferentially the anti-dihydropyranone-phosphonates (20:80 dr syn:anti, 71% ee anti, 90% ee syn). Within this system it is also possible to generate the alkylarylketenes in situ with no loss in stereoselectivity but with typically improved yield when compared with the corresponding two-step procedure. Chapter 5 describes the activation of arylacetic acids via the formation of a mixed anhydride followed by C1-ammonium enolate generation with a chiral isothiourea. Asymmetric Michael addition and lactonisation with γ-substituted-β,γ-unsaturated α-ketophosphonates gave the corresponding anti-dihydropyranone-phosphonates (up to 89:11 dr anti:syn, up to 97% ee anti). More conveniently however, in situ ring opening with MeOH gave di-esters with excellent stereocontrol (up to >98:<2 dr anti:syn, up to 99% ee anti) and which can be readily derivatised.

A comparative assessment of constitutionalism in Western and Islamic thought

2013-06-07T09:07:57Z

Abstract: In the spirit of comparative political theory, this thesis analyzes the ideas that have shaped Western and Islamic constitutional discourse and assesses the extent to which they intersect at key historical and philosophical points. This goal is placed within a larger debate of whether Islam and constitutionalism are mutually exclusive. The thesis begins by positioning itself against Samuel Huntington and Elie Kedourie, who argues that Islam is inherently incompatible with constitutional governance. It then addresses the idea of constitutionalism as described by Western thinkers on three constitutional concepts: the rule of law, reflection of national character, and placing boundaries on government power. These are examined through the lens of a particular canonical text or thinker, Cicero, Montesquieu, and The Federalist Papers, respectively. This is followed by an examination of Muhammad's "The Constitution of Medina." Islamic corollaries to the constitutional ideas discussed earlier are then examined. Al-Farabi's On the Perfect State, ibn Khaldun's asabiyya (group feeling) in the Muqaddimah, and the redefinition of the state in the 19th century Ottoman Tanzimat reforms are discussed. Following this, the thesis looks at a moment in history where these two traditions intersected in 19th century Tunisia in the work of Khayr al-Din al-Tunisi, undertaking a detailed analysis of the introductory section of his book The Surest Path to Knowledge Concerning the Conditions of Countries.The abstract philosophical questions that motivated this inquiry suddenly have unquestioned practical implications. In recognition of this, the conclusion of the thesis summarizes the findings of this work to look at how theorists might address the pressing constitutional concerns of various states and peoples.

Using a tryptophan-regulated promoter system to study chromosal DNA replication in archaeal model organism Haloferax volcanii

2013-06-07T08:55:04Z

Abstract: Chromosomal DNA replication is an essential process for all forms of cellular life. Archaea, the third domain of life, possess a DNA replication apparatus that shares significant protein sequence similarity with eukaryotic replication factors, making the Archaea a good model system for understanding the biology of chromosome replication in Eukaryotes. The results described in this thesis contribute to the genetic and physiological characterisation of DNA replication in the model organism Haloferax volcanii, a halophilic euryarchaeon. The thesis documents the generation of conditional lethal mutants of replication genes in H.volcanii using the tryptophan- regulated tna promoter and its TATA-box mutant, tnaM3. This system was used to study the cellular function of the triple OB fold containing single-stranded DNA binding protein RpaC and for characterisation of PriS-GINS operon. Deletion analysis of three putative SSB proteins in H.volcanii indicated that RpaA1 and RpaB1 are individually non-essential for cell viability but share an essential function, whereas RpaC protein is essential. Loss of RpaC function can however be rescued by elevated expression of RpaB, indicative of functional overlap between the two classes of haloarchaeal SSB. Down-regulation of RpaC caused growth retardation and a significant reduction of DNA synthesis in vivo suggesting, that RpaC is required for DNA replication. In addition, RpaC overexpression increased resistance to various types of DNA damage implying its role in DNA repair. This function is probably mediated by the N-terminus as deletion of this region makes cells sensitive to DNA damaging agents. Analyses of PriS-GINS operon indicated that GINS could be down-regulated without severe consequences for the cells suggesting that it is non-essential protein in H.volcanii. In addition, bioinformatics studies identified sequence similarity between the C-terminal domain of the catalytic subunit of archaeal primase (PriS CTD) and B-domain of GINS51 and B-domain of GINS23 that offer insights into mechanisms for the evolution of these proteins.

Factors influencing the motivational salience of faces

2013-06-07T08:40:28Z

Abstract: My research utilizes a behavioral key-press task adapted from the classic bar-press technique employed in many rodent studies of reward to explore the incentive salience of beauty among humans. In Chapter 2, I replicate previous findings indicating that gender differences exist for the incentive salience of beauty. I extend past findings with regard to the incentive salience of heterosexual beauty by investigating the role of additional aspects of facial appearance. Here, I find that apparent health holds incentive salience. This may serve an adaptive function by driving motivation to seek out healthy potential mates while avoiding infectious individuals. In Chapter 3, I explore gender differences in the incentive salience of adult and infant faces. I show that women demonstrate greater motivation, overall, to view infant faces while both men and women differentiate between the high-cute and low-cute versions of infant faces, suggesting that infant cuteness may hold incentive salience for both men and women but that infants in general have higher incentive salience for women. In Chapters 4 and 5, I investigate individual differences and variation across the menstrual cycle for women viewing adult faces. Women's own attractiveness was found to influence motivation to view attractive individuals, especially same-sex individuals. Within-subject variations in motivation across the menstrual cycle were apparent for the incentive salience of same-sex beauty. Taken together, the results of these experiments suggest that the incentive salience of same-sex faces among women may be partially driven by intrasexual competition – a novel explanation for women’s motivation to view same-sex individuals. Overall my research has indicated that infant cuteness, adult attractiveness and apparent health influence the motivational value of faces, while individual differences also exist among women with respect to own attractiveness and fertility. The key-press paradigm offers an exciting new method for exploring inter- and intra-sexual behavior in humans.

Mixed effect models in distance sampling

2013-06-07T08:20:33Z

Abstract: Recently, much effort has been expended for improving conventional distance sampling methods, e.g. by replacing the design-based approach with a model-based approach where observed counts are related to environmental covariates (Hedley and Buckland, 2004) or by incorporating covariates in the detection function model (Marques and Buckland, 2003). While these models have generally been limited to include fixed effects, we propose four different methods for analysing distance sampling data using mixed effects models. These include an extension of the two-stage approach (Buckland et al., 2009), where we include site random effects in the second-stage count model to account for correlated counts at the same sites. We also present two integrated approaches which include site random effects in the count model. These approaches combine the analysis stages for the detection and count models and allow simultaneous estimation of all parameters. Furthermore, we develop a detection function model that incorporates random effects. We also propose a novel Bayesian approach to analysing distance sampling data which uses a Metropolis-Hastings algorithm for updating model parameters and a reversible jump Markov chain Monte Carlo (RJMCMC) algorithm for assessing model uncertainty. Lastly, we propose using hierarchical centering as a novel technique for improving model mixing and hence facilitating an RJMCMC algorithm for mixed models. We analyse two case studies, both large-scale point transect surveys, where the interest lies in establishing the effects of conservation buffers on agricultural fields. For each case study, we compare the results from one integrated approach to those from the extended two-stage approach. We find that these may differ in parameter estimates for covariates that were both in the detection and the count model and in model probabilities when model uncertainty was included in inference. The performance of the random effects based detection function is assessed via simulation and when heterogeneity in the data is present, one of the new estimators yields improved results compared to conventional distance sampling estimators.

A critical rearticulation of Foucault's panoptic paradigm : fingerprinting as a failing project

2013-06-06T16:12:52Z

Abstract: Using a critical rearticulation of Michel Foucault's broad output, this thesis analyses juridical fingerprinting in England to illuminate panoptic systems as inevitably failing projects. Explicitly, it presents original scholarship in delineating twenty criteria that summarise Foucault's contribution to surveillance studies literature and which comprise the theoretical framework for this thesis. In narrating the story of the incremental panoptification of fingerprinting, it elucidates his interpretation of Jeremy Bentham's Panopticon design and how fingerprinting fails to meet this specific description of panopticism. This thesis also assesses a supplementary argument that whilst Foucault's work has influenced discourse of almost every genre, the inaccurate rendering of his texts has been frequent. The criticism of 'traditional' readings of Foucault centres on the ahistorical spatiality which eclipses discourse on moments of rupture and change that were so crucial to his genealogy. The thesis asserts that closer evaluation of Foucault's panopticon is required for application to contemporary surveillance assemblages, carefully rejecting the inappropriate extensions offered by petit Foucauldians who have limitedly engaged with his work. Utilising Pyrrhonian scepticism in line with Foucault's own, this thesis exposes accepted understandings of surveillance, especially fingerprinting, as flawed. By describing fingerprint technology as existed historically and as exists now, whilst predicting a future of intensified (but still failing) panoptification, this thesis explores the fundamental fragility of the mechanism. Furthermore, such corporal surveillance is therefore ineffective as a regime of governmental population control.

Context-dependent decision making in wild rufous hummingbirds

2013-06-06T10:45:31Z

Abstract: Conventional models of decision making assume that animals and humans will evaluate available options based on the benefit that they provide and then choose the option that provides the largest benefit. However, there is evidence that the choices of both animals and humans violate this assumption as the choices that are made can be altered by the context in which decisions are presented. In this thesis I used free–living, foraging rufous hummingbirds (Selasphorus rufus) to investigate the effect of context on the decisions they make. Firstly, I gave birds choices between two preferred options and found that the addition of a third non-preferred option changed their preference when options varied in either two dimensions simultaneously (volume and concentration of sucrose), or in only a single dimension (volume or concentration). I also manipulated the learning context and found that hummingbirds have stronger preferences when options are learned simultaneously than when those same options are learned about sequentially. I also manipulated the experience that birds had of the options prior to the choice and found that birds with prior experience did not make different choices than hummingbirds without prior experience. In addition to work with hummingbirds, I also completed experiments with humans looking at the effect of context on decisions about health of others. I manipulated the yellowness of faces and found that when participants choose between two preferred options the addition of non-preferred options changed their preference. These data demonstrate humans and hummingbirds make irrational choices as the decision making context can change the choices that they make. Current theories of decision making are insufficient to explain context-dependent choices made by hummingbirds.

An investigation into the Trypanosoma brucei CDP-DAG synthase and downstream pathways

2013-06-06T10:31:49Z

Abstract: Lipid metabolism in Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of African sleeping sickness, differs from its human host, allowing a plethora of novel drug targets to be discovered and validated. Cytidine diphosphate diacylglycerol (CDP-DAG) is a central lipid intermediate produced by the enzyme CDP-DAG synthase (CDS), but nothing was known about CDS in T. brucei. Only one gene encodes CDS in Trypanosoma brucei (Tb927.7.220) and this was shown to encode a functional CDS by overexpression in E. coli and complementation of a yeast CDS null, which was created during this study. Expression and activity of TbCDS was confirmed in T. brucei, and was shown to be essential in both life cycle stages. Disruption of TbCDS altered the lipid profile of T. brucei, confirming a central role for CDP-DAG in phospholipid synthesis. Biochemical and morphological characterisation of mutants in TbCDS expression elucidated at least two separately localised and regulated pools of CDP-DAG and phosphatidylinositol in T. brucei. In bloodstream form these pools are localised to the Golgi and the ER, however in procyclics it is possible that both of these pools are localised to the Golgi, since no phosphatidylinositol synthase protein was detected in the ER of procyclics. Reduction in TbCDS was shown to affect cell cycle regulation and Golgi segregation possibly due to a depletion of phosphorylated phosphatidylinositols (PIPs). These studies also indicate that phosphatidylglycerol may be synthesised by the phosphatidylglycerol-phosphate synthase which may be capable of using phosphatidylserine as a substrate in a headgroup swapping reaction. TbCDS has now been genetically validated as a drug target, and has highlighted novel aspects of lipid biosynthesis in T. brucei. Collectively, these findings highlight the central role played by TbCDS and the new knowledge gained here may lead to the discovery and validation of other novel drug targets against African sleeping sickness.

Isaac Watts : reason, passion and the revival of religion

2013-06-06T10:17:17Z

Abstract: Isaac Watts was a dissenting minister, theologian, philosopher, hymn writer and poet in the first half of the eighteenth century. Despite exercising significant influence over dissent and beyond he remains an understudied figure. In particular there has been little attempt to find coherent patterns of thought in his works. We examine Watts’ view of the role of reason and the place of passion in the Christian life. These are shown to be foundational themes in his thought. In particular they lie behind his more practical works which attempted to bring reformation and revival to the church of his day. On reason Watts in many ways followed Enlightenment thought as expressed by John Locke. However he departed in significant ways which echo his Puritan background. As a result Watts is shown to be an ‘Enlightenment Puritan’ on this topic. On passion Watts accepted some of the view of the new sentimentalist thinkers but again continued significant elements of Puritan thought. Hence on both these areas Watts is shown to hold a modified Puritan position, modified that is in the light of the new thinking of his day. Watts’ position on these foundational topics is then shown to lie behind his attempts to revive religion in the areas of preaching, praise and prayer. Watts’ distinct views on these practical topics are shown to flow directly from his view of reason and passion. Hence in a time of increasing rationalism and sentimentality in the church Watts attempted to bring revival because of his modified Puritan views on reason and passion. As a result Watts’ thought is shown to have a far greater degree of consistency than has been previously appreciated. It is not claimed that Watts has been relocated but that we have located him far more precisely.

Investigating facial correlates of dominance and trustworthiness : their biological underpinnings and perceptual properties

2013-06-06T10:04:06Z

Abstract: Information conveyed by the face can be used in social encounters to make fast decisions about another person. Recently, a new model of face perception has been postulated (Oosterhof & Todorov, 2009) suggesting that there are two basic judgements that underlie person evaluations from faces: dominance and trustworthiness. But on the basis of which cues are these judgements made, and do these cues have biological validity? In this thesis I investigate two putative facial cues to dominance and trustworthiness; namely, facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) and skin yellowness. In men, fWHR has previously been linked to aggressive and dominant behaviour as well as the perception of these traits. Here I show that a more positive dominance related trait (achievement striving) is also related to this metric, indicating a general association of fWHR to dominance rather than simple aggression. Furthermore, I explore the biological underpinnings of this metric by showing 1) that contrary to initial findings and predictions fWHR is not sexually dimorphic, and 2) that fWHR is associated with testosterone, indicating a physiological link between appearance and behaviour. Additionally, I extend current work on fWHR by showing that it acts as a cue to dominance not only in humans but also in non-human primates. The second part of the current thesis firstly identifies skin yellowness as a novel cue used in trustworthiness judgement. It shows that this putatively carotenoid induced cue to current health is not only employed in mate choice context but may also play an important role in other social context and in judgements of who poses an adequate partner for social interactions. Secondly, I show that skin yellowness is inversely related to testosterone levels in men, showing for the first time an association between this carotenoid induced signal and testosterone in humans thereby extending previous work in birds.

Representations of collective action in Mantua and Parma, c.1000-c.1120

2013-06-06T09:48:56Z

Abstract: During the 1970s Keller codified a Ständeordnung (social order) in the cities of Italy in the ninth to twelfth centuries dividing political society into three ordines: the capitanei (high nobility), valvassores (low nobility) and populus (non nobles). This model has had a great impact on historians’ presentation of urban society in the precommunal and communal period and much of the debate of the last thirty years has hinged around how extensively similar models can be applied throughout the cities of Italy. My thesis critiques this discussion, arguing that too much emphasis has been placed on identifying and defining social groups within this period without fully considering the political motivations, social preconceptions and rhetorical techniques of the authors of the medieval texts. I focus on Mantua and Parma and investigate a series of case studies looking at the political and rhetorical strategies pursued by the authors of the sources. This comparative approach is novel and balances a tendency to address the Italian communes either individually or as regional surveys. The use of case studies allows a deeper analysis than the general surveys common to this topic are able to provide. I have reassessed incidents in Mantua and Parma and demonstrated that a number of factors affected different authors’ choices during this period, and that these factors changed over time: most notably from rhetorical need to descriptions of politically activity. Furthermore, I argue that urban collective action was often undertaken by a conglomeration of those who could be defined as any of the ordines described by Keller and others. This has implications for the applicability of Ständeordnung in other cities in Northern Italy which share similar political situations and documentation with Mantua or Parma, suggesting that these social models may need to be redefined. My thesis does not overturn the concept of Ständeordnung but refines it in an original manner contributing a new aspect to the debate.

Crows' nests on power poles : finding a solution

2013-06-06T09:24:43Z

Abstract: Crows (Corvus cornix and C. corone) nest on power-poles throughout northern Scotland causing interruptions to electricity that cost the electricity provider more than £250,000 annually. I aimed to establish what factors influence the nest site selection of crows in the islands of Orkney to help determine ways to reduce pole nesting by these birds. Crows preferred nest sites in trees that were coniferous, tall, mature, densely grouped, and far from occupied houses. However, when such trees were scarce, the number of occupied houses was high, and there were no cliffs within 1km, crows were more likely to nest on power-poles. I found that the fitting of a Firefly diverter at sites where nests were removed was ineffective at deterring rebuilding, but rebuilding was less likely to occur the later in the season that nests were removed. Nests in the middle phase of construction were the most likely to be rebuilt. Making an appropriate decision as to when to remove a crow nest, therefore, would seem more effective for deterring nest rebuilding than is the fitting of Firefly diverters. Nest removal also reduced the level of pole nesting both within years and between years. Furthermore, planned interruptions led to fewer customers losing power and to a twelve-fold reduction in the number of minutes that customers were without power, relative to unplanned power-cuts caused by nests. I also attempted to determine the efficacy of providing alternative nesting platforms and of insulating the live wires on transformer boxes, but I collected too few data to confirm if either of these might reduce the number of power-cuts caused by crows' nests. As both nest platforms and insulation remain in place, however, data collected from these sites in the future may allow confirmation (or not) as to their value.

Timing and episodic-like memory in the rufous hummingbird

2013-06-06T08:59:21Z

Abstract: How animals remember past events has recently received a lot of attention, as researchers search for an animal model of episodic memory, the system used by humans to remember their pasts and imagine the future. It has now been repeatedly demonstrated that animals can remember what they did where and when, although how similar these memories might be to episodic memory remains controversial. Another broader point highlighted by this research is the variety of different ways an event’s location can be specified in time, and how little we know of how animals in the real world organise their behaviour in time. In this thesis I had two aims: to expand our understanding of the timing systems used by a free-living animal to organise its behaviour and, to look for novel ways of assessing the similarities and differences between animal and human memory. To this end, I investigated the timing abilities of free-living rufous hummingbirds Selasphorus rufus, in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada. In particular, I looked at the cues birds use to learn floral refill schedules, the types of temporal rules birds could learn, and the relationships between their memories for What, Where, and When. I also adapted a test used to study bird memory for use with human participants. Together, the studies presented in this thesis suggest two potentially useful future avenues for research into human episodic memory: investigating whether animal memory is subject to similar distortions to human memory, and looking at human memory under similar situations to those used to test animals. This research also highlights the variety of temporal systems hummingbirds can use to guide their behaviour, and points to the study of timing as a potentially fruitful arena for investigating how an animal’s cognitive abilities can be predicted by its environment.

John Locke on persons and personal identity

2013-06-05T11:21:15Z

Abstract: John Locke claims both that ‘person’ is a forensic term and that personal identity consists in sameness of consciousness. The aim of my dissertation is to explain and critically assess how Locke links his moral and legal account of personhood to his account of personal identity in terms of sameness of consciousness. My interpretation of Locke’s account of persons and personal identity is embedded in Locke’s sortal-dependent account of identity. Locke’s sortal-dependent account of identity provides an important theoretical framework for my interpretation: It makes clear that Locke’s account of personhood is to be considered separately from his account of personal identity. My approach gives full credit to Locke’s claim that ‘person’ is a forensic term, because I argue that persons, according to Locke, belong to a moral and legal kind of being: they are subjects of accountability. On this basis I argue that two components explain why Locke argues that personal identity consists in sameness of consciousness: firstly, his particular moral and legal conception of a person, and, secondly, his particular understanding of the conditions of just accountability and just reward and punishment. Given one accepts Locke’s conception of a person and his understanding of the conditions of just accountability, it will be easy to see why Locke regards sameness of consciousness to be necessary for personal identity, but the more challenging question is whether sameness of consciousness is also sufficient. I critically assess this question by considering Locke’s account of persons and personal identity within Locke’s epistemological, metaphysical and religious views. I will argue that, at least from the divine perspective, the underlying ontological constitution has to be taken into consideration and that it is a verbal question whether Locke’s term ‘consciousness’ refers not only to phenomenologically given consciousness, but also to the underlying ontological constitution.

Microcantilevers : calibration of their spring constants and use as ultrasensitive probes of adsorbed mass

2013-06-05T08:28:20Z

Abstract: The dynamic properties of several rectangular and V-shaped microcantilevers were investigated. Particular attention was paid to the higher flexural eigenmodes of oscillation. The potential of the higher flexural modes was demonstrated through the use of cantilevers as standalone sensors for adsorbed mass. The mass adsorbed on the surface of a cantilever was in the form of a homogeneous water layer measured as a function of relative humidity. The minimum detectable water layer thicknesses were 13.7 Å, 3.2 Å, 1.1 Å, and 0.7 Å for the first four modes of a rectangular cantilever, clearly demonstrating enhanced accuracy for the higher eigenmodes of oscillation. These thicknesses correspond to minimum detectable masses of 33.5 pg, 7.8 pg, 2.7 pg and 1.7 pg for the first four modes. For quantitative applications the spring constants of each cantilever must be determined. Many methods exist but only a small number can calibrate the higher flexural eigenmodes. A method was developed to simultaneously calibrate all flexural modes of microcantilever sensors. The method was demonstrated for the first four eigenmodes of several rectangular and V-shaped cantilevers with nominal fundamental spring constants in the range of 0.03 to 1.75 N/m. The spring constants were determined with accuracies of 5-10 %. Spring constants of the fundamental mode were generally in agreement with those determined using the Sader method. The method is compatible with existing AFM systems. It relies on a flow of gas from a microchannel and as such poses no risk of damage to the cantilever beam, its tip, or any coating. A related method was developed for the torsional modes of oscillation. Preliminary results are shown for the fundamental mode of a rectangular cantilever. The method can be easily extended to the higher torsional modes, V-shaped cantilevers, and potentially, the flapping modes of the legs of V-shaped microcantilevers.

Consuming the jihad : an enquiry into the subculture of internet jihadism

2013-06-05T08:26:06Z

Abstract: Recent years have seen a great deal of interest in phenomena such as Al Qaida ‘terrorism’, Islamic ‘radicalism’ or, increasingly, ‘jihadism’ - on the Internet. However, as I argue in this thesis, much work in these areas has been problematic for a number of reasons. Much literature has been narrowly focused on the security issues which it pre-judges the content to raise, and has therefore taken some aspects too literally while ignoring others. Conversely, where authors have addressed ‘jihadi’ content or ‘electronic jihad’ as a phenomenon unto itself, they have had difficulty making sense of it within religious studies or political communication frameworks. In this dissertation, I propose an alternative approach. Deliberately eschewing frameworks based on pre-existing conceptions of religion or politics, I draw, instead, on the academic literature on fandom and subcultural media consumption. Using this conceptual lens, I attempt to analyse jihadism on the Internet (which I define in terms of online consumption of, and identification with self-described ‘jihadi’ content) as a subcultural phenomenon on its own terms. I argue that, without necessarily denying the role that beliefs and ideals expressed in ‘jihadi’ content may sometimes have in sustaining the physical violence of the ‘global jihad’, the cultural practices which constitute Internet jihadism have a tactical logic of their own which may not always coincide with the ‘strategic’ interests of ‘global jihad’. By better understanding what ‘ordinary' jihadis, most of whom will never participate in violence, get out of their practices, and how they negotiate the apparent contradictions of their situation, I suggest that we may be better placed to understand not only why some jihadis ‘fail’ to negotiate these contradictions, but also, perhaps, to raise questions about how popular media consumption works more generally.

Materials and microstructures for high temperature electrochemical devices through control of perovskite defect chemistry

2013-06-10T10:56:40Z

Abstract: The development of technologies that enable efficient and reliable energy inter-conversion and storage is of key importance for tempering the intermittent availability of renewable energy sources, and thus for developing an energy economy based on sustainable, clean energy production. Solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) may be used to store excess electrical energy as hydrogen, while solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) could convert back hydrogen into electricity, thus balancing energy availability and demand. However, the current state-of-the-art hydrogen electrode used in both SOECs and SOFCs, the Ni-yttria-stabilised zirconia cermet (Ni-YSZ), is unreliable in conjunction with intermittent energy sources, in particular due to its innate redox instability. This thesis explores the fundamental properties of various inherently redox stable A-site deficient titanate perovskite systems (A1-αBO3, B = Ti), seeking to uncover the principles that enhance their properties so that they may be used to replace Ni-YSZ. In particular, this work demonstrates that the versatility of perovskites with respect to the introduction of lattice defects such as vacancies and cation substitutions enables considerable improvements in the extent of reduction, electronic conductivity and overall electrochemical activity. Most importantly, the defect chemistry context set by the presence of A-site vacancies was found to trigger the exsolution of electrocatalytically active nanoparticles from the parent perovskite, upon reduction. This is an entirely new phenomenon which was explored and exploited throughout this study to produce perovskite surfaces decorated with uniformly distributed catalytically active nanoparticles. As demonstrated in this study, the exsolution phenomenon excels in terms of producing nanoparticles with uniform size, distribution, diverse composition and ‘unconventional’ surface anchorage. The resulting enhanced properties, and especially the exsolution phenomenon, contributed coherently towards improving the suitability of the perovskites developed here towards their application as hydrogen electrode materials. Consequently, when integrated into SOEC button cells as hydrogen electrodes, they exhibited a step-change increase in performance compared to other perovskites considered to date. Many of the principles and perovskite defect chemistry explored and exemplified in this study on perovskite titanates may be extended to other perovskites as well. In particular the advanced control and understanding achieved in this work over the exsolution phenomenon may inspire the formulation of new and sophisticated oxide materials with advanced functionality.

Development of spinel-based electrode supports for solid oxide fuel cells

2013-06-10T10:56:00Z

Abstract: The high temperature oxidation of ferritic stainless steel interconnects results in chromium poisoning of the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrodes, which is a limiting factor for their utilisation as SOFC interconnects. Chromium-rich spinel materials were studied as electrode supports that would be situated at the interface between interconnect and electrode, in order to reduce the effect of chromium poisoning of the electrodes. The main goal of this thesis was to find chromium-rich spinel materials with good electrical conductivity (σ ≥ 0.1 S∙cm⁻¹) in air and reducing atmosphere, chemically and mechanically stable in SOFC testing conditions. The structure and properties of newly formulated chromium-rich spinels, such as Mn₁₊ₓCr₂₋ₓO₄ (x = 0, 0.5), MnFeₓCr₂₋ₓO₄ (x = 0.1, 1), MgMnCrO₄, MnLiₓCr₂₋ₓO₄ (x = 0.1) and MgMₓCr₂₋ₓO₄, (M = Li, Mg, Ti, Fe, Cu, Ga) were studied aiming at their application as electrode support material for solid oxide fuel cells. Cation distributions were determined by Rietveld refinement from X-ray diffraction (XRD), within the limits of XRD precision and correlated with electrical properties determined experimentally. The chemical stability in reducing conditions was studied and the reduction effects upon materials were evaluated by XRD phase analysis and microstructure analysis. It was found that MnMₓCr₂₋ₓO₄ materials have a limited stability to reduction, only MnCr₂O₄ proved to have good stability when reduced, with negative influence for its p-type semiconductor conductivity. Even though MnFeCrO₄ had limited stability to reduction, in reducing conditions the conductivity changed from p-type to n-type semiconductor. A similar behaviour to reduction was observed for MgFeCrO₄. Also the mechanical and chemical compatibility of some spinels with YSZ was studied in terms of thermal expansion coefficient (TEC/K⁻¹), sintering step and possible chemical reactions. Lithium titanate spinels, starting with LiCrTiO₄, were investigated in terms of structure, properties and spinel - ramsdellite phase transition temperature also with the purpose of new material development. For these materials positive results were obtained in conductivity and chemical stability in reducing conditions. The performance of MnFeCrO₄ and MgFeCrO₄ as electrode support materials was investigated when used alone or impregnated with (La₀.₇₅Sr₀.₂₅)₀.₉₇Cr₀.₅Mn₀.₅O₃, La₀.₈Sr₀.₂FeO₃, Ce₀.₉Gd₀.₁O₂, CeO₂ or Pd. Composite anodes for SOFC were prepared by aqueous infiltration of nitrate salts into porous MnFeCrO₄ and MgFeCrO₄ scaffolds and studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in symmetrical cell configuration. The performance of the composite anodes was evaluated in humidified 5%H₂/Ar in order to understand their stability and performance at 850 °C or lower temperature with respect to the porous substrates. It was found that all the impregnated phases adhere very well to the spinel and considerably enhance performance and stability to a level required for SOFC applications. An interesting next step in this work would be to apply such spinel materials on steel interconnects, integrate them into testing SOFC devices and evaluate their effect upon chromium poisoning of the electrodes.

Development of a neurophysiological sensory gating model in the rat to aid in the preclinical identification of possible treatments of sensory flooding in schizophrenia

2013-06-04T15:46:01Z

Abstract: Objective: It has been widely hypothesized that a failure to properly filter, or ‘gate’, incoming auditory information occurs in schizophrenic patients. This can be observed in a reduced event-related potential response to the second of a pair of clicks, and this is referred to as P50 suppression after the name of the component that is attenuated to the second click. Our aim was to develop a model of gating failure in rats by measuring event-related potentials at different intervals between the clicks to validate that apparent gating in rats looks like P50 suppression in humans. We also sought to determine the relationship between two of the most commonly used assays of auditory gating: the mismatch negativity (an event-related potential evoked when a series of standard tones is followed by a deviant or oddball tone) and neurophysiological suppression in the double-click paradigm. Methods: Male outbred Lister Hooded rats (N=8) were tested using electrophysiology to record P50-like event-related potentials (ERPs) to assess the overall competence of the rats' sensory gating. The rat N40 potential, thought to be equivalent to the human P50 potential, was measured after each of two 85-dBZ paired (conditioning and test) 0.1msec duration clicks separated by inter-stimulus intervals of 250msec, 500msec, 1000msec, and 2000msec presented at 10second inter-trial intervals. If the N40 potentials are similar to the human P50, then the magnitude of the potential of the second click should be attenuated (a measure of gating of the repetitive stimulus). Additionally, we were interested in whether the suppression of the rat N40 to the second click was similar to the suppression of the human P50 in being vulnerable to disruption by amphetamine. We measured N40 suppression in four conditions: pre-drug, after saline injection, after 6 dextroamphetamine injection, and post-drug. Finally, we correlated the N40suppression with another neurophysiological measure of gating, the mismatch negativity. Results: We determined that as the inter-stimulus interval increased in duration, the degree of N40 suppression decreased linearly. The administration of d-amphetamine had a non-significant effect, although our results indicate that further testing with a slightly larger sample size would be relevant. Finally, the relationship between the MMN and N40 suppression was weak, which is similar to the relationship between the human P50 suppression and mismatch negativity. Conclusions: These data are a relevant initial step towards a neurophysiological sensory gating model to aid in preclinical identification of possible treatments of sensory flooding in schizophrenia. The characteristics of the rat N40 suppression match those of the human P50 suppression with the apparent exception of vulnerability to disruption by amphetamine.

Functional, biochemical and structural analyses of two plasmodium membrane proteins

2013-06-04T15:33:32Z

Abstract: Protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium are the causative agent of malaria. The most severe form of human malaria is caused by P. falciparum, responsible for approximately three quarters of a million deaths each year. One major problem in the treatment of malaria is resistance to existing chemotherapies. Consequently, there is an urgent need to identify and validate novel drug targets. A possible recently identified drug target is the PfNitA protein of P. falciparum which contains orthologues in other Plasmodium species but is absent from humans. The gene is annotated as a putative formate-nitrite transporter and orthologues are found in a range of prokaryotes as well as the lower eukaryotes algae and fungi. To determine the biological function of the protein, pfnita was expressed in Escherichia coli strains lacking the endogenous formate and nitrite transporters. In order to analyse the essentiality of the gene a reverse genetics approach was taken and the data discussed. Results indicate that the PfNitA protein is located in the plasma membrane and digestive vacuole of intraerythrocytic parasites suggesting a role in the uptake or excretion of metabolites. A second complexity with regard to treatment is the lack of a vaccine. A problem in crating a vaccine is antigenic variation. The PIR family of proteins contain a so-called hypervariable domain that has led to the suggestion that the family may play a role in antigenic variation. The objective of the work carried out in this thesis was to investigate the topology and structure of the PcCir2 protein of Plasmodium chabaudi, using E. coli as the expression host. The topology of Cir2 has been examined by means of reporter fusions and overexpression/purification studies undertaken towards crystallisation. As the PcCir2 amino acid sequence does not show significant homology to other proteins, structural data may provide insights into potential functional or binding domains.

Andrew Fletcher : bridging the gap between early modern and civic republicanism

2013-06-04T10:46:26Z

Abstract: This thesis explores the progress of contemporary republican theory from its civic roots to its modern conception. Republicanism is a paradigm of liberty, and the transformation of this theory of liberty from concepts of self-government and civic virtue through to contemporary ideas of non-domination and political autonomy will be examined. Using Andrew Fletcher's particular brand of civic-humanist republicanism as a critical model, this thesis will show that republicanism is vital for addressing the issues an increasingly interdependent and unjust global system brings about. This thesis considers Andrew Fletcher's contribution to republican political theory and demonstrates that his unique approach to liberty, peace and the European political order is an important contribution to the canon of political thought used in contemporary scholarship to understand the political ordering of society. Furthermore, his contribution to the debate surrounding the Treaty of Union is a relevant starting point for consideration of the current Scottish Independence question. It shows that Fletcher's civic-humanist republican theories are both relevant and necessary for the contemporary understanding of the republican theory of liberty, narrowing the gap between the dominant ideologies. Where communitarianism lays at one end of the spectrum, and libertarianism the other, Fletcher's own brand of civic-humanist republicanism narrows this broad spectrum.

Structural and functional studies of novel mechanisms of Lassa fever virus nucleoprotein in immune suppression, viral RNA transcription and replication

2013-06-04T10:26:12Z

Abstract: Lassa fever virus is one of the most dangerous viruses of arenaviridae family, causing more than 500,000 infections per year in Africa. The fatality rate for hospitalized patients is as high as 20%. Due to the high fatality and lack of efficient licensed drugs and vaccines to treat and prevent, Lassa fever virus is classified as a Category A priority pathogen and biosafety level-4 agent by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the USA. Cases were also found in the Americas and European countries, highlighting its potency to be a bioterrorism weapon. Like other areanaviruses, Lassa virus has developed a unique interferon suppression mechanism to evade from the host immune system, in which Lassa nucleoprotein plays the key role. To understand the LASV nucleoprotein functions, we tried to determine the first arenaviral nucleoprotein structure, LASV nucleoprotein. The LASV nucleoprotein (NP) was overexpressed and purified. The NP protein was crystallized and the structure was determined to 1.80 Å resolution. The crystals belong to space group P3, with the unit cell parameters a = b = 177.16 Å, c = 56.49 Å, α= β= 90° and γ= 120°. The LASV NP structure contains two domains, which are not similar to any reported viral nucleoprotein structures. The N-terminal domain has a novel structure with a cavity, which we proposed for cap binding, and the C-terminus is a 3’-5' ribonuclease, which is responsible for suppressing interferon production. To characterize the possible interaction between NP and other arenaviral protein, we also overexpressed and purified LASV Z. Interestingly, both NP and Z proteins have two forms and the purified NP protein and monomeric Z protein bind RNA. It is surprising that only the oligomeric Z protein interacts with NP protein but the monomeric Z protein does not as determined by Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC). Our studies have reported the first arenaviral nucleoprotein structure, revealed the novel mechanism for the cap binding and immune suppression, which set up a platform for the development of novel drugs and vaccines to treat deadly arenaviral infections.

An investigation into the job leaving intentions and occupational-related attitudes among dental nurses in Scotland : the mediating role of work engagement and personal accomplishment

2013-06-04T09:58:24Z

Abstract: Background: Studies have investigated work engagement in dentistry, however dental nurse engagement is still inadequately understood. Also concerns about low retention and shortages of dental nurses in the UK have been highlighted. The purpose of this dissertation was two-fold. First is to build on the existing understanding of the mediating role of work engagement and personal accomplishment between occupational-related attitudes and leaving intentions. Secondly, to explore which of the specific occupational-related attitudes of dental nurses support and encourage a dental nursing career. Aims: The research had 3 aims. (1) To address the lack of information on work engagement among dental nurses, (2) To understand which job resources are important in the work-place and (3) to investigate how these job resources relate to work engagement and personal accomplishment and in turn their relationship with future intentions to leave the profession. Method: A sequential exploratory design of mixed methods was employed to collect data by first exploring the work experiences using focus groups of 24 dental nurses, either undergoing registration training or further post-registration qualification courses in 2 locations. Secondly, a newly designed cross-sectional questionnaire investigated demographics, job demands and resources, work engagement and personal accomplishment (using Utrecht Work Engagement Scale and the Maslach Burnout Inventory respectively) and an adapted measure of intention-to-leave of a sample of 269 dental nurses in Scotland (pre-registration n = 241; post registration n = 28). Results: A major theme was opinion surrounding the introduction of registration in August 2009. Registration for pre-registration dental nurses had a personal impact whereas post-registration dental nurses expressed a benefit for the whole profession. A common theme emerging from both groups of dental nurses was the provision of a clearer career pathway. Influences on leaving for pre-registration dental nurses were not being part of an integrated dental team and no sense of feeling valued. An uncovered underlying theme was the concept of professionalism. Pre-registration dental nurses sought support and security. This opinion contrasted with that of the post-registration group who appreciated a greater sense of independency. In the questionnaire the overall response rate was 82% based on pre-registration dental nurses only. Pre-registration dental nurses’ work engagement scores were more dedicated (p < 0.0001), and absorbed (p < 0.007) and had less vigour (p < 0.0001) when compared to UWES manual norm values. Work engagement had a mediating role between job resources and intention-to-leave. The job resources predicting higher work engagement were positive beliefs about registration, task significance and variety, and low repetition in the daily routine. Conclusion: There was some evidence that a professional process occurs during registration training which may be indicative of future intentions to remain in dental nursing. Contextual job resources were more salient in supporting work engagement. Work engagement is a key indicator of intention-to-leave whilst high personal accomplishment predicted high intention-to-leave. Also some evidence suggested job resources may act indirectly on intention-to-leave.

Artistic patronage in late medieval Troyes, 1380-1520

2013-06-04T09:26:45Z

Abstract: This thesis explores the development of artistic patronage in the city of Troyes between 1380 and 1520. It takes into consideration the patrons and artists involved in the creation of manuscript illumination, sculpture, metalwork, panel painting, stained glass, tapestry and textiles. As a localised study it draws source documentation from the Bibliothèque municipale, Archives de l’Aube and museum collections in Troyes. The theme of ‘patronage’ is the basis for examination of visual culture produced locally during the late middle ages. I acknowledge the drive behind patronage involved the notion of enhancement, whether individual or institutional, that required the need for visual display. The role of the artists was an integral part of the performative process that shaped the development of this system and fulfilled the cultural impulse toward the outward expression of devotion, power and prestige. I argue that these works relate to the individual and community they represent as the product of a compound relationship between the process of art production and a movement toward visual display. In light of this it can be concluded that the manufacture of art and impulse to produce and collect it had connections to the cultural, social and economic climate. The dissemination of patronage in the city denotes an increasing degree of organisation in the complexity of artistic practices at local level. This evidence therefore represents a microcosm of greater developments witnessed in late medieval France.

From social learning to culture : mathematical and computational models of cultural evolution

2013-06-04T08:57:45Z

Abstract: Humans are unique in the extent and complexity of their cultures. As a species, we generate extensive knowledge and innumerable norms, attitudes, traditions, skills, beliefs and technologies that we share with those around us through teaching, imitation and language. These cultural practices have their roots in our uniquely potent ability for social learning. This thesis sets out to elucidate the process of cultural evolution using a series of mathematical and computational models. These models first investigate the evolution of the capacity for social learning, the rare ability to teach, and the evolution of the smart and strategic use of social learning, in the animal lineage. They go on to investigate the implications of these strategies and mechanisms for culture and find that the form human culture takes is dependant on the amount and nature of social learning as well as on the underlying learning strategies deployed. The thesis also investigates the effect that culture has had on the human evolutionary niche. Cultural practices fundamentally change the selection pressures to which humans are subject and these in turn change both our cultures and our genes through gene-culture coevolution. Finally, a demographic cultural niche construction model is presented, which investigates the application of cultural evolution modelling, cultural niche construction theory and demographic models to the growing problem of sex-ratio imbalance in modern China and considers the implications for policy-making. The analyses presented in this thesis support the argument that the uniquely potent human ability to transmit acquired information through teaching, imitation and other forms of social learning, and through this to shape our cultural and ecological environments, has played and continues to play a central role in human evolution.

Development of tubular hybrid direct carbon fuel cell and pyrolysis of biomass for production of carbon fuel

2013-06-04T08:37:45Z

Abstract: This study involved two avenues of investigation: a new concept of Direct Carbon Fuel Cell (DCFC) and the production of carbon from biomass. The new concept of DCFC merges a solid oxide electrolyte and a molten carbonate electrolyte called the “hybrid direct carbon fuel cell” using tubular geometry. The tubular cell was chosen for several reasons, such as sealing process, reduction of stress during the sintering process and reduction of the final size of the stack. In addition, it makes the fuelling process easier than in planar geometry. The previous tests carried out on tubular hybrid direct carbon fuel cell at the University of St Andrews showed promising results. In fact, a power of 85 mW was achieved at 800ºC. However this temperature was too high and so the focus of the new project was on decreasing the operating temperature to 650ºC, replacing the YSZ electrolyte used in the previous configuration with an electrolyte such as GDC, which showed better performance at low temperature. YSZ was substituted for GDC in the anodes and cathode in order to prevent an increase in the interface resistance due to the possible reaction between electrolyte and electrodes at the interface. Anodes with different proportions of NiO and GDC were investigated in order to understand the electrochemical phenomena in the presence of GDC compared to YSZ. Three different electrical configurations were investigated by AC impedance studies because the electrochemistry of the cell changes as function of the position and the surface of the current collector, which is dipped into the anode chamber. Performance improved when the surface area of the current collector increased, which combined a silver wire with strip of nickel mesh. Two types of seals (552 ceramabond and ToKu adhesive) and the sealing process were also studied in order to prevent leakage, which affects the performance of the entire cell. The leakages were reduced using a composite seal composed of alumina paste and a combination of flexi disks of mica and alumina fibre disk. In the preliminary test using 70-30%wt NiO GDC and LSM-GDC with composite nickel mesh and silver wire current collector and the composite seal, a promising value of power of 191mW was achieved at 700ºC using GDC electrolyte. The value of power was improved by reducing the thickness of the electrolyte and the cathode manufacture. However, the best performance was achieved when LSM-GDC cathode was replaced with LSCF- GDC. LSCF was chosen for the promising results shown at low temperature, and a power of 240mW was achieved at 650ºC when it was used as the cathode in our cell. The carbon fuel used for these fuels was a medium density fibreboard pyrolysed at 500°C. The choice of this carbon fuel was based on the production and characterization of carbon fuels in this project. The investigations were focused on the production and characterization of carbon fuel from biomass such as MDF and pellet wood produced by pyrolysis. Secondary products resulting from the pyrolysis process were also investigated in order to use them as alternative fuels. All of the types of carbons produced and 3 commercial carbons were characterized by SEM, XRD, infrared spectroscopy, surface area and elemental analysis, while their electrochemical performances were investigated by hybrid direct carbon fuel cell with planar geometry. The investigations highlight that the structure of the carbon used does not affect the performance of the cell, which is in fact affected by the ability of the carbon to gasify in the presence of carbonate.

Magnetic fields and X-ray emission in pre-main sequence stars

2013-06-04T08:12:25Z

Abstract: In this thesis, I use numerical models of stellar coronae to investigate coronal magnetic fields, X-ray emission, and accretion geometries of classical T Tauri stars. This is based on recently published Zeeman-Doppler Imaging (ZDI) magnetograms. I also investigate the effects of time-variable eclipsing of stellar flares on their observed lightcurves. I investigate how our ability to model stellar magnetic processes is affected by missing magnetic flux in observed ZDI magnetograms and find that the loss of unresolved small-scale field regions has a significant effect on our ability to model magnetically confined X-ray emitting coronae. However, it has little effect on predicted large scale field structures. I survey the sample of classical T Tauri stars with existing ZDI magnetograms and find that the field complexity is correlated with field strength and stellar rotation rate, such that rapidly rotating stars have weak complex fields, and slowly rotating stars have strong simple fields. It is not clear whether this is a result of the finite resolution of the ZDI technique, magnetic star-disc interactions, or the evolution of pre-main sequence stars. Using observed X-ray emission measures and temperatures for each of these stars, I model the closed X-ray emitting coronae and find that they typically extend several stellar radii from the stellar surface. The coronal extent is primarily determined by the complexity of the magnetic field, with simple fields extending a large distance from the stellar surface, and more complex fields being truncated closer to the stellar surface. Using observed mass accretion rates, I predict circumstellar disc truncation radii for these stars and find that they are typically several stellar radii from the stellar surface, with the locations of accretion footpoints being a strong function of the field strengths and complexities. In several cases, the disc is truncated significantly outside the maximum radius at which the corona can extend. This result is significant as studies into magnetospheric accretion generally assume that the magnetic field has a closed geometry at the inner edge of the disc. The lightcurve of a typical stellar flare consists of a single impulsive rise phase followed by a slower exponential decay. However, a large number of the observed flares do not possess typical morphologies, and instead show multiple rise phases, or large dips in their lightcurves. Using the largest flares observed by the Chandra Orion Ultradeep Project, I show that these atypical lightcurves could have been caused by the time variable eclipsing of typical flares due to the rotation of the host stars. However, this interpretation is unable to account for the large number of atypical lightcurves in the COUP flare sample, and so other physical mechanisms must be involved. Significantly, I find that most flares that are eclipsed by their host stars still retain typical lightcurves showing no obvious signs of eclipsing.

Emotional responses to interactive fictions

2013-06-03T15:52:50Z

Abstract: We commonly feel a variety of emotional responses to works of fiction. In this thesis I propose to examine what we understand by the terms fictional and narrative, and to describe what sorts of narrator might be required within a narrative work. Of particular interest are interactive works of art, both narrative and non-narrative, and I provide a definition of what features a work should possess if it should properly be considered interactive. I discuss the notions of interactive narratives and examine how interactivity affects any possible narrator. I examine the paradox of fiction - how it is that we can feel emotions towards characters we know not to exist, and suggest how the paradox can be dissolved. I further discuss how it can be rational to feel these emotional responses and note particular responses that it does not seem possible to feel rationally when engaging with non-interactive narratives. I then examine what effect the introduction of interactivity to both non-narrative and narrative works has, and argue that it reduces the control the artist has to direct our emotions, but increases the range of emotions which we can feel. Finally I suggest that some of the emotional responses that would be irrational to feel when engaging with non-interactive narrative works can be rational when we are engaged with their interactive counterparts, but that at least one emotional response cannot genuinely be felt rationally even in interactive cases.

"This word is the gospel preached to you" : ecclesiology and the Isaianic narrative in 1 Peter

2013-06-03T15:28:23Z

Abstract: The appropriation of Isaiah in 1 Peter occurs through explicit quotations, but also by means of subtle allusions and echoes. I propose that the ecclesiology of 1 Peter draws upon the narrative of the restoration of divine presence among the people of God despite present suffering, which is informed largely by the themes and images of Isaiah, so that the church is identified as participants in a scriptural narrative through its participation in Christ, who is understood to be the Messiah of the scriptures. This study explores the relationship between 1 Peter and the scriptures it employs along several lines. First, comparison is made with available textual evidence to determine differences between the texts in 1 Peter and their Vorlagen. This helps determine the extent to which texts have been modified, the cause of modification, and any interpretive uses such modifications may have occurred. Second, individual texts used in 1 Peter are correlated with the larger narrative of scripture. It is argued that the terms suffering and glory express this narrative in the language of the epistle as a present conflict and future resolution. Third, Isaiah informs the ecclesiology of the letter, in harmony with other scriptural texts, so that the church is viewed as participating in the scriptural narrative of the restoration of divine presence. Finally, the narrative drawn from scripture provides comfort and consolation to Christians suffering in Asia Minor by showing how present suffering is consistent with the experiences of God’s people in ages past and with the experience of Christ. Furthermore, the hope of future glory entails the vindication of present calamities and the reward of honorable conduct. I conclude by showing how the Isaianic narrative has been formative for Peter’s understanding of the church. In his address to the churches of Asia Minor, he builds an argument from his reading of the Isaianic narrative that 1) indicates how the scriptures of Israel are the basis of gospel proclamation and community formation, 2) proposes a high ethical standard in the midst of suffering based on the pattern of Christ, and 3) depicts the vindication of the suffering church at the revelation of Christ.

Electronic and optical SESAM control in Cr⁴⁺:forsterite lasers

2013-06-04T13:25:08Z

Abstract: The work documented in this thesis is based on the production, manipulation and control of ultrashort laser pulses in the near infra-red region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Pulses were created using Cr⁴⁺:Forsterite as a gain crystal with the SESAM mode-locking technique. The aim of the work presented was to use the SESAM as a control device within the laser in addition to its function as the mode-locking element. In this thesis two methods of SESAM based control were investigated. The first technique, optical switching, used an auxiliary diode laser operating with a wavelength of 640 nm, to pump the SESAM in addition to the intra-cavity field of the Cr⁴⁺:Forsterite laser. The localised heating effect induced a change in the absorption spectrum of the SESAM, in turn changing the operating regime of the laser. Using this technique it was possible to switch between pulses of duration 34.5 ps to 263 fs in timescales of 1-3 ms. The return switching time was 0.5 ms. The effect of diode pump power on switching times and stability was also investigated, showing the possibility of controlling these aspects by monitoring the applied power. The second technique was an all-electrical control technique and in this case SESAM control was achieved by reverse biasing the device to induce the quantum confined Stark effect. This also changed the absorption spectrum of the SESAM and switching was achieved. In this work three SESAM designs were used, each with a different QW shape making up the absorber layer. With a square well device, switching was achieved between 6.42 ps to 2.85 fs and 116 ps to CW operation with switching time ~20ms. A device with a pair of QWs (with separation 2nm,facilitating quantum tunnelling) was then used. With this device switching was achieved from 188 fs to a regime which appeared to be producing Q-switched pulses.A stepped geometry QW device was also tested, but had insufficient absorption to induce mode-locking. The results obtained show that both switching techniques are viable control methods for the Cr⁴⁺:Forsterite laser, and indicate that there is also potential to use SESAM control in other solid-state lasers.

Needs, identity, and leadership: a theory of conflict and change

2013-06-04T13:16:15Z

Abstract: This PhD dissertation aims to inform theories of conflict and International Relations (IR) by using modified social psychological models of identification and leadership in which needs fulfilment plays a central role. The main hypothesis is that identification with groups and leaders is flexible on the lower needs levels and more lasting on the higher needs levels, and that leadership, to be adaptive, must on the lower needs levels be action-oriented and on the higher levels be relations-oriented. This hypothesis is used to inform group and system level theories. On the group level, the hypothesis reads that due to this pattern of individual identification, cohesive collective action and violence in physiological deprivation requires coercive leadership to make up for the absence of unity, while on the higher needs levels collective violence necessitates manipulative leadership to make up for the absence of real deprivation. On the system level, the hypothesis reads that since the dynamics of collective action depend on the level of needs fulfilment and identification, change in the system can only be understood by examining all three levels of analysis. The first two hypotheses (on the individual and group level) are developed and demonstrated through qualitative case studies on the conflicts of the Sudan/South Sudan and between the former Yugoslav republics. These hypotheses are then used to reconcile the various conflicting theories on each level of analysis as well as to create a comprehensive framework through which the various theories and concepts of IR can be seen as connected to a certain level of needs security/development, and thus as historically and regionally specific.

Acoustic behaviour of Risso's dolphins, Grampus griseus, in the Canary Islands, Spain

2013-06-03T13:30:28Z

Abstract: The Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus) is a poorly studied species, particularly with respect to its acoustic behaviour. The little we know about Risso's dolphin acoustics shows that they are an interesting case study given that they combine acoustic features that place them inbetween very different delphinids. I investigated the acoustic repertoire of the species showing that Risso's dolphins produce mainly whistles, burst-pulses and click trains. I discussed the possible functions of each type of vocalization by contextualizing them into group behavioural patterns, size and habitat features. Although capable of whistling, Risso's dolphins seem to favour burst-pulses to communicate and maintain group cohesion following deep dives. Click trains were compared based on their inter-click interval patterns. Those were placed in their behavioural context and used to determine the number of animals echolocating at any given time. Risso's dolphins use a variety of inter-click intervals in each context. My data suggests that they may avoid predators by eavesdropping on the echoes of conspecific clicks while slow travelling and resting. Using 3D acoustic localization, I studied the biosonar performance and on-axis click characteristics of Risso's dolphin clicks. On one hand, Risso's dolphins do not seem to display range locking behaviour which makes them similar to beaked whales; on the other hand, they seem to apply automatic control to the transmitting side of their biosonar, which is similar to other delphinids such as the bottlenose dolphin. I also compared the whistle repertoire from Gran Canaria to that of another four locations. A discriminant function analysis using fundamental frequency parameters showed geographical distinction, most likely due to divergence caused by geographic isolation. To conclude, the Risso's dolphin is an interesting species that combines acoustic features from different cetacean species. This could suggest that Grampus griseus may be misplaced within the Delphininae sub-family.

Ends of semigroups

2013-06-03T12:02:14Z

Abstract: The aim of this thesis is to understand the algebraic structure of a semigroup by studying the geometric properties of its Cayley graph. We define the notion of the partial order of ends of the Cayley graph of a semigroup. We prove that the structure of the ends of a semigroup is invariant under change of finite generating set and at the same time is inherited by subsemigroups and extensions of finite Rees index. We prove an analogue of Hopfs Theorem, stating that a group has 1, 2 or infinitely many ends, for left cancellative semigroups and that the cardinality of the set of ends is invariant in subsemigroups and extension of finite Green index in left cancellative semigroups. We classify all semigroups with one end and make use of this classification to prove various finiteness properties for semigroups with one end. We also consider the ends of digraphs with certain algebraic properties. We prove that two quasi-isometric digraphs have isomorphic end sets. We also prove that vertex transitive digraphs have 1, 2 or infinitely many ends and construct a topology that reflects the properties of the ends of a digraph.

Phases at complex temperature : spiral correlation functions and regions of Fisher zeros for Ising models

2013-06-03T11:21:48Z

Abstract: In this thesis we analyse the Fisher zeros for various Ising models. We show that there is long-range spiral order on the contours of zeros for classical one-dimensional Ising chains and that there is an imaginary “latent heat” associated with crossing those contours. Then we can see how areas of Fisher zeros fill in as we turn the Ising chain into Ising ladders of different widths, which seems to contradict the standard analysis presented in the literature and can be attributed to a different approach to the thermodynamic limit. Finally, we report results on frustrated two-dimensional classical Ising lattices, in particular the triangular and the kagomé lattice, and the quantum Ising problem.

The Baron, his niece and friends : Friedrich von Hügel as a spiritual director, 1915-1925

2013-06-03T10:24:58Z

Abstract: While the practice of spiritual direction is widespread and increasingly popular, there has been relatively little research on the practices of those perceived to be exemplary spiritual directors. The primary focus of this dissertation is Baron Friedrich von Hügel's spiritual direction of Gwendolen Greene, during the final decade of his life (1915-1925). It also analyses his direction of nine other individuals during this same period, enabling one to recognise and evaluate recurring trends in von Hügel's approach to spiritual nurture. The key to the interpretation of von Hügel's approach is his conception of the 'Three Elements of Religion,' the Mystical, Intellectual and Institutional Elements. The thesis illustrates through analysis of von Hügel's correspondence and diaries the extent to which these shape his whole approach to spiritual direction. The research is archival, focusing on von Hügel's letters of spiritual direction and his personal diaries. The methodology is critical historical research, based on a close reading and assessment of the materials available. To this end, a great deal of original material is unearthed and discussed for the purposes of articulating and evaluating the nature of von Hügel's role as a spiritual director. The findings of this investigation indicate strengths and weaknesses in von Hügel's approach to spiritual direction. His primary contribution is his articulation and utilisation of the 'Three Elements of Religion.' These provide a balanced and holistic approach to spiritual direction. The primary weaknesses in his approach to spiritual direction are evident when he succumbs to values more indicative of the age in which he lived, than of the essence of the Christian tradition.

‘“Hier ist die Grenze […] Wollen wir darüber hinaus?” : Borders and Ambiguity in Fontane’s "Unwiederbringlich"

2013-05-31T12:31:01Z

Abstract: Theodor Fontane’s „Unwiederbringlich“ may be productively read as an exploration of boundaries. The historical context creates a distinction between bordered and unbordered spaces, between crossing thresholds and staying within limits. This double focus mirrors the text’s thematics, in which clear thresholds in morality and time are balanced against exhortations to relativism. The represented landscape reproduces this antithesis and functions as a symbolic map against which Holk’s and Christine’s actions and feelings may be read, charting trespass and ironic misunderstanding. A study of boundaries in the text reveals a complex and multifaceted spatial symbol appropriate to a literary exploration of thresholds in human life. Description: Sonderheft "Grenzen im Raum, Grenzen in der Literatur"

Bread and Cinema : Baghdad in al-Nakhla wa-'l-jiran by Gha'ib Tu'ma Farman

2013-05-31T11:31:03Z

Abstract: Al-Nakhla wa-'l-jīrān (‘The Palm Tree and the Neighbours', 1966) has been largely neglected outside the Arab world, despite being hailed as ‘the true beginning’ of the Iraqi novel. After an introduction to Farmān and the intellectual climate in which he started writing, the article goes on to discuss: the sophisticated realism of the novel, by contrasting it to that of its alleged sources, including Naguib Mahfouz's Zuqāq al-midaqq; and the depiction of Baghdad through a detailed analysis of how space is evoked in the text (with reference to the readings of the novel by Arab critics and also to the writings of Auerbach and Bachelard). The representations of Baghdad range from lyrical evocations to humorous and poignant dramatisations of the city during the British occupation in World War II. Space is seen lived, imagined and reinvented by its inhabitants through traditional storytelling and the world of cinema in a way that gives life and meaning to the much abused literary term of realism.

From subduction to collision in the northern Tibetan plateau : evidence from the early Silurian clastic rocks, northwestern China

2013-05-31T09:31:02Z

Abstract: The Qilian Orogen records early Paleozoic collisional suturing of the Qaidam Block and the Central Qilian Block to the North China Craton. The composition and U-Pb age of detrital zircons and the composition of Cr-spinels from the Early Silurian Lujiaogou and Angzanggou formations in the northern part of orogen indicate derivation from evolving oceanic and continental source terranes. Heavy-mineral chemistry indicates the incorporation of suprasubduction zone-type ophiolitic detritus in addition to continent-derived material. Integrating these chemical and age data with regional data on the duration of subduction-related magmatic activity, syn- and postcollisional granitic rocks, and high-pressure metamorphic rocks constrains the transformation from oceanic subduction to continental collision to 450-440 Ma. The collision resulted in a flood of detritus into the northern part of the orogen from the Central Qilian Block, which masked input from the intervening magmatic arc, implying rapid exposure of the block.

Polycomb proteins and breast cancer

2013-06-11T10:23:07Z

Abstract: In the Western world, breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy in women and still the leading cause of cancer related deaths, therefore, a better understanding of the disease is needed. Adequate therapeutic targets for all breast cancer types have not been identified yet, and patients with the same type of cancer have often different outcomes. Polycomb proteins are emerging as important factors involved in breast cancer formation. Polycomb proteins play a crucial role in embryogenesis, early development, stem cell renewal and establishing and maintaining cell identity. Their alteration leads to mis-regulation of several important cellular factors including tumour suppressors, DNA repair factors, cell cycle regulation factors and cell-cell interaction factors. In this thesis the importance of several polycomb proteins in breast cancer has been investigated. The effect of EZH2 knockdown has been tested in breast cancer cell lines expressing different level of the protein and with different features. The results obtained are in line with other studies and suggest that the effect of EZH2 down-regulation in breast cancer cells is dependent on cellular context. In vitro experiments, using both established breast cell lines and primary epithelial cells have been used for investigating the importance of CBX8 in breast cancer. The results obtained showed that the polycomb proteins CBX8 does not play a central role in malignant transformation of the mammary epithelial cells tested.

Genre memory in the twenty-first century American war film : how post-9/11 American war cinema reinvents genre codes and notions of national identity

2013-05-31T17:25:11Z

Abstract: In this thesis, I argue that twenty-first century American war films are constructed in dialogue with the past, repurposing earlier forms of war representation by evoking the visual and narrative memory of the past that is embedded in genre form—what Mikhail Bakhtin calls 'genre memory.' Comparing post-9/11 war films with Vietnam War films, my project examines how contemporary war films envision war’s impact on culture and social space, explore how war refashions ideas about race and national identity, and re-imagine war’s rewriting of the human psyche. My research expands on earlier research and departs from traditional approaches to the war film genre by locating the American Civil War at the origin of this genre memory, and, in doing so, argues that nineteenth century documentation of the Civil War serves as a rehearsal for the twentieth and twenty-first century war film. Constructed in explicit relation to the Vietnam film, I argue that post-9/11 war films rehearse the history of war representation in American culture while also emphasizing the radically different culture of the present day. Rather than representing a departure from past forms of war representation, as has been argued by many theorists, I show that contemporary American war films can be seen as the latest chapter in a long history of reimagining American military and cultural history in pictorial and narrative form.

Activity-dependent development of the locomotor network in Xenopus laevis larvae

2013-05-31T16:42:26Z

Abstract: The impact of activity in Xenopus embryonic and larval development was studied with regards to the locomotor system and developmental rate. The data suggest that pharmacologically suppressing neuronal and muscular activity decreases, and enhancing swimming activity, by raising tadpoles in a rotating water column, increases the rate of development. Moreover the latter adapted their swimming behaviour in accordance to the treatment: their swimming was characterized by longer episode durations and more frequent turning manoeuvres. Patch clamp recordings revealed that spinal neurons of agitated animals receive more synaptic drive, probably deriving from descending INs, enabling the animals to maintain swimming for long time periods. An increase in the incidence of miniature potentials suggests that synaptic connections are strengthened. Probably in response to the increase in synaptic excitation the intrinsic excitability, and thereby the probability of signal transmission, decreased. I argue that this represents a case of homeostatic plasticity and serves to prevent over-excitation and maintain pattern generation in the network. Stronger bursts might be explained by enhanced signal transmission from motoneurons to muscle cells. The amount of extrasynaptic AChRs at the NMJ appeared reduced. In contrast, when activity was suppressed behavioural, ventral root and patch data were comparable to those of control animals, suggesting that the locomotor system can develop normally up to stage 42 in the absence of electrical activity. However, animals appeared less excitable, indicating that the establishment of sensory systems might indeed require extrinsic inputs.

Seasonal mass variation as a life history trait in West African savannah birds

2013-05-31T17:27:45Z

Abstract: Seasonality influences life history through its effect on the availability of essential resources, with birds timing breeding to occur during peak food availability. Due to density-dependence, investment in breeding is determined largely by the seasonality of food availability, with an increased investment being traded-off against adult survival. A bird’s mass acts as an index of a species’ foraging environment, because a bird bases its foraging decisions on a trade-off between the risk of predation and the risk of starvation. Under constant predation risk a bird increases its mass as insurance against increased foraging unpredictability. In tropical savannahs day length and temperature remains relatively constant, and there is not a season of increased density-dependent mortality which acts across all species. Thus species have evolved a broad range of life history traits under the same environmental conditions, although how a species experiences seasonality depends largely on its foraging niche. This thesis shows that most savannah species varied their mass across the year, having a reduced mass in the non-breeding season which suggests that foraging remained predictable. Independent of gonad or egg growth they then increased their mass as they started to breed, with the timing of breeding coinciding with peak food availability. Across species in the same foraging niche mass acts as an index of breeding investment, with females increasing their mass more than males. While across species in different foraging niches an increased mass response was associated with higher adult survival, probably because breeding strategy and subsequently adult survival are governed by food limitation. This thesis shows that birds adaptively manage their mass during breeding and that mass is not a result of energetic stress, thus under constant predation risk a bird’s mass is a result of foraging predictability as a function of competition for available food and investment in breeding.

The distribution and physiological roles of nitric oxide in the locomotor circuitry of the mammalian spinal cord

2013-05-31T17:41:36Z

Abstract: The mammalian spinal cord contains the neuronal circuitry necessary to generate rhythmic locomotor activity in the absence of inputs from the higher brain centre or sensory system. This circuitry is regulated by local neuromodulatory inputs, which can adjust the strength and timing of locomotor output. The free radical gas nitric oxide has been shown to act as an important neuromodulator of spinal circuits, which control locomotion in other vertebrate models such as the tadpole and lamprey. Despite this, the involvement of the NO-mediated soluble guanylate cyclase/cyclic guanosine monophosphate secondary messenger-signalling pathway (NO/sGC/cGMP) in mammalian locomotion has largely been under-investigated. The NADPH diaphorase histochemical reaction was used to identify sources of NO in the lumbar spinal cord. The largest population NADPH diaphorase reactive neurons were located in the dorsal horn, followed by the laminae of the ventral horn, particularly around the central canal (lamina X) and lamina VII. NADPH diaphorase reactive neurons were found along a rostrocaudal gradient between lumbar segments L1 to L5. These results show that that discrete neuronal sources of NO are present in the developing mouse spinal cord, and that these cells increase in number during the developmental period postnatal day P1 – P12. NADPH diaphorase was subsequently used to identify NADPH diaphorase reactive neurons at P12 in the mouse model of ALS using the SODG93A transgenic mouse. Physiological recordings of ventral root output were made to assess the contribution of NO to the regulation induced rhythmic fictive locomotion in the in vitro isolated spinal cord preparation. Exogenous NO inhibits central pattern generator (CPG) output while facilitating and inhibiting motor neuron output at low and high concentrations respectively. Removal of endogenous NO increases CPG output while decreasing motor neuron output and these effects are mediated by cGMP. These data suggest that an endogenous tone of NO is involved in the regulation of fictive locomotion and that this involves the NO/sGC/cGMP pathway. Intracellular recordings from presumed motor neurons and a heterogeneous, unidentified sample of interneurons shows that NO modulates the intrinsic properties of spinal neurons. These data suggest that the net effect of NO appears to be a reduction in motor neuron excitability.

The Penitential Psalms in sixteenth-century England : bodies and texts

2013-05-31T17:51:53Z

Abstract: At the center of this thesis are seven psalms, commonly known as the Penitential Psalms. The Penitential Psalms were often used in connection to corporeal expressions of the sacrament, and though sacramental practices changed, they retained this association, and even became a catalyst for literary change and experimentation. In this thesis, I will show how these psalms were connected to the sacrament of penance throughout the medieval period, and well into the religiously tumultuous sixteenth century. This thesis explores four texts that take up the Penitential Psalms, adapting, refashioning, and reappropriating them to be used in different ways. The Introduction outlines the history of the Penitential Psalms and their interconnectedness with sacramental theology and practice; it further establishes the cultural and theoretical context within which the four examined texts must be considered. These sacramental ties with the Penitential Psalms are not found only in theological writings, but they also infused lay practice and experience, as I will show in Chapter One, where I examine the staunchly Protestant Actes and Monuments by John Foxe. Additionally, I argue that Foxe’s accounts of Marian martyrs point to Psalm 51 both as a text of protest and memorialization. Chapter Two then moves to Sir Thomas Wyatt’s A Paraphrase of the Penitential Psalms; there I examine the presence of the male body within the work, placing the text within the setting of a visual history that illustrates David’s illicit desire for Bathsheba. With this tradition in mind, I examine trajectories of ocularity within the narrative, tracing the redirection of sexual desire. Anne Lock’s Meditation of a Pentient Sinner is the center of Chapter Three. Meditation, when considered in relation to the dedicatory epistle, reveals connections to the standardized penitential process, and I argue that Lock presents a modified form of repentance to her reader. The final chapter looks at The Sidney Psalter’s Penitential Psalms, which reveal an incoherent view of the penitential body merging with the body of the dead war-hero, Philip. It is within this penitential affect that the penitent displays and partitions his or her own body slipping into an otherness predicated by sin.

Random generation and chief length of finite groups

2013-05-30T15:42:47Z

Abstract: Part I of this thesis studies P[subscript(G)](d), the probability of generating a nonabelian simple group G with d randomly chosen elements, and extends this idea to consider the conditional probability P[subscript(G,Soc(G))](d), the probability of generating an almost simple group G by d randomly chosen elements, given that they project onto a generating set of G/Soc(G). In particular we show that for a 2-generated almost simple group, P[subscript(G,Soc(G))](2) 53≥90, with equality if and only if G = A₆ or S₆. Furthermore P[subscript(G,Soc(G))](2) 9≥10 except for 30 almost simple groups G, and we specify this list and provide exact values for P[subscript(G,Soc(G))](2) in these cases. We conclude Part I by showing that for all almost simple groups P[subscript(G,Soc(G))](3)≥139/150. In Part II we consider a related notion. Given a probability ε, we wish to determine d[superscript(ε)] (G), the number of random elements needed to generate a finite group G with failure probabilty at most ε. A generalisation of a result of Lubotzky bounds d[superscript(ε)](G) in terms of l(G), the chief length of G, and d(G), the minimal number of generators needed to generate G. We obtain bounds on the chief length of permutation groups in terms of the degree n, and bounds on the chief length of completely reducible matrix groups in terms of the dimension and field size. Combining these with existing bounds on d(G), we obtain bounds on d[superscript(ε)] (G) for permutation groups and completely reducible matrix groups.

khushub musannada (Q 63:4) and ESA m{s1,s3}nd.

2013-05-30T12:31:04Z

Abstract: This paper will enquire into the possibility of a relationship between musannadah in QurΜān 63. 4 and musnad (Epigraphic South Arabian (ESA) mчnd), which is used to denote Epigraphic Arabic scripts and inscriptions. The question to be dealt with here is whether and how different interpretations evolved. In addition, the paper considers whether musannadah can be interpreted in the light of Epigraphic South Arabian mчnd —and, subsequently, Arabic musnad denoting Ancient Arabian scripts —or, more specifically, the Ancient South Arabian monumental script. This would constitute a new interpretation and show the hypocrites to be corroded by fear like carved or rotten timbers; therefore lexicographical and exegetical as well as relevant secondary literature will be surveyed diachronically. The discussion will include proposed etymologies for the term musnad and its description in early Arabic sources such as Hamdānī’s Iklīl, the Gharīb literature, Дadīth collections, and historical works such as Jawād ΚAlī’s alMufa ΒΒal fītārīkh al-Κarab qabl al-islām.

The continental record and the generation of continental crust

2013-05-30T12:01:02Z

Abstract: Continental crust is the archive of Earth history. The spatial and temporal distribution of Earth's record of rock units and events is heterogeneous; for example, ages of igneous crystallization, metamorphism, continental margins, mineralization, and seawater and atmospheric proxies are distributed about a series of peaks and troughs. This distribution reflects the different preservation potential of rocks generated in different tectonic settings, rather than fundamental pulses of activity, and the peaks of ages are linked to the timing of supercontinent assembly. The physio-chemical resilience of zircons and their derivation largely from felsic igneous rocks means that they are important indicators of the crustal record. Furthermore, detrital zircons, which sample a range of source rocks, provide a more representative record than direct analysis of grains in igneous rocks. Analysis of detrital zircons suggests that at least ∼60%–70% of the present volume of the continental crust had been generated by 3 Ga. Such estimates seek to take account of the extent to which the old crustal material is underrepresented in the sedimentary record, and they imply that there were greater volumes of continental crust in the Archean than might be inferred from the compositions of detrital zircons and sediments. The growth of continental crust was a continuous rather than an episodic process, but there was a marked decrease in the rate of crustal growth at ca. 3 Ga, which may have been linked to the onset of significant crustal recycling, probably through subduction at convergent plate margins. The Hadean and Early Archean continental record is poorly preserved and characterized by a bimodal TTG (tonalites, trondhjemites, and granodiorites) and greenstone association that differs from the younger record that can be more directly related to a plate-tectonic regime. The paucity of this early record has led to competing and equivocal models invoking plate-tectonic– and mantle-plume–dominated processes. The 60%–70% of the present volume of the continental crust estimated to have been present at 3 Ga contrasts markedly with the <10% of crust of that age apparently still preserved and requires ongoing destruction (recycling) of crust and subcontinental mantle lithosphere back into the mantle through processes such as subduction and delamination.

Detrital zircon record and tectonic setting

2013-05-30T12:01:01Z

Abstract: Detrital zircon spectra reflect the tectonic setting of the basin in which they are deposited. Convergent plate margins are characterized by a large proportion of zircon ages close to the depositional age of the sediment, whereas sediments in collisional, extensional and intracratonic settings contain greater proportions with older ages that reflect the history of the underlying basement. These differences can be resolved by plotting the distribution of the difference between the measured crystallization ages (CA) of individual zircon grains present in the sediment and the depositional age (DA) of the sediment. Application of this approach to successions where the original nature of the basin and/or the link to source are no longer preserved constrains the tectonic setting in which the sediment was deposited.

Ecological causes of morphological evolution in the three-spined stickleback

2013-05-30T11:31:02Z

Abstract: The central assumption of evolutionary theory is that natural selection drives the adaptation of populations to local environmental conditions, resulting in the evolution of adaptive phenotypes. The three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) displays remarkable phenotypic variation, offering an unusually tractable model for understanding the ecological mechanisms underpinning adaptive evolutionary change. Using populations on North Uist, Scotland we investigated the role of predation pressure and calcium limitation on the adaptive evolution of stickleback morphology and behavior. Dissolved calcium was a significant predictor of plate and spine morph, while predator abundance was not. Stickleback latency to emerge from a refuge varied with morph, with populations with highly reduced plates and spines and high predation risk less bold. Our findings support strong directional selection in three-spined stickleback evolution, driven by multiple selective agents.

Unravelling the structure of viral replication complexes at super-resolution

2013-05-30T11:31:01Z

Abstract: During infection, many RNA viruses produce characteristic inclusion bodies that contain both viral and host components. These structures were first described over a century ago and originally termed “X-bodies,” as their function was not immediately appreciated. Whilst some inclusion bodies may represent cytopathic by-products of viral protein over-accumulation, X-bodies have emerged as virus “factories,” quasi-organelles that coordinate diverse viral infection processes such as replication, protein expression, evasion of host defenses, virion assembly, and intercellular transport. Accordingly, they are now generally referred to as viral replication complexes (VRCs). We previously used confocal fluorescence microscopy to unravel the complex structure of X-bodies produced by Potato virus X (PVX). Here we used 3D-structured illumination (3D-SIM) super-resolution microscopy to map the PVX X-body at a finer scale. We identify a previously unrecognized membrane structure induced by the PVX “triple gene block” (TGB) proteins, providing new insights into the complex interplay between virus and host within the X-body.

Two-stage threshold representations

2013-06-04T08:31:01Z

Abstract: We study two-stage choice procedures in which the decision maker first preselects the alternatives whose values according to a criterion pass a menu-dependent threshold, and then maximizes a second criterion to narrow the selection further. This framework overlaps with several existing models that have various interpretations and impose various additional restrictions on behavior. We show that the general class of procedures is characterized by acyclicity of the revealed "first-stage separation relation."

Dissociation or cyclization : options for a triad of radicals released from oxime carbamates

2013-05-30T09:01:04Z

Abstract: A set of oxime carbamates, having N-alkyl- and N,N-dialkyl-substituents, was prepared via carbonyldiimidazole intermediates. It was shown by EPR spectroscopy that they underwent clean homolysis of their NO bonds on UV photolysis. During photolysis of acetophenone O-allylcarbamoyl oxime the corresponding oxazolidin-2-onylmethyl radical was detected by EPR spectroscopy, providing the first evidence that N-mono-substituted carbamoyloxyl radicals can hold their structural integrity. N,N-Di-substituted carbamoyloxyl radicals dissociated rapidly at the lowest accessible temperatures. Above room temperature both types of oxime carbamate acted as selective new precursors for aminyl and iminyl radicals. Rate parameters were measured for 5-exo-cyclization of N-benzyl-N-pent-4-enylaminyl radicals; the rate constant was smaller than for C-centered and O-centered analogs. Oxime carbamates derived from the volatile diethylamine afforded aryl-iminyl radicals that proved convenient for phenanthridine preparations.

Auditory same/different concept learning and generalization in black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus)

2013-05-29T15:01:02Z

Abstract: Abstract concept learning was thought to be uniquely human, but has since been observed in many other species. Discriminating same from different is one abstract relation that has been studied frequently. In the current experiment, using operant conditioning, we tested whether black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) could discriminate sets of auditory stimuli based on whether all the sounds within a sequence were the same or different from one another. The chickadees were successful at solving this same/different relational task, and transferred their learning to same/different sequences involving novel combinations of training notes and novel notes within the range of pitches experienced during training. The chickadees showed limited transfer to pitches that was not used in training, suggesting that the processing of absolute pitch may constrain their relational performance. Our results indicate, for the first time, that black-capped chickadees readily form relational auditory same and different categories, adding to the list of perceptual, behavioural, and cognitive abilities that make this species an important comparative model for human language and cognition.

Emmanuel de Martonne et la naissance de la Grande Roumanie

2013-05-29T15:01:01Z

Abstract: The research of Emmanuel de Martonne (1873–1955) in the field of physical goegraphy, in its many forms, made him the leading geographer, not only in France, but on an international level. His immense body of work also covers human geography : La Valachie, a doctoral thesis published in 1902, remains a model of the Vidalian regional monograph. But it must be pointed out that de Martonne’s work is not limited to a strictly scientific and disinterested domain. By its very nature, his geographical work is bound up with history, and therefore political circumstances, something which is clearly displayed in his long and passionate relationship with Romania. It is before the Great War, on the frontier between Hungary and Romania, that Emmanuel de Martonne begins his work as a geographer. Enamoured of a landscape and a people, this eminent scholar will serve the cause of ‘Greater Romania’ : firstly as a supporter of Romanian intervention in the European conflict, then as a ‘drawer of frontiers’ at the Versailles Peace Conference. Here we see how geography can be used in political projects, rivalries over territories and debates on identity.

Associative learning in insects : evolutionary models, mushroom bodies, and a neuroscientific conundrum

2013-05-29T14:31:02Z

Abstract: Environmental predictability has for many years been posited to be a key variable in whether learning is expected to evolve in particular species, a claim revisited in two recent papers. However, amongst many researchers, especially neuroscientists, consensus is building for a very different view, namely that learning ability may be an emergent property of nervous systems and, thus, all animals with nervous systems should be able to learn. Here we explore these differing views, sample research on associative learning in insects, and review our own work demonstrating learning in larval antlions (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae), a highly unlikely insect candidate. We conclude by asserting that the capacity for associative learning is the default condition favored by neuroscientists: Whenever selection pressures favor evolution of nervous systems, the capacity for associative learning follows ipso facto. Nonetheless, to reconcile these disparate views, we suggest that (a) models for the evolution of learning may instead be models for conditions overriding behavioral plasticity; and, (b) costs of learning in insects may be, in fact, costs associated with more complex cognitive skills, skills that are just beginning to be discovered, rather than simple associative learning.

What hummingbirds can tell us about cognition in the wild.

2013-05-29T14:31:02Z

Abstract: Here we review around 20 years of experimental data that we have collected during tests of cognitive abilities of free-living, wild rufous hummingbirds Selasphorus rufus at their breeding grounds in southwestern Alberta. Because these birds are readily trained to feed from artificial flowers they have proved a useful system for testing cognitive abilities of an animal outside the box wherein animal cognitive abilities are so often tested in the laboratory. And, although these data all come from a single species in a single location, the long-term aim of this work is to make a contribution to our understanding of the evolution of cognitive abilities, by examining the relationship between the ecological demands these birds face and their cognitive abilities. Testing predictions based on our knowledge of their ecology we have found that, while these birds aggressively defend a territory and display to females during the time we train and test them, they can learn and remember the locations of rewarded flowers, what those flowers look like, and when they are likely to contain food. Small-brained though they may be, these 3g hummingbirds appear to have cognitive capabilities that are not only well matched to their ecological demands, they are in at least some instances better (more capacious) than those of animals tested in the laboratory.

Acoustic mechanisms of a species-based discrimination of the chick-a-dee call in sympatric black-capped (Poecile atricapillus) and mountain chickadees (P. gambeli)

2013-05-29T12:01:03Z

Abstract: Previous perceptual research with black-capped and mountain chickadees has demonstrated that these species treat each other’s namesake chick-a-dee calls as belonging to separate, open-ended categories. Further, the terminal dee portion of the call has been implicated as the most prominent species marker. However, statistical classification using acoustic summary features suggests that all note-types contained within the chick-a-dee call should be sufficient for species classification. The current study seeks to better understand the note-type based mechanisms underlying species-based classification of the chick-a-dee call by black-capped and mountain chickadees. In two, complementary, operant discrimination experiments, both species were trained to discriminate the species of the signaler using either entire chick-a-dee calls, or individual note-types from chick-a-dee calls. In agreement with previous perceptual work we find that the D note had significant stimulus control over species-based discrimination. However, in line with statistical classifications, we find that all note-types carry species information. We discuss reasons why the most easily discriminated note-types are likely candidates to carry species-based cues.

Specialized learning in antlions (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae), pit-digging predators, shortens vulnerable larval stage

2013-05-29T12:01:01Z

Abstract: Unique in the insect world for their extremely sedentary predatory behavior, pit-dwelling larval antlions dig pits, and then sit at the bottom and wait, sometimes for months, for prey to fall inside. This sedentary predation strategy, combined with their seemingly innate ability to detect approaching prey, make antlions unlikely candidates for learning. That is, although scientists have demonstrated that many species of insects possess the capacity to learn, each of these species, which together represent multiple families from every major insect order, utilizes this ability as a means of navigating the environment, using learned cues to guide an active search for food and hosts, or to avoid noxious events. Nonetheless, we demonstrate not only that sedentary antlions can learn, but also, more importantly, that learning provides an important fitness benefit, namely decreasing the time to pupate, a benefit not yet demonstrated in any other species. Compared to a control group in which an environmental cue was presented randomly vis-à-vis daily prey arrival, antlions given the opportunity to associate the cue with prey were able to make more efficient use of prey and pupate significantly sooner, thus shortening their long, highly vulnerable larval stage. Whereas ‘‘median survival time,’’ the point at which half of the animals in each group had pupated, was 46 days for antlions receiving the Learning treatment, that point never was reached in antlions receiving the Random treatment, even by the end of the experiment on Day 70. In addition, we demonstrate a novel manifestation of antlions’ learned response to cues predicting prey arrival, behavior that does not match the typical ‘‘learning curve’’ but which is well-adapted to their sedentary predation strategy. Finally, we suggest that what has long appeared to be instinctive predatory behavior is likely to be highly modified and shaped by learning. Description: Formal Correction: This article has been formally corrected to address the following errors. Figures 2 and 3 were switched in production. The image listed as Figure 3 is actually Figure 2, and the image listed as Figure 2 is actually Figure 3. The legends are correct.

Imprint of climate and climate change in alluvial riverbeds : Continental United States, 1950-2011

2013-05-29T08:31:04Z

Abstract: Alluvial riverbed elevation responds to the balance between sediment supply and transport capacity, which is largely dependent on climate and its translation into fluvial discharge. We examine these relations using U.S. Geological Survey streamflow and channel measurements in conjunction with basin characteristics for 915 reference ("least disturbed") measurement stations across the conterminous United States for the period A.D. 1950–2011. We find that (1) 68% of stations have bed elevation change (BEC) trends (p < 0.05) with median values of +0.5 cm/yr for aggradation and –0.6 cm/yr for degradation, with no obvious relation to drainage basin structure, physiography, or lithology; (2) BEC correlates with drainage basin area; (3) high-flow variability (Q90/Q50, where Q is discharge and 90 and 50 are annual flow percentiles) translates directly into the magnitude, though not the direction, of BEC, after accounting for the scale dependence; (4) Q90/Q50 declines systematically from dry to wet climates, producing disproportionately high rates of BEC in drier regions; and (5) marked increases in precipitation and streamflow occurred disproportionately at dry sites, while streamflow declined disproportionately at wet sites. Climatic shifts in streamflow have the potential to increase/decrease sediment flux and thus affect riverbed elevation by altering flood frequency. These unforeseen responses of bed elevation to climate and climate change have important implications for sediment budgets, longitudinal profiles, ecology, and river management. Description: This work was partially supported by a Natural Environment Research Council Ph.D. studentship to Slater.

From God's peace to the king's order : late medieval limitations on non-royal warfare

2013-05-29T08:31:02Z

Evidence of improving antiretroviral therapy treatment delays : an analysis of eight years of programmatic outcomes in Blantyre, Malawi

2013-05-28T15:31:01Z

Abstract: Abstract Background: Impressive achievements have been made towards achieving universal coverage of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in sub-Saharan Africa. However, the effects of rapid ART scale-up on delays between HIV diagnosis and treatment initiation have not been well described. Methods: A retrospective cohort study covering eight years of ART initiators (2004–2011) was conducted at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre, Malawi. The time between most recent positive HIV test and ART initiation was calculated and temporal trends in delay to initiation were described. Factors associated with time to initiation were investigated using multivariate regression analysis. Results: From 2004–2011, there were 15,949 ART initiations at QECH (56% female; 8% children [0–10 years] and 5% adolescents [10–20 years]). Male initiators were likely to have more advanced HIV infection at initiation than female initiators (70% vs. 64% in WHO stage 3 or 4). Over the eight years studied, there were declines in treatment delay, with 2011 having the shortest delay at 36.5 days. On multivariate analysis CD4 count <50 cells/μl (adjusted geometric mean ratio [aGMR]: aGMR: 0.53, bias-corrected accelerated [BCA] 95% CI: 0.42-0.68) was associated with shorter ART treatment delay. Women (aGMR: 1.12, BCA 95% CI: 1.03-1.22) and patients diagnosed with HIV at another facility outside QECH (aGMR: 1.61, BCA 95% CI: 1.47-1.77) had significantly longer treatment delay. Conclusions: Continued improvements in treatment delays provide evidence that universal access to ART can be achieved using the public health approach adopted by Malawi However, the longer delays for women and patients diagnosed at outlying sites emphasises the need for targeted interventions to support equitable access for these groups.

Szkoła w Koźlu-Rogach a racja stanu, czyli nowy słoń a sprawa polska

2013-05-28T15:01:02Z

Multistable processes and localizability

2013-05-28T14:01:03Z

Abstract: We use characteristic functions to construct alpha-multistable measures and integrals, where the measures behave locally like stable measures, but with the stability index alpha(x) varying with x. This enables us to construct alpha-multistable processes on R, that is processes whose scaling limit at time t is an alpha(t)-stable process. We present several examples of such multistable processes and examine their localisability.

Biodiversity assessment of freshwater fishes: Thailand as a case study

2013-05-27T14:03:39Z

Abstract: A key challenge in biodiversity is: How many species are there on earth? This issue is especially acute in poorly surveyed regions with high diversity, particularly Southeast Asia that also experiences many limitations such as lack of funds, documents and experts. To help meet this challenge, I have developed a five-tiered approach for diversity measurement of freshwater fish for use in Thailand. This is: (1) the creation of a newly updated species inventory that uses existing data; (2) exploration of the patterns of species richness, endemism, and uniqueness; (3) estimation of the total species richness; (4) investigation of patterns of rarity; and (5) integration of this knowledge into conservation practice. The system should be applicable to other regions and other taxa where a similar challenge exists. My work shows that eight hundred and seventy-two species in 17 orders, 55 families and 255 genera of freshwater fishes, accounting for roughly 10% of the world’s freshwater fish diversity, have been reported for Thailand to date. This number was derived from information in the museum collections, literature and all other available sources, including reports written in Thai as well as in English. During this work I uncovered many gaps in biodiversity information, in terms of taxonomic and spatial records, though some families and basins are better represented than others. Taxonomic uncertainty also continues to be a challenge for taxonomists and users. The high diversity of freshwater fishes in Thailand is the result of both high alpha (α) diversity (diversity within a particular locality) and beta (β) diversity (diversity differences between localities). I concluded that the substantial beta diversity I detected is associated with the geographical separation of the six river basins in Thailand. For example, the species composition of freshwater fishes in the Salween Basin dramatically differs from all other basins of Thailand. In contrast, the Chao Phraya Basin and the Mekong Basin contain the greatest number of shared species. Approximately 55% of species have a wide distribution range (being reported from more than two basins), whereas 45% are highly restricted within a single basin. Analyses using species richness estimators suggest that the figure of 872 species is an underestimate and that there may be between 1000 and 1300 fish species in Thailand, in other words an increase of between 14.7% and 49.1% over the list I compiled (which is itself an increase of 52.2% over the last report in 1997). Freshwater fish have become increasingly vulnerable to anthropogenic activities. Of the 872 Thai fish species, 6.8% and 15.1% are globally and nationally threatened, respectively. Nonetheless, a striking feature of the database is that the conservation status of the vast majority of species has not so far been assessed, either globally or nationally. Scientists and policy makers will find these results useful in appreciating the magnitude of the tasks involved in surveying, describing and conserving the country’s freshwater fish biota. My work highlights localities and taxa where conservation is a priority and is thus an important resource for policy makers and conservation planners concerned with the management of freshwater fish in Thailand.

The development and assessment of cardiac magnetic resonance Imaging for the Detection of age- and disease-related changes in the human heart

2013-06-04T09:36:59Z

Abstract: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a term used to describe a variety of diseases and events that impact the heart and circulatory system. CVD is the United Kingdom’s (UKs) biggest killer, causing more than 50,000 premature deaths each year. Early recognition of the potential for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to provide a versatile, non-ionising, non-invasive, technique for the assessment of CVD resulted in the modality becoming an area of intense interest in the research, radiology and cardiology communities. The first half of this thesis reviews some of the key developments in magnetic resonance hardware and software that have led to cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) emerging as a reliable and reproducible tool, with a range of applications ideally suited for the evaluation of cardiac morphology, function, viability, valvular disease, perfusion, and congenital cardiomyopathies. In addition to this, the advantages and challenges of imaging at 3.0T in comparison to 1.5T are discussed. The second half of this thesis presents a number of investigations that were specifically designed to explore the capability of CMRI to accurately detect subtle age and disease related changes in the human heart. Our investigations begin with a study at 1.5T that explores the clinical and scientific significance of the less frequently used measure of right ventricular function to test the hypothesis that the inclusion of this data provides a more informative assessment of overall cardiac function. The focus then shifts to imaging at 3.0T and the challenges of optimising cardiac imaging at this field strength are discussed. Normal quantitative parameters of cardiac function are established at this field strength for the left ventricle and the left atrium of local volunteers. These values are used to investigate disease related changes in left ventricle and left atrium of distinct patient cohorts. This work concludes by investigating the impact of gadolinium-based contrast agents on the quantitative parameters of cardiac function.

Emergent states in transition metal oxides

2013-05-27T11:26:14Z

Abstract: Transition metal oxides adopt a wide variety of crystal structures and display a diverse range of physical phenomena from Mott insulating states to electron-nematics to unconventional superconductivity. Detailed understanding of these states and how they may be manipulated by structural modifications requires both precise structural knowledge and in-depth physical property measurements using as many techniques over as wide a range of phase space as possible. In the work described in this thesis a range of transition metal oxides were studied using high-resolution powder neutron diffraction and detailed low-temperature physical property measurements. The quaternary barium orthotellurates Ba₂NiTeO₆, Ba₂CuTeO₆ and Ba₂ZnTeO₆ belong to an almost unstudied family of materials. The development of procedures for synthesizing large single crystals has facilitated the investigation of interesting new anisotropic magnetic states in the Cu and Ni systems and the existence of a possible structural phase transition in the Zn-based compound. YMnO₃ is a multiferroic with improper ferrielectricity. The study of the high-temperature structural phases described in this thesis has led to the identification both of the transition path to the ferrielectric state and the identification of an isostructural phase transition within the ferrielectric phase. BiFe₀.₇Mn₀.₃O₃ is also a multiferroic material but with proper ferroelectricity. The investigation of the structural phases of this compound have provided confirmation of the high-temperature phases with the reassignment of the symmetry of the highest-temperature phase which is intriguingly different to that of the unsubstituted material. Finally, an investigation of the electronic structures of the high conductivity delafossites PdCoO₂ and PdCrO₂ using micro-cantilever torque magnetometry measurements of quantum oscillations is described. This has resolved the warping of the Fermi surface of PdCoO₂ and given insights into the complicated Fermi surface of the itinerant antiferromagnet PdCrO₂.

Synthesis and characterisation of dithiolato complexes with platinum group metals

2013-05-27T11:19:53Z

Abstract: The interest in biosensors can be attributed to the first described enzyme containing sensor used to detect levels of glucose in 1962. Although research into biosensors was initially slow to pick up, the field has become increasingly popular and research has been widespread for the last 20 years. The continuing research into biosensors is crucial as this will improve current devices to become smaller, faster and more economical and yield new biosensors. This thesis is mostly concerned with the development of an integral component of a biosensor, the redox mediator. Complexes of ruthenium incorporating electron rich sulfur-donor ligands such as naphthalenedithiol should possess interesting redox qualities which could be used to produce better mediators. A second area covered in this thesis is in the structural studies of a series of iridium and rhodium complexes. Two classes of ruthenium complexes with sulfur-donor ligands have been prepared. The first class incorporates the ruthenium bis-bipyridine moiety while the second contains pentamethylcyclopentadienyl ruthenium. Most complexes synthesised exhibited reversible oxidation waves in the region of -0.1 to 0.2 V vs. Ag/Ag⁺. Their possible use as redox mediators was hindered by several factors, particularly difficulties in purification. They also exhibited oxygen sensitivity and low stability when in solution.The second area covered in this thesis is to further understand the bonding of the ligands used in the above study. A series of pentamethylcyclopentadienyl iridium and rhodium complexes were synthesised with three different dithiolato ligands. Two of the three ligands studies produced structures that included more than one metal centre leading to straining of the ligand. In order to study the monomeric form, the clusters were opened with a neutral phosphine ligand. Both the Ir…S and Rh…S bond lengths of all the complexes were within expected parameters.

Synthesis and structure-property relationships in rare earth doped bismuth ferrite

2013-05-27T11:13:59Z

Abstract: There has been significant interest in BiFeO₃ over the past decade. This interest has focused on the magnetic and electrical properties, which in the long term may prove useful in device applications. This thesis focuses on the synthesis, electrical characterisation, and structural origin of the electrical properties of rare earth doped bismuth ferrite. Two systems have been studied: BiFeO₃ doped with lanthanum and neodymium (Bi₁₋ₓREₓFeO₃ RE= La, Nd). Specific examples have been highlighted focusing on a detailed structural analysis of a lanthanum doped bismuth ferrite, Bi₀.₅La₀.₅FeO₃, and a neodymium analogue, Bi₀.₇Nd₀.₃FeO₃. Both adopt an orthorhombic GdFeO₃-type structure (space group: Pnma) with G-type antiferromagnetism. Structural variations were investigated by Rietveld refinement of temperature dependent powder neutron diffraction using a combination of both conventional “bond angle/bond length” and symmetry-mode analysis. The latter was particularly useful as it allowed the effects of A-site displacements and octahedral tilts/distortions to be considered separately. This in-depth structural analysis was complemented with ac-immittance spectroscopy using the multi-formulism approach of combined impedance and modulus data to correlate structural changes with the bulk electrical properties. This approach was essential due to the complex nature of the electrical response with contributions from different electroactive regions. The structural variations occur due to a changing balance between magnetic properties and other bonding contributions in the respective systems. This results in changes in the magnitude of the octahedral tilts, and A-site displacements giving rise to phenomena such as negative thermal expansion and invariant lattice parameters i.e., the invar effect. More specifically, analysis of Bi₀.₅La₀.₅FeO₃ highlights a structural link between changes in the relative dielectric permittivity and changes in the FeO₆ octahedral tilt magnitudes, accompanied by a structural distortion of the octahedra with corresponding A-site displacement along the c-axis; this behaviour is unusual due to an increasing in-phase tilt mode with increasing temperature. The anomalous orthorhombic distortion is driven by magnetostriction at the onset of antiferromagnetic ordering resulting in an Invar effect along the magnetic c-axis and anisotropic displacement of the A-site Bi³⁺ and La³⁺ along the a-axis. This contrasts with the neodymium analogue Bi₀.₇Nd₀.₃FeO₃ in which a combination of increasing A-site displacements in the ac-plane and decrease in both in-phase and anti-phase tilts combine with superexchange giving rise to negative thermal expansion at low temperature. The A-site displacements correlate with the orthorhombic strain. By carefully changing the synthesis conditions, a significant change in bulk conductivity was observed for a number for Bi₁₋ₓLaₓFeO₃ compositions. A series of Bi₀.₆La0.₄FeO₃ samples are discussed, where changes in the second step of the synthesis result in significantly different bulk conductivities. This behaviour is also observed in other compositions e.g. Bi₀.₇₅La₀.₂₅FeO₃. Changes in the electrical behaviour as a function of temperature are discussed in terms of phase composition and concentration gradients of defects. Activation energies associated with the conduction process(es) in Bi₁₋ₓLaₓFeO₃ samples, regardless of composition, fall within one of two broad regimes, circa. 0.5 eV or 1.0 eV, associated with polaron hopping or migration of charge via oxygen vacancies, respectively. The use of symmetry-mode analysis, in combination with conventional crystallographic analysis and electrical analysis using multi-formulism approach, presents a new paradigm for investigation of structure-property relationships in rare earth doped BiFeO₃.

The displaced I : a poetics of exile in Spanish autobiographical writing by women

2013-05-27T11:09:45Z

Abstract: Literary responses to Republican exile are diverse and autobiographical works have emerged as a significant modality of this exilic literature. Utilising poetics as a mode of inquiry, this thesis aims to examine some of the complex and nuanced ways in which exile has shaped autobiographical writing by both first and second-generation female exiles. To this end, I trace a poetics of exile in a selected corpus of nineteen autobiographical works by twelve authors: Constancia de la Mora, Isabel Oyarzábal de Palencia, Silvia Mistral, Clara Campoamor, Victoria Kent, Luisa Carnés, Remedios Oliva Berenguer, Francisca Muñoz Alday, Angelina Muñiz-Huberman, María Rosa Lojo, María Luisa Elío and Arantzazu Amezaga Iribarren. These texts were published across a seventy year period (1939 – 2009) in a number of geographical locations and written in a variety of circumstances. Exilic autobiographical texts are not homogeneous and relatively few have adhered to traditional models of autobiography. As such, the works examined are drawn from a variety of autobiographical sub-genres including propagandistic autobiographies, diaries, political essays, hybrid texts, autofiction, memoirs, childhood autobiographies, more experimental semi-autobiographical texts and a film. The main body of this thesis presents six aspects of a poetics of exile — the notion of the addressee, generic hybridization, polyphony, the propagation of collective memory, postmemory, and retroprogressive representations of childhood — and adopts a multi-disciplinary approach that draws upon a number of fields. This thesis aims to offer an illumination of the breadth and difference of women’s exilic autobiographical writing as highlighted in the identification of six very different aspects of a poetics of exile.

Geminally bis(supermesityl) substituted phosphorus compounds and a study of 5,6-substituted-acenaphthenes

2013-05-27T10:05:04Z

Abstract: This thesis describes the effect of placing a phosphorus atom in a sterically strained environment with particular emphasis on the geminal disubstitution of two 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenyl (Mes*) groups on a single phosphorus centre and intramolecular sub-van der Waals interactions between peri-substituted atoms on naphthalene and acenaphthene. Chapter 2 outlines the reactive chemistry of a sterically encumbered phosphinic chloride (Mes*)₂P(=O)Cl, which was shown to have extremely low reactivity at the phosphorus centre. It has however, been demonstrated that synthetically significant transformations are possible. The phosphine oxide (Mes*)₂P(=O)H and a secondary phosphine Mes*(2,4-tBu₂C₆H₃)PH were obtained from the reduction of (Mes*)₂P(=O)Cl with hydridic reagents under forcing conditions. The corresponding phosphinite was acquired from the deprotonation of (Mes*)₂P(=O)H, which furnished very crowded tertiary phosphine oxides (Mes*)₂P(=O)R (R = Me and Et) on reactions with electrophiles. We have been unable to chlorinate or deprotonate Mes*(2,4-tBu₂C₆H₃)PH, however the reaction with elemental sulfur afforded the affiliated phosphine sulfide Mes*(2,4-[supercript(t)]Bu₂C₆H₃)P(=S)H, albeit under forcing conditions. Our computations (B3LYP and M06-2X level) show that strain energies of geminally substituted compounds are extremely high (180 to 250 kJ mol⁻¹), the majority of the strain is stored as boat distortions to the phenyl rings in Mes* substituents. Chapter 3 describes the strain inherent with non-bonding atomic distances shorter than the sum of their van der Waals radii, specifically heteroatom substitution of the peri-positions of naphthalene and acenaphthene. It also documents the importance of amine protecting groups in chlorophosphine chemistry. The preparation of Ace[P(Ph)N(ⁱPr)₂]Br (Ace = acenaphthene-5,6-diyl) and Ace[P(Ph)N(ⁱPr)₂]₂, plus the elucidation of the molecular structures of Mes*P[N(CH₃)₂]₂, Ace[P(Mes)N(ⁱPr)₂]Br (Mes = 2,4,6-tri-methylphenyl) and Ace[P([supercript(t)]Bu)N(Et)₂]Br sufficiently demonstrate the ring distorting characteristics of structurally encumbered molecules. The reaction of Ace[P(Ph)N(ⁱPr)₂]Br and Ace[P(Ph)N(ⁱPr)₂]₂ with a methylating agent was also investigated.

The liberal Protestant influence on the musical plays of Oscar Hammerstein II circa 1943-1959

2013-05-27T09:54:27Z

Abstract: This thesis explores the American liberal Protestant religious influences on Oscar Hammerstein II, and investigates how they are manifested in his musical plays written with Richard Rodgers in the period 1943-1959. Identifying these influences, which stem from Hammerstein’s Protestant maternal family and from his attendance during his youth at the prominent Universalist church, The Church of the Divine Paternity, enable a widening of the theological engagement with popular culture to include the neglected realm of musical theatre. Having identified the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical play as a particularly powerful popular art form that explores the existential questions faced by human beings, I investigate the previously unexplored Unitarian and Universalist influences on Oscar Hammerstein II, refuting claims that he was part of the Jewish theatrical community on Broadway. Tracing these influences in Hammerstein’s lyrics and libretti shows his response to these fundamental questions as human beings seek to create meaning and build identity in relation to that which is ‘other’. Within Hammerstein’s personal philosophy I distinguish, the relationship between human beings and God, and the ethical relationships between human beings in community. I begin by exploring the Unitarian moral philosophy and belief in the fatherhood of God found in Carousel, The Sound of Music and Cinderella, and engaging with the Universalist depiction of the restoration period of the soul found in Carousel. Having revealed Hammerstein’s liberal Protestant understanding of this relationship, I turn to his social and political activism connecting it to a social gospel understanding of the brotherhood of man and assertion of human unity. Engaging with his ‘American’ musicals – Oklahoma!, Carousel, and The Sound of Music - and his ‘Asian’ musicals – South Pacific, The King and I, and Flower Drum Song - separately, I question the theological implications of his late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century understanding of human unity have with regard to diversity. Throughout each of his musicals evidence is adduced of an unwavering belief in the progress of humankind onward and upward, as he reveals a significant liberal Protestant understanding of the nature of humanity, the brotherhood of man, and the possibility for human development and change.

Some aspects of visual discomfort

2013-05-24T14:47:45Z

Abstract: Visual discomfort is the adverse sensations, such as headaches and eyestrain, encountered on viewing certain stimuli. These sensations can arise under certain viewing conditions, such as stereoscopic viewing and prolonged reading of text patterns. Also, discomfort can occur as a result of viewing stimuli with certain spatial properties, including stripes and filtered noise patterns of particular spatial frequency. This thesis is an exploration of the stimulus properties causing discomfort, within the framework of two theoretical explanations. Both of the explanations relate to the stimuli being difficult for the visual system to process. The first is concerned with discomfort being the result of inefficient neural processing. Neural activity requires energy to process information, and stimuli that demand a lot of energy to be processed might be uncomfortable. The second explanation revolves around uncomfortable stimuli not being effective in driving the accommodative (focussing) response. Accommodation relies on the stimulus as a cue to drive the response effectively - an uninformative cue might result in discomfort from an uncertain accommodative response. The following research investigates both these possibilities using a combination of psychophysical experimentation, questionnaire-based surveys on non-clinical populations, and computational modelling. The implications of the work for clinical populations are also discussed.

Structure of the archaeal Cascade subunit Csa5 : Relating the small subunits of CRISPR effector complexes

2013-05-24T11:01:02Z

Abstract: The Cascade complex for CRISPR-mediated antiviral immunity uses CRISPR RNA (crRNA) to target invading DNA species from mobile elements such as viruses, leading to their destruction. The core of the Cascade effector complex consists of the Cas5 and Cas7 subunits, which are widely conserved in prokaryotes. Cas7 binds crRNA and forms the helical backbone of Cascade. Many archaea encode a version of the Cascade complex (denoted Type I-A) that includes a Csa5 (or small) subunit, which interacts weakly with the core proteins. Here, we report the crystal structure of the Csa5 protein from Sulfolobus solfataricus. Csa5 comprises a conserved α-helical domain with a small insertion consisting of a weakly conserved β-strand domain. In the crystal, the Csa5 monomers have multimerized into infinite helical threads. At each interface is a strictly conserved intersubunit salt bridge, deletion of which disrupts multimerization. Structural analysis indicates a shared evolutionary history among the small subunits of the CRISPR effector complexes. The same α-helical domain is found in the C-terminal domain of Cse2 (from Type I-E Cascade), while the N-terminal domain of Cse2 is found in Cmr5 of the CMR (Type III-B) effector complex. As Cmr5 shares no match with Csa5, two possibilities present themselves: selective domain loss from an ancestral Cse2 to create two new subfamilies or domain fusion of two separate families to create a new Cse2 family. A definitive answer awaits structural studies of further small subunits from other CRISPR effector complexes. Description: This work was funded by a grant from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) (REF: BB/G011400/1) to M.F.W. and J.H.N. and a BBSRC-funded studentship to J.R.

The effects of conflict strength and ageing on cognitive control

2013-05-23T19:19:36Z

Abstract: In this thesis, I investigated effects of conflict strength and ageing on cognitive control. Conflict strength was manipulated in the Eriksen flanker task using two different approaches: 1. independent variation of flanker and target contrast; 2. manipulation of stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA). Reducing flanker contrast relative to target contrast decreased conflict strength, as shown by a reduction in compatibility effects, when contrast conditions were presented in a randomized fashion but not when they were presented block-wise. An SOA of 100 ms did lead to increased compatibility effects compared to SOAs of 0 ms and 200 ms. Effects of conflict appear to be reflected in the N2 component of the ERP. Although priming played a crucial role in the emergence of the sequential adjustment effect, conflict strength also influenced this effect to a certain degree, supporting the claim that sequential adjustments represent an adaptation of cognitive control. Post-error slowing and error-related ERP components, on the other hand, were not affected by the conflict manipulations, suggesting that errors cannot be explained in terms of conflict processing. Effects of ageing on cognitive control were investigated in a group of middle-aged participants. Although physiological indicators of conflict and error processing were compromised in this age group and overall response times were increased, compatibility, sequential adjustment, and post-error slowing effects were of comparable size as in young adults. These findings suggest that participants could successfully compensate for age-related physiological changes at this early stage of ageing. In conclusion, the research presented in this thesis provided important information to extend our knowledge of factors influencing cognitive control processes.

Equilibrium and stability properties of collisionless current sheet models

2013-05-23T19:14:46Z

Abstract: The work in this thesis focuses primarily on equilibrium and stability properties of collisionless current sheet models, in particular of the force-free Harris sheet model. A detailed investigation is carried out into the properties of the distribution function found by Harrison and Neukirch (Physical Review Letters 102, 135003, 2009) for the force-free Harris sheet, which is so far the only known nonlinear force-free Vlasov-Maxwell equilibrium. Exact conditions on the parameters of the distribution function are found, which show when it can be single or multi-peaked in two of the velocity space directions. This is important because it may have implications for the stability of the equilibrium. One major aim of this thesis is to find new force-free equilibrium distribution functions. By using a new method which is different from that of Harrison and Neukirch, it is possible to find a complete family of distribution functions for the force-free Harris sheet, which includes the Harrison and Neukirch distribution function (Physical Review Letters 102, 135003, 2009). Each member of this family has a different dependence on the particle energy, although the dependence on the canonical momenta remains the same. Three detailed analytical examples are presented. Other possibilities for finding further collisionless force-free equilibrium distribution functions have been explored, but were unsuccessful. The first linear stability analysis of the Harrison and Neukirch equilibrium distribution function is then carried out, concentrating on macroscopic instabilities, and considering two-dimensional perturbations only. The analysis is based on the technique of integration over unperturbed orbits. Similarly to the Harris sheet case (Nuovo Cimento, 23:115, 1962), this is only possible by using approximations to the exact orbits, which are unknown. Furthermore, the approximations for the Harris sheet case cannot be used for the force-free Harris sheet, and so new techniques have to be developed in order to make analytical progress. Full analytical expressions for the perturbed current density are derived but, for the sake of simplicity, only the long wavelength limit is investigated. The dependence of the stability on various equilibrium parameters is investigated.

The concept of happiness in Kant's moral, legal and political philosophy

2013-05-23T19:08:09Z

Abstract: This doctoral thesis analyzes the systematic role of Kant’s conception of happiness in his moral, legal and political theory. Although many of his conclusions and arguments are directly or indirectly influenced by his conception of human happiness, Kant’s underlying assumptions are rarely overtly discussed or given much detail in his works. Kant also provides different and apparently incompatible definitions of happiness. This research explores the domains of Kant’s practical philosophy in which his conception of happiness plays a systematic role: the relation between the natural need of human beings to pursue happiness and the ends-oriented structure of the human will; Kant’s anti-eudaimonism in ethical theory; Kant’s claim that we have an indirect duty to promote our own happiness and the problem that under certain circumstances, the indeterminacy of happiness makes it not irrational to choose short term satisfaction at the costs of one’s overall, long term happiness, given Kant’s conception of non-moral choice as expectation of pleasure; Kant’s justification of the duty to adopt the happiness of others as our ends (the duty of beneficence) and the latitude and eventual demandingness of this duty; finally, since Kant also subsumes subsistence needs and welfare under the concept of happiness of individuals, I also engage with the question of state provision for the poor in the Kantian Rechtsstaat and explore Kant’s conception of equity or fairness (Billigkeit) as an alternative to the traditional minimalist and the welfare interpretations of the Kantian state.

Progress towards the synthesis of perophoramidine : formation of the contiguous quaternary centres

2013-05-23T19:00:48Z

Abstract: Perophoramidine 1 is a halogenated natural product which contains two contiguous quaternary centres within its structure. In this thesis, approaches towards the synthesis of perophoramidine are described. In particular, the synthesis of the tetracyclic core structure and the formation of the quaternary centres have been examined. In Chapter 1, the natural product perophoramidine 1 is introduced and its isolation, structure and biological activity is discussed. The structurally related communesin family of natural products are also introduced before the literature published on both the biosynthesis and laboratory synthesis of perophoramidine 1, is reviewed. Finally the Westwood group’s approach towards the synthesis of perophoramidine 1 is introduced with a summary of non-halogenated model system investigations previously carried out within the group being provided. Chapter 2 describes studies towards the synthesis of an appropriately halogenated indolo[2,3-b]quinoline core structure of perophoramidine 1. This then allowed methodology previously developed within the group on model system substrates to be applied to the formation of the first of the two quaternary centres required for the synthesis of perophoramidine 1. Chapter 3 describes the attempted formation of the second quaternary centre using an ester alkylation approach. After initial studies failed to generate the desired quaternary centre, non-halogenated model system studies were carried out in an attempt to develop an alternative approach. In Chapter 4, model system studies were continued with cyclic ether compounds investigated as potential intermediates towards the synthesis of perophoramidine 1. The results obtained in this chapter provided a novel route to the formation of the second quaternary centre and led to a redesigned approach towards perophoramidine 1 being developed. In Chapter 5, this redesigned approach was applied to the halogenated intermediates synthesised in Chapter 1. This led to the formation of the first halogenated intermediate synthesised within the group which contained the two contiguous quaternary centres required for the synthesis of perophoramidine 1.

The subversion of everyday life : an anthropological study of radical political practices : the Greek revolt of December 2008

2013-05-23T18:54:57Z

Abstract: Based on eighteen months of fieldwork amongst anarchist and anti-authoritarian groups in Athens this thesis focuses on the December 2008 Greek revolt. It is an ethnographic exploration of collective self-organised practices in the public spaces of Athens and the occupied buildings of that period. It posits that these sets of processes were developed in the revolt as politics of subversion of the everyday life which in the thesis is considered both the site of alienation and emancipation. Based on Bourdieu, this study suggests that the everyday practices of subversion in radical politics are habitual dispositions of action that have been developed, based on past events which go as far back as the Greek civil war (1946-49), to establish a political living in the present, a process that is explored based on what Friedman calls ‘mythologisation’ . Drawing on De Certeau, Lefebvre and Vaneigem it is argued that these collective dispositions are the productive factors of tactics of the subversion which emerge in the context of everyday situations defined by the particularities of public space, imagination and public memory.This suggests that the revolt was not an organised process to create a counter-hegemony but rather, a multitude of micro-processes which used everyday situations as sites of subversion. This argument is explored based on the notion of the social imaginary as defined by Taylor and Castoriadis. In this thesis imagination is considered to be constitutive of the politics of subversion. Fuelled by past events and habitual dispositions of actions radical political practices in the revolt were formative of an ontological process which imagines and explains the political as personal and the private as public. According to that interpretation the event of the death of Alexandros Grigoropoulos generated sites where official power could be challenged, escaped and confronted by tactics of subversion.

Appealing to intuitions

2013-05-23T18:56:34Z

Abstract: This thesis is concerned with the ontology, epistemology, and methodology of intuitions in philosophy. It consists of an introduction, Chapter 1, and three main parts. In the first part, Chapter 2, I defend an account of intuitions as appearance states according to which intuitions cannot be reduced to beliefs or belief-like states. I argue that an account of intuitions as appearance states can explain some crucial phenomena with respect to intuitions better than popular accounts in the current debate over the ontology of intuitions. The second part, Chapters 3 to 5, is a reply to Timothy Williamson’s (2004, 2007) view on the epistemology and methodology of intuitions. The practice of appealing to the fact that we have an intuition as evidence from thought experiments has recently been criticised by experimental philosophers. Williamson argues that since thought experiments reliably lead to knowledge of the content of our intuition, we can avoid this criticism and the resulting sceptical threat by appealing to the content of the intuition. I agree that thought experiments usually lead to knowledge of the content of our intuition. However, I show that appealing to the fact that we have an intuition is a common and useful practice. I defend the view that for methodological reasons, we ought to appeal to the fact that we have an intuition as initial evidence from thought experiments. The third part, Chapter 6, is devoted to a paradigm method involving intuitions: the method of reflective equilibrium. Some philosophers have recently claimed that it is trivial and could even accommodate scepticism about the reliability of intuitions. I argue that reflective equilibrium is not compatible with such scepticism. While it is compatible with the view I defend in the second part of the thesis, more specific methodological claims have to be made.

Rudyard Kipling and Victorian Buddhism

2013-05-23T15:53:04Z

Abstract: The thesis recontextualises the fiction of the nineteenth- and twentieth-century writer Rudyard Kipling by exploring aspects of Victorian Buddhism in a selection of his published work. It demonstrates his engagement with a variety of Buddhist histories and cultures, showing a serious artistic and imaginative response to and interpretation of Buddhism. Focusing primarily on the novel Kim, the thesis develops existing criticism, examining the character of the lama. Additionally, it studies features of Victorian Buddhism other than textual sources, drawing on work by scholars in fields such as the history of art and the history of religion. As well as considering varied Buddhist elements in Kim, the thesis examines the theme of the survival of the soul, situating short stories from various periods of Kipling’s writing life in the context of scholarly debates about Nirvana and reincarnation. Attention is also given to critically neglected travel writing from the Letters of Marque series written for periodical publication. Kipling’s work is shown to be deeply concerned with and sympathetic to Buddhism and Buddhist cultures.

The genome of the obligate intracellular parasite Trachipleistophora hominis : new insights into microsporidian genome dynamics and reductive evolution

2013-06-02T04:01:01Z

Abstract: The dynamics of reductive genome evolution for eukaryotes living inside other eukaryotic cells are poorly understood compared to well-studied model systems involving obligate intracellular bacteria. Here we present 8.5 Mb of sequence from the genome of the microsporidian Trachipleistophora hominis, isolated from an HIV/AIDS patient, which is an outgroup to the smaller compacted-genome species that primarily inform ideas of evolutionary mode for these enormously successful obligate intracellular parasites. Our data provide detailed information on the gene content, genome architecture and intergenic regions of a larger microsporidian genome, while comparative analyses allowed us to infer genomic features and metabolism of the common ancestor of the species investigated. Gene length reduction and massive loss of metabolic capacity in the common ancestor was accompanied by the evolution of novel microsporidian-specific protein families, whose conservation among microsporidians, against a background of reductive evolution, suggests they may have important functions in their parasitic lifestyle. The ancestor had already lost many metabolic pathways but retained glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway to provide cytosolic ATP and reduced coenzymes, and it had a minimal mitochondrion (mitosome) making Fe-S clusters but not ATP. It possessed bacterial-like nucleotide transport proteins as a key innovation for stealing host-generated ATP, the machinery for RNAi, key elements of the early secretory pathway, canonical eukaryotic as well as microsporidian-specific regulatory elements, a diversity of repetitive and transposable elements, and relatively low average gene density. Microsporidian genome evolution thus appears to have proceeded in at least two major steps: an ancestral remodelling of the proteome upon transition to intracellular parasitism that involved reduction but also selective expansion, followed by a secondary compaction of genome architecture in some, but not all, lineages.

Fantasising the self, fantasising the other : memory and re-visions in Mario Martone's L'amore molesto

2013-05-21T11:31:01Z

“The ‘Ars vivendi’ of Laura Mañà’s Morir en San Hilario/To Die in San Hilario (2005)”

2013-05-21T08:31:02Z

Abstract: Over the past decade Spanish-Language Cinema has established itself beside Spanish and Latin American Cinema, and Morir en San Hilario is a good example of these new flexible collaborations rather than a strict transnational co-production. Billed as a comedy, the film could also be described as a variation on the road film, a circular journey to Utopia, a Spanish village/pueblo film, and a twenty-first-century ‘Ars moriendi’ developing the topos of ‘Homo viator’. This is not a frequent combination to be found on cinema screens and Laura Mañà’s gamble was to integrate these ingredients and create a fable to reflect on life and death. She does this through comedy, exaggerations, parody and a narrative style identified as magic realism. Her originality, however, overlaps with the lasting legacy of the fifteenth-century Castilian soldier-poet, Jorge Manrique (c.1440-1479) and his ‘Stanzas written upon the death of his father’, a landmark of Spanish Literature.

Two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in the limits of infinite and vanishing magnetic Prandtl number

2013-06-19T10:01:00Z

Abstract: We study both theoretically and numerically two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic turbulence at infinite and zero magnetic Prandtl number $Pm$ (and the limits thereof), with an emphasis on solution regularity. For $Pm=0$, both $\norm{\omega}^2$ and $\norm{j}^2$, where $\omega$ and $j$ are, respectively, the vorticity and current, are uniformly bounded. Furthermore, $\norm{\nabla j}^2$ is integrable over $[0,\infty)$. The uniform boundedness of $\norm{\omega}^2$ implies that in the presence of vanishingly small viscosity $\nu$ (i.e. in the limit $Pm\to0$), the kinetic energy dissipation rate $\nu\norm{\omega}^2$ vanishes for all times $t$, including $t=\infty$. Furthermore, for sufficiently small $Pm$, this rate decreases linearly with $Pm$. This linear behaviour of $\nu\norm{\omega}^2$ is investigated and confirmed by high-resolution simulations with $Pm$ in the range $[1/64,1]$. Several criteria for solution regularity are established and numerically tested. As $Pm$ is decreased from unity, the ratio $\norm{\omega}_\infty/\norm{\omega}$ is observed to increase relatively slowly. This, together with the integrability of $\norm{\nabla j}^2$, suggests global regularity for $Pm=0$. When $Pm=\infty$, global regularity is secured when either $\norm{\nabla\u}_\infty/\norm{\omega}$, where $\u$ is the fluid velocity, or $\norm{j}_\infty/\norm{j}$ is bounded. The former is plausible given the presence of viscous effects for this case. Numerical results over the range $Pm\in[1,64]$ show that $\norm{\nabla\u}_\infty/\norm{\omega}$ varies slightly (with similar behaviour for $\norm{j}_\infty/\norm{j}$), thereby lending strong support for the possibility $\norm{\nabla\u}_\infty/\norm{\omega}<\infty$ in the limit $Pm\to\infty$. The peak of the magnetic energy dissipation rate $\mu\norm{j}^2$ is observed to decrease rapidly as $Pm$ is increased. This result suggests the possibility $\norm{j}^2<\infty$ in the limit $Pm\to\infty$. We discuss further evidence for the boundedness of the ratios $\norm{\omega}_\infty/\norm{\omega}$, $\norm{\nabla\u}_\infty/\norm{\omega}$ and $\norm{j}_\infty/\norm{j}$ in conjunction with observation on the density of filamentary structures in the vorticity, velocity gradient and current fields. Description: LAKB was supported by an EPSRC post-graduate studentship.

Note on solution regularity of the generalized magnetohydrodynamic equations with partial dissipation

2013-05-20T16:01:01Z

Abstract: In this brief note we study the $n$-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic equations with hyper-viscosity and zero resistivity. We prove global regularity of solutions when the hyper-viscosity is sufficiently strong.

The state of affairs : critical performativity and the online dating industry

2013-05-20T15:31:03Z

Abstract: In this paper we pursue a dialogue between Callon’s (1998) ‘performativity thesis’ and Critical Management Studies (CMS). We make use of the performativity thesis to elaborate on the construction of a market and the generation of calculative and rational economic agency in a specific empirical setting: the markets for relationships offered by dating services. We find evidence for ‘effective’ performativity, where technical processes and outcomes are shaped by academic theory. We link the performativity analysis with three critical perspectives: a novel enclosure in the commodification and sale of relationships; the politics of standardisation, classification, expertise and responsibility; and the enactment of instrumentally rational, self-interested social relations through the individualist assumptions of matching systems. We argue that a performativity analysis must begin with a critical politics: what kind of world would we like to see performed?

Solar magnetic carpet III : coronal modelling of synthetic magnetograms

2013-05-20T15:31:02Z

Teaching and understanding of quantum interpretations in modern physics courses

2013-05-20T15:01:04Z

Abstract: Just as expert physicists vary in their personal stances on interpretation in quantum mechanics, instructors vary on whether and how to teach interpretations of quantum phenomena in introductory modern physics courses. In this paper, we document variations in instructional approaches with respect to interpretation in two similar modern physics courses recently taught at the University of Colorado, and examine associated impacts on student perspectives regarding quantum physics. We find students are more likely to prefer realist interpretations of quantum-mechanical systems when instructors are less explicit in addressing student ontologies. We also observe contextual variations in student beliefs about quantum systems, indicating that instructors who choose to address questions of ontology in quantum mechanics should do so explicitly across a range of topics.

Refined characterization of student perspectives on quantum physics

2013-05-20T15:01:03Z

Abstract: The perspectives of introductory classical physics students can often negatively influence how those students later interpret quantum phenomena when taking an introductory course in modern physics. A detailed exploration of student perspectives on the interpretation of quantum physics is needed, both to characterize student understanding of physics concepts, and to inform how we might teach traditional content. Our previous investigations of student perspectives on quantum physics have indicated they can be highly nuanced, and may vary both within and across contexts. In order to better understand the contextual and often seemingly contradictory stances of students on matters of interpretation, we interviewed 19 students from four introductory modern physics courses taught at the University of Colorado. We find that students have attitudes and opinions that often parallel the stances of expert physicists when arguing for their favored interpretations of quantum mechanics, allowing for more nuanced characterizations of student perspectives in terms of three key interpretive themes. We present a framework for characterizing student perspectives on quantum mechanics, and demonstrate its utility in interpreting the sometimes contradictory nature of student responses to previous surveys. We further find that students most often vacillate in their responses when what makes intuitive sense to them is not in agreement with what they consider to be a correct response, underscoring the need to distinguish between the personal and the public perspectives of introductory modern physics students.

Coherent control of plasmonic nanoantennas using optical eigenmodes

2013-05-20T11:31:06Z

Abstract: The last decade has seen subwavelength focusing of the electromagnetic field in the proximity of nanoplasmonic structures with various designs. However, a shared issue is the spatial confinement of the field, which is mostly inflexible and limited to fixed locations determined by the geometry of the nanostructures, which hampers many applications. Here, we coherently address numerically and experimentally single and multiple plasmonic nanostructures chosen from a given array, resorting to the principle of optical eigenmodes. By decomposing the light field into optical eigenmodes, specifically tailored to the nanostructure, we create a subwavelength, selective and dynamic control of the incident light. The coherent control of plasmonic nanoantennas using this approach shows an almost zero crosstalk. This approach is applicable even in the presence of large transmission aberrations, such as present in holographic diffusers and multimode fibres. The method presents a paradigm shift for the addressing of plasmonic nanostructures by light.

Told and retold : the Solomon narratives in the context of Tanak

2013-05-20T11:38:53Z

Abstract: This thesis explores the relationship between the books of Kings and Chronicles and considers the value of having two different versions of the same monarchic history within the Tanak. It furthermore explores how these books are read in relation to one another. To be more specific, its concern is how the book of Chronicles is read in relation to the book of Kings as Chronicles is so often considered to be a later rewritten text drawing upon an earlier version of the Masoretic Text of Kings. The predominant scholarly approach to reading the book of Chronicles is to read it in light of how the text was emended (additions, deletions, etc.). This approach has great value and has furthered our understanding of the theology and purpose of Chronicles. While this thesis fully affirms this diachronic approach to reading Chronicles, it also finds it to be lacking. This said, I suggest that this predominant way of reading Chronicles through the lens of its source (Kings) sometimes misses the theological and rhetorical features of the Chronicler’s text. In light of this suggestion, this thesis will answer the following question: “why were two narratives retained in the Tanak and what possible answers to this question might emerge by looking at the similarities and differences in the two narratives’ contents, arguments, and theology?” The method by which this question will be addressed is to read the Solomon narratives in the books of Kings and Chronicles in two ways: first, to read each narrative as a whole and independently of one another, and second, to examine each narrative together in an effort to understand their uniqueness. The result of this analysis will show that these narratives can in fact read as whole narratives independent of one another, and furthermore, that Solomon is in fact less idealized (contra popular scholarly opinion) in the book of Chronicles.

Investigating protein- protein interactions in order to develop novel therapeutics for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

2013-05-20T10:29:28Z

Abstract: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) accounts for around two thirds of all dementia cases and an increase in life expectancy of the population has resulted in a substantial increase in dementia cases and with that a rise in AD. AD is a debilitating and ultimately fatal neurodegenerative disorder of the elderly, and despite being identified over a century ago, the current treatments do not treat the underlying causes behind the disease, instead they help to mask the symptoms of the disease and prolong the brain’s remaining function. It is therefore vital that an effective, disease modifying treatment for this disease is established as soon as possible. Soluble intracellular forms of amyloid β (peptide Aβ), a hallmark of AD have been identified and intracellular targets of Aβ are being investigated as potential drug targets for the disease. Two key intracellular, mitochondrial proteins investigated as potential drug targets: amyloid binding alcohol dehydrogenase (ABAD) and cyclophilin D (CypD) are the focus of the work reported in this thesis. To begin identifying potential inhibitors of the ABAD-Aβ interaction, a two-pronged approach was taken. Firstly, a series of analogues based on a known inhibitor of the interaction were tested using a variety of biophysical assays, for their therapeutic affect on the interaction, and secondly a fragment based screening approach was used to identify new small molecule binding partners of ABAD which could potentially be modified to produced inhibitors of the ABAD-Aβ interaction. Three different CypD constructs have been successfully expressed and purified, and taken into crystal trials. It is hoped that these constructs can be used to significantly aid the progress of identifying any potential inhibitors and binding partners of CypD that may produce therapeutic effects, and in the future could lead to the identification of an effective disease modifying drug in the treatment of AD. The work reported in this thesis has built upon previously reported findings and the groundwork has also been established for several in vitro biophysical assays, these include for example: measuring ABAD enzyme activity, and the novel morphology specific Aβ aggregation assay, which can be used as screening tools to help identify potential inhibitors of these interactions. Both the ABAD-Aβ interaction, and the blockade of CypD are known to be drug targets in the treatment of AD, and by elucidating the molecular mechanisms behind these interactions, through implementing biophysical assays, this will help in the identification and design of potential new therapeutic agents for the treatment of AD.

Research-based course materials and assessments for upper-division electrodynamics (E&M II)

2013-05-16T11:31:03Z

Abstract: Favorable outcomes from ongoing research at the University of Colorado Boulder on student learning in junior-level electrostatics (E&M I) have led us to extend this work to upper-division electrodynamics (E&M II). We describe here our development of a set of research-based instructional materials designed to actively engage students during lecture (including clicker questions and other in-class activities); and an instrument for assessing whether our faculty-consensus learning goals are being met. We also discuss preliminary results from several recent implementations of our transformed curriculum, plans for the dissemination and further refinement of these materials, and offer some insights into student difficulties in advanced undergraduate electromagnetism.

Development of quantum perspectives in modern physics

2013-05-16T11:31:01Z

Abstract: Introductory undergraduate courses in classical physics stress a perspective that can be characterized as realist; from this perspective, all physical properties of a classical system can be simultaneously specified and thus determined at all future times. Such a perspective can be problematic for introductory quantum physics students, who must develop new perspectives in order to properly interpret what it means to have knowledge of quantum systems. We document this evolution in student thinking in part through pre- and post-instruction evaluations using the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey. We further characterize variations in student epistemic and ontological commitments by examining responses to two essay questions, coupled with responses to supplemental quantum attitude statements. We find that, after instruction in modern physics, many students are still exhibiting a realist perspective in contexts where a quantum-mechanical perspective is needed. We further find that this effect can be significantly influenced by instruction, where we observe variations for courses with differing learning goals. We also note that students generally do not employ either a realist or a quantum perspective in a consistent manner.

A biographical and critical study of the life and writings of Sir David Dalrymple, Lord Hailes

2013-05-16T10:56:40Z

Abstract: The name of Sir David Dalrymple, Lord Hailes has always been known to students of Scottish history by reason of his "Annals of Scotland", long accepted as a fundamental reference book for that period of Scottish history which it covers. It is safe to say, however that few of his other historical publications are now read. Those familiar with the anti-Gibbon literature also know him as one of Gibbon's most respected critics, while the recent studies of the 18th Century revival of interest in early and medieval literature have revealed his key position in this movement, both as an editor, and as an adviser and helper to others. In the legal profession, he was highly thought of as a lawyer and judge, and the number and importance of his correspondents testify to his wide acquaintance and high reputation amongst men of learning. Despite all this, no full account of the man and his work has previously been made, although there have been several unfinished attempts. [...] An attempt has been made to fit Hailes into the cultural and social background of his times, and to make some estimate of the influence and importance of his published work, with particular reference to the fields of history and literature. Much of the basic research in this thesis was done in compiling Appendices A and B. No reliable list of Hailes's publications has ever been drawn up, and Appendix A is a serious attempt to fill this gap. A complete check-list of Hailes's extant correspondence has not been attempted previously and Appendix B is designed to supply this omission. [Abstract taken from longer Foreword].

Interpretive themes in quantum physics : curriculum development and outcomes

2013-05-16T07:31:02Z

Abstract: A common learning goal for modern physics instructors is for students to recognize a difference between the experimental uncertainty of classical physics and the fundamental uncertainty of quantum mechanics. Our prior work has shown that student perspectives on the physical interpretation of quantum mechanics can be characterized, and are differentially influenced by the myriad ways instructors approach interpretive themes in their introductory courses. We report how a transformed modern physics curriculum (recently implemented at the University of Colorado) has positively impacted student perspectives on quantum physics, by making questions of classical and quantum reality a central theme of the course, but also by making the beliefs of students (and not just those of scientists) an explicit topic of discussion.

Interpretation in quantum physics as hidden curriculum

2013-05-15T21:31:01Z

Abstract: Prior research has demonstrated how the realist perspectives of classical physics students can translate into specific beliefs about quantum phenomena when taking an introductory modern physics course. Student beliefs regarding the interpretation of quantum mechanics often vary by context, and are most often in alignment with instructional goals in topic areas where instructors are explicit in promoting a particular perspective. Moreover, students are more likely to maintain realist perspectives in topic areas where instructors are less explicit in addressing interpretive themes, thereby making such issues part of a hidden curriculum. We discuss various approaches to addressing student perspectives and interpretive themes in a modern physics course, and explore the associated impacts on student thinking.