Recent Submissions

  • The impact of servant leadership on job satisfaction within Indian family firms in the UK

    Firth, Janet; Wang, Yong; Singh, Guriqbal; Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences; University of Wolverhampton Business School, Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences (University of Wolverhampton, 2023-08)
    Family businesses, including those owned by ethnic minority groups, are vital to the UK's economy. Indian family firms, for example, contribute significantly to the nation's GDP, providing employment, fostering innovation, and supporting local communities. The importance of servant leadership emphasises the leader's responsibility to serve others and prioritise their well-being and growth. This leadership style has been linked to higher job satisfaction among employees, a crucial factor for the success of small family firms. In family businesses, both family and non-family employees play essential roles. Family employees often profoundly understand the business's values, history, and long-term goals. In contrast, non-family employees bring diverse perspectives and expertise, contributing to the company's adaptability and resilience. Balancing the needs and expectations of both groups is vital for maintaining a harmonious and productive work environment, ultimately leading to the firm's success. Despite growing interest in leadership research within family businesses, there remains a notable gap in the study of ethnic minority businesses, particularly in the United Kingdom. This thesis addresses this gap by focusing on servant leadership and its influence on job satisfaction among family and non-family employees. It also explores the moderating effect of socioemotional wealth (SEW) on this relationship. This study aims to understand the subject matter using a mixed-method research design. The findings suggest that job satisfaction in small family firms differs in terms of its impact on family and non-family employees. This research offers several valuable contributions to understanding servant leadership within UK-based family firms, particularly those of Indian origin. Examining the role of servant leadership in enhancing job satisfaction for family and non-family employees in family businesses, thus shedding light on the potential benefits of adopting this leadership approach within such firms. Investigating the moderating impact of SEW on the relationship between servant leadership and job satisfaction reveals that while SEW positively influences family employees, it harms non-family employees. Expanding the scope of research on Indian family businesses in the UK contributes to the broader knowledge base on ethnic minority enterprises within the country.
  • ‘It’s a bit of a clan really, you either feel part of [it] or you don’t’. Transitioning to university: perceptions of students and staff at a UK university

    Scott, Howard; Hall, Val; Bentley, Jon; School of Education, Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing (University of Wolverhampton, 2022-07)
    Transition to university is considered problematic for students and institutions. This has led to examination of the institutionally controlled elements of transition. Despite intervention, students, and universities in the United Kingdom (UK) still experience transition related issues. This, combined with the shifting landscape of UK higher education, presented an opportunity to explore transition through the lived experiences of students in a more embodied manner, beyond the academic setting. This research has explored the empirical nature of ‘transitioning’ as an emergent and dynamic experience, and considered if this theory is the best explanation. This mixed methods case study, explored the experiences of students at a specialist UK university. Twelve undergraduate students provided photo interview accounts of their experience. Interviews were also conducted with five members of university staff and 241 students contributed through a questionnaire. Despite an ecology system model indicating that students encountered similar transitional experiences, photo elicitation interviews and questionnaire results demonstrated students presented unique and individualised experiences. These findings demonstrated the non-homogenous nature of this student population. A key finding was how friendship and sense of community played an important role in university experience, which was concurrently identified as important by staff. Sense of Community theory highlighted the significant, and often polarised, impact of sociocultural and emotional experiences. This included themes of community and how students perceived themselves to either belong, or be alienated, from both the institutional community and social groups. A further significant finding was the role institutional social culture had in enabling or disabling sense of community, and how this influenced many facets of the students’ overall experience, including mental health. Emotionally, students regularly described university as a ‘rollercoaster’ often situated in the sociocultural setting. Cultural challenges were also evident when students entered the workplace, with female students negotiating barriers due to industrial stereotypes. Findings did not support the view that transition is a universal experience, or the narrative that institutions can effectively manage students’ transition through induction activities. Students provided evidence of continuous, overlapping transitions, demonstrating complex embodied movements. University experience was found to be a uniquely individual phenomenon involving multiple settings: academic, personal, sociocultural and emotional. Findings suggested any of these settings can, at any point, impact experience, acting to enable or disable engagement from the course or community. This research has found empirical evidence to support the theory of transitioning.
  • An investigation into organisational culture permeation and its impact on traits for improved organisation performance

    Firth, Jan; Croker, Kevin; Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences (University of Wolverhampton, 2023-07)
    Fragmented or negative organisational culture can have detrimental effects on morale, turnover, and overall performance. Research suggests that organisational culture plays a crucial role in enabling or hindering an organisation's ability to perform at its best and achieve strategic objectives (Ogbonna and Harris, 2000). When attempting to measure organisational culture, most survey instruments focus on treating the entire organisation as the unit of analysis. This approach is problematic as it overlooks the importance of organisational culture permeation between hierarchical levels and fails to capture the interactions that occur between the levels. To attain a more comprehensive measure and better understanding of organisational culture, it is necessary to adopt a lower level of analysis and consider the permeation of organisational culture between all levels of the organisation. When leaders establish a strong and positive culture throughout it fosters a consistent and cohesive environment (Iqbal, Guohao and Akhtar, 2017). This not only increases engagement, productivity, and overall job satisfaction it also helps to attract and retain top talent, all of which can serve as a competitive advantage and positively influence company performance (Albrecht et al., 2015). Using a mixed methods approach and adopting the Denison Organisational Culture Survey (DOCS) instrument as a framework, this thesis measures the permeation of organisational culture through several hierarchical levels, something not typically achieved by the traditional organisational culture surveys and instruments. Three different-sized diverse UK-based organisations were analysed to provide a comprehensive understanding of potential blockages and gaps that can potentially impact company performance. The researcher’s original contribution to knowledge is the measurement of organisational culture permeation between the hierarchical levels by adopting a rigorous abductive mixed methods approach rarely achieved in practice or academia, thus contributing to the organisational cultural discourse. The study found an association between leadership clarity in defining organisational culture and the implementation of a cohesive plan to ensure its permeation between all hierarchical levels. The findings also indicate that organisational size influences workers' interpretation of espoused values. Overall, the research supports the notion that effective organisational culture permeation throughout all hierarchical levels strengthens traits associated with improved effectiveness and performance.
  • The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) and the Niger Delta: analysing the role of local communities in the programme between 1999 and 2017

    Kassimeris, George; O'Kane, Eamonn; Cunningham, Michael; Nnanta Amadi, Anele; School of Humanities, Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences (University of Wolverhampton, 2023-11)
    This thesis examines the role of local agencies in peacebuilding initiatives within resource-rich conflict regions, focusing on the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) in Nigeria's Niger Delta. The Niger Delta has faced protracted unrest due to tensions between minority ethnic groups, the government, and multinational oil companies (MNOCs) operating in the area. In 2009, the government implemented the PAP centred on the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) of militants. However, the emergence of new militant groups suggests the Programme failed to achieve durable peace. This study aims to analyse how the PAP's conceptual foundations align with local needs and desires. It also investigates the level of participation of local stakeholders like youth, communities, and civil society organisations in PAP's design and delivery. Additionally, the research explores more inclusive and hybrid approaches to peacebuilding tailored to the Delta context. An embedded multiple case study methodology is utilised to examine perspectives from various local actors. Semi-structured interviews provide primary data on community experiences. The study argues that lasting peace depends on reconciling external templates like DDR with indigenous resources and agency. It contributes to scholarship on everyday peacebuilding and localising interventions. For policy, the findings recommend integrating top-down and bottom-up efforts for a hybrid approach resonant with the society being transformed.
  • The race to the top: the experiences and strategies of women of colour in UK academia

    Yamak, Sibel; Ogunseyin, Michael; Omhand , Khaoula; University of Wolverhampton Business School, Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences (University of Wolverhampton, 2023-04)
    Research has outlined the potential benefits of diversity at multiple levels of higher education. At the organisational level, the underrepresentation of BAME women in senior positions in academia, particularly in professorship positions remains of high interest for academics, practitioners, and policymakers. To have better understanding of this wicked problem, this study critically explores the extent to which neo-liberalism as a doxa has impacted the career progression of academic women of colour. It investigates the extent to which racialised experience and White privilege, and early life experience impact women of colour’s career progression, and investigates the strategies deployed by those women to succeed in UK universities despite these multi-layered challenges. The study contributes to the literature and theory in three major areas. This study applies Bourdieu’s practice theory (field, habitus, capital and doxa), Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) and Critical Race Theory (CRT) to investigate the ‘Race' of Women of colour to the top of the ivory tower. Using first Bourdieu thinking tools lens with a focus on field and doxa allowed the interaction between women of colour interviewed and their context to be recognised. This nexus of levels in this research was essential as it permitted the analysis of the macro context by examining the micro and equally the illumination of how macro level issues shape experiences at the micro level. Second, this study also challenges critical race theory by recognising that it doesn’t fully acknowledge or represent class aspects and the agency of the participants. This is illustrated in my need to draw on Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus and capital to demonstrate the role of socio-economic class in shaping the career decision and progression of our participants. Lastly, to move beyond countering deficit views of women of colour in the UK academy; I proposed using CCW framework to help direct discussions of our participants away from their defect experiences toward their adequacies. Grounded in critical paradigm and Black feminist epistemology, and building upon Critical Diversity Studies, the 24 participants interviewed in this study share their experiential knowledge of journeying through the UK academia system by reflecting on their experience in getting professorship positions. Results exhibit the influence of neoliberalism as a doxa, class and race on their career journey in academia — from early life until securing academic positions. This research highlights some of the unique challenges confronted by this group including the extent to which the changing environment of higher education institutions and the ethos of neoliberalism as a doxa has disturbed their progression and development, the extent to which racism was endemic and remained rooted and positioned at different levels, and the role of early life and social class impacting upon participants’ decision to enter academia and thrive or struggle in their academic roles. Yet, due to strong commitment to reaching academic ‘success’ in their career journey, Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) strategies are utilised to overcome such challenges. Finally, limited understandings of academic career success and university leadership based on meritocratic and neoliberal underpinnings are questioned. I argue that current knowledge fails to recognise inherent inequalities within the university system that make it problematic for women academics of colour to achieve professorship positions. Thus, we explore prospects to (re)envisage academic career and university leadership including professorship positions beyond the dominant discourse of neoliberal meritocracy.
  • Relationship of the glycation gap to diabetes and its complications, and the potential role of adipokines

    Ojo, Opeolu; Idiakheua, Omoriawo Simeon; Faculty of Science and Engineering (University of Wolverhampton, 2023-01)
    Background: Diabetes mellitus has become a global health menace and the management cost to both developed and developing countries is biting hard on the economy. Diabetes mellitus is primarily caused by hyperglycaemia and research has confirmed the strong link of obesity as a precursor of type 2 diabetes. Hyperglycaemia is a major and an independent risk factor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and atherosclerosis in diabetes. Obesity is also associated with cardiovascular disease which is one of the diabetic complications. Stress which is one the predisposing factor of obesity generates a vicious cycle leading to the release of high level of inflammatory adipokines and this is the link between obesity and CVD. Adipokines are believed to have a role in diabetic complications. This research intends to understand the role some specified adipokines plays in insulin secretions and beta cell failure. Glycation is a common and spontaneous reaction of proteins or lipids becoming glycated after exposure to sugars, occurring in vivo without the controlling action of an enzyme. Deglycation is an enzyme-mediated pathway and fructoseamine-3-kinase (FN3K) is believed to be one of the major enzymes. FN3K is known to play a protective role in the development of vascular complications in diabetes patients. In the absence of deglycation or deglycating enzymes, advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) are formed. This research work employed 1-deoxy-1-morpholino fructose (DMF) a major enzyme which can prevent deglycation to show the importance of deglycation in beta cell and FN3K role in insulin secretion. Method: This research work analysed glycoprotein acetylation (GlycA) a known inflammatory marker that tracks systemic inflammation and cardiovascular risk. The investigation of the potential role of inflammation in the GGap using a novel (and putatively better than existing measures such as CRP) marker of inflammation, GlycA was carried out. A total of 54 diabetic patients were used for this research work and divided into 2 groups. GGap negative (G0) = 34 and GGap positive (G1) = 20. 1H- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) was used to analyse the samples and measuring the different peaks. Glycoscale was used for glycoproteins while liposcale was used for lipoproteins. Laboratory analyses were carried out to ascertain the pathophysiological role of adipokines in inducing insulin secretion. The laboratory analysis includes assessment of insulin secretion from MIN6 and BRIN-BD11 cells, effects of WISP1 on beta cells viability, effects of some adipokines (WISP1, eNAMPT/Visfatin, sFRP4) on insulin secretions/release from pancreatic beta cell. To this end, MIN6 cells were cultured in low and high glucose media, treated with different concentrations of adipokines, and tested for insulin secretion, beta cell failure and cell viability. Using insulin ELISA assay, the concentrations of insulin release/secretions was measured while cell viability was determined by using prestoleblue. Results: Visfatin/eNAMPT exhibited a dose dependant insulin response at high concentrations. WISP1 acute effects (incubating cells for 48hours) shows a dose-dependent outcome on insulin secretions and a reduced effects at high concentrations. Chronic effects of WISP1 (incubation of cells for over 72 hours) shows increase acute GSIS over 72hr period independent of glucose or WISP1 concentrations (P-value = 0.0025). With low glucose, MIN6 cell viability decreases over 72 hours while at high glucose, cells didn’t appear to have proliferated much over 72 hours. sFRP4 had an increased effect at higher glucose levels. The introduction of FN3K inhibitor in the presence of high glucose led to a drastic fall in insulin release with P value = 0.005. GlycA and GlycB but not GlycF concentrations were elevated in the Positive GGap group (p<0.001). BMI was higher in positive GGap indicating its link to diabetes and its complications. VLDL was higher in cholesterol and triglyceride in positive GGap patients while HDL was lower in cholesterol and triglyceride in positive GGap patients (p<0.001). Conclusion: This research has been able to show that the selected adipokines are able to induce insulin secretion. GGap positive patients are more susceptible to diabetes complications. GlycA and GlycB but not GlycF shows to be potent biomarker of inflammation. Lipoproteins particles of GGap positive patients are more exposed to diabetes complications. Lipoprotein particle measurement may be useful in patients at risk of CVD.
  • An examination of the perceptions of tribalistic behaviours in nursing and how they vary in the journey from student nurse to post qualification

    Matheson, David; Bell, Brian; Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing (University of Wolverhampton, 2024-01)
    The aim of this study was to examine perceptions of Tribalistic Behaviours in nursing during the journey from student nurse to post registration. There are concerns regarding the existence of a construct in nursing that promotes a structure of protective behaviours and allegiances within recognised nursing groups, establishing “Them v Us” beliefs (Rozenblit, 2008; Harari 2011). Despite the drive for a more generically skilled nursing workforce and new ways of working (NMC 2018a, NMC 2018b), professional tribes rather than being eradicated, appear to have survived within modern nursing cultures. In the absence of research exploring “Tribalistic Behaviours”, this thesis initially explored existing literature examining potentially aligned signs whilst utilising a semiotic framework. Guided by a qualitative methodology, current nursing students within the last six months of their MSc programme were invited to participate in the research. Mental Health student nurses (n = 6) and Adult student nurses (n = 6) engaged in field specific nursing focus groups and following a period of six months post qualification were also invited to participate in individual semi structured interviews. The study’s findings highlighted specific themes of social civilities and nursing rituals directly influenced by field specific tribalistic behaviours. The study’s findings led to the creation of three new themes as a result of the analysed data. The findings identified that students were exposed to tribalistic behaviours within their nurse education structures from an early stage, before being reinforced within their new clinical tribes in practice. Continued development within their nursing roles over time highlighted a deeper exposure to tribalistic behaviours and an increased awareness of field specific nursing codes and rituals. The new knowledge emerging from this study will heighten awareness of Tribalistic Behaviours in nursing and their encouraged development, along with the implications for nurse education and professional practice. Finally, the study’s limitations were examined, and recommendations were made for future nursing research.
  • The actor as rehabilitator: an examination of the Geese Theatre Company practitioner training to work with people in prison and those at risk of committing offences

    Caulfield, Laura; Rudge, Helen Carmen; School of Social Science and Humanities, Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences (University of Wolverhampton, 2023-06)
    The Arts have always played an important role in rehabilitation and this thesis continues to explore that. The main focus however is the role of the practitioner who carries out this work. The thesis examines the six-month training period which new practitioners must complete when arriving at Geese Theatre Company. Geese is an international theatre company founded in 1987 (UK) with National Portfolio status with Arts Council, England since 2003. They use Drama as a tool for rehabilitation with people who have committed offences and those who are at risk of offending. A third of new actor/ practitioner recruits to Geese are not taken on permanently after the six-month training period. There is published research and evaluation on the projects that Geese deliver but there is no research available on how a performer is trained to work with the company. Geese need to intensively train someone to have a combination of strong performance skill as well as an understanding of the psychological demands of this area of work. They are unique in having a substantial period of training following which the recruit is not necessarily taken on by the company. The thesis focuses particularly upon the training methods used by the company and on the journey of a new recruit. It explores the research questions through semi-structured interviews with Geese practitioners as well as conducting structured observations of workshops, facilitation and performance work by the company. The findings allow for: an exploration of the skills and experience a new recruit to Geese starts at the company with, a definition of the elements of the six-month training, an investigation into the skills and attributes needed to be successful at Geese and an analysis of which elements are missing when practitioners are not taken on after the training. This thesis is a contribution to knowledge as it examines the intensive training period for a Geese practitioner. The exploration of this as well as the conclusions about why around a third of trainees do not pass the training is not something which exists currently in literature. In addition, this contributes to the wider research area of actor/ facilitator training.
  • Prospects and challenges for empowering female entrepreneurs in Africa – a Nigerian case study

    Anosike, Paschal; Firth, Janet; Nkanta, Inyene; University of Wolverhampton Business School, Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences (University of Wolverhampton, 2023)
    This study explores and investigates the prospects and challenges female entrepreneurs face in Nigeria and how they can be empowered to contribute more to economic development. The focus is to understand why many female entrepreneurs in Nigeria are primarily concentrated in the informal sector compared to their male counterparts who are dominating the formal industry and how these women can be empowered to engage more in business enterprises in the formal sector, which is believed to generate more revenue and income. Hence, women can contribute more to Nigeria's economic development. Using a qualitative methodological approach, including data was collected through semi-structured virtual interviews with twenty purposively sampled female entrepreneurs in Nigeria who have been in business for five years and above. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Five thematic categories that encompassed five themes emerged with sub-themes. This study found evidence to suggest that Nigerian female entrepreneurs yearn for effective human capital development, particularly in entrepreneurship education, training, networking, and mentorship, to overcome many barriers to sustaining a profitable business enterprise in the formal sector of the economy. The study found evidence that female entrepreneurs in Nigeria lack access to financial and human capital, which limits and impede them from running their businesses in the formal sector as they have mindset constraints such as risk aversion and have not been adequately equipped with entrepreneurial education, training, and soft skills such as business and leadership skills. In addition, this study found that Nigerian women have culturally imposed constraints that psychologically impede their independence, aspiration, and priorities. This study reveals that when women cross over into male-dominated sectors, they can earn more compared to the earnings they make from the traditionally female-dominated sectors. The core conclusion and implications from these limited research findings suggest that empowering female entrepreneurs to succeed in practice, particularly in the male-dominated sector, would require exposing women to human capital development, such as entrepreneurial education and training in business. This approach will promote the development of entrepreneurial skills to provide new paths and ambitions for women and the ability to negotiate their rights in socioeconomic activities. The Policymakers and the Nigerian Government can take steps towards enforcing the laws which appear to be dormant, as the policies and programs concerning women’s economic empowerment need to be properly and regularly investigated and evaluated to ascertain that their primal roles are being met. Hence, there is a need to disabuse investors' minds and spearhead them toward investing in women’s entrepreneurship. This can be done by offering more substantial tailored financial support for women entrepreneurs with growth-oriented businesses, including venture capital investment. The sampling and a single country context were significant limitations of this study. Twenty Nigerian female entrepreneurs engaged in this study. Their circumstances, barriers faced, and strategies utilized may be peculiar to specific settings and localities, mainly limited to only seven business sectors. The perceptions of these participants may not reflect or represent the views of all female entrepreneurs in Nigeria. Also, some findings may need to be replicated and transferable to other national cultures, countries, or situations, as nations and regions have different cultures, values, and beliefs, particularly about women, which may have a differential impact on entrepreneurial operations.
  • Access to higher education as a point of transition for mature students, an experience by which they are transformed

    Wilde, Julie; Dobson, Mark; Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing (University of Wolverhampton, 2023-07)
    This thesis explores Access to Higher Education (Access) as a site of transition and a transformative experience for mature students studying in Further Education (FE) and interrogates how widening participation policy discourse for under-represented groups, posits mature students’ identity, as one of individual and collective deficit. Employing Mezirow’s concept of transformative learning, ten biographical accounts of ex-Access students provide opportunity to explore emic accounts of identity change. Bourdieu’s notion of habitus allows for exploration of participants’ backgrounds prior to their engagement with Access. Habitus provides location for Bandura’s notions of adult efficacious self-belief and pursuit of identity capital. The research employs Cheng et al.’s model of transition to map the biographical accounts of transformative learning and further informs the thematic analysis. The research design is influenced by my insider researcher status, adopting case study and pragmatic approaches to foreground the participants’ lived experiences of Access. The data collection methods of card sort and semi-structured interviews, that focus upon their voices. Contextual features, changes to Access provision and FE environment, are examined for their impact upon the transformative potential of Access, examining if FE may continue to be a site of intellectual and social transformation within mature students’ experience of education. Significantly, the findings cite academic study skill development, as supporting and sustaining participants’ return to education and illustrate Access as the site for perspective transformation.
  • Biosynthesis and characterisation of polyhydroxyalkanoate biopolymers and their oligomers for circular economy

    Radecka, Iza; Ekere, Anabel; Faculty of Science and Engineering (University of Wolverhampton, 2023-05)
    Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable bioplastics that can potentially replace non-biodegradable petroleum-based plastics. However, the high production cost of PHAs which is associated with the high cost of starting substrate extraction solvents limits its integration into large scale biotechnology process. To overcome this limitation, this research examined the upcycling and bioconversion of plastic wastes to PHA. Novel plastic wastes investigated in this study were oxidised low-density polyethylene (LDPE), LDPE separated from Tetra Pak® waste (PE-T) and [text redacted]. These plastic wastes were supplied directly to Cupriavidus necator for use as potential carbon sources for PHA accumulation in a 48-hour shake flask cultivation study, in either tryptone soy broth or basal salt medium. LDPE and PE-T produced the most PHA yield with high purity (29% CDW and 40% CDW respectively). While cultures with [text redacted] had the highest yield (32-68% CDW), characterisation results showed this was due to high contamination from the [text redacted] starting material. Electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) confirmed the monomer composition of the polymer produced with LDPE and PE-T to be 3-hydroxybutyrate, 3-hydroxyvalerate and 3-hydroxyhexanoate and that with [text redacted] to be 3-hydroxybutyrate and 3-hydroxyvalerate. Chloroform solvent extraction and soap digestion were also compared to determine the most cost-effective, characterized by high PHA yield and purity. Chloroform extraction technique resulted in higher PHA yields (40% CDW) than soap digestion technique (14% CDW). In PHA oligomer production studies, thermal degradation of PHBV to PHA oligomers proved to be a better method for obtaining PHA oligomers than from yeast biomass in brewery waste. The outcome from this study provides preliminary evidence for further developmental work on the cost-effective microbial recycling of LDPE and Tetra Pak® plastic wastes for PHA production.
  • Antipsychotic drugs for the treatment of acute schizophrenia after the first episode

    Morrissey, Hana; Ball, Patrick; Sherzad Qadir, Zina; Research Institute in Healthcare Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering (University of Wolverhampton, 2023-10)
    Background: Antipsychotic drugs (APDs) represent the treatment of choice for psychotic disorders, but uncertainty surrounds the optimal selection of agents. Methodology: This was a mixed method study which included a systematic review and psychiatrists’ opinion survey. The systematic review focused on comparative analysis of APDs, regardless of being typical or atypical, which are used for the treatment of schizophrenia, to determine their relative efficacy, rate and causes of discontinuations and potential side-effects. The review followed the PRISMA-P© statement and checklist and used the RevMan© statistical analysis tool to report on the findings. PubMed©, CINHAL© and ScienceDirect™ were searched for suitable studies. The primary outcomes of interest were clinical response measured by symptoms improvement, tolerance to side effects and discontinuation rate and reasons. The study analyses were presented as forest plots, with 95% confidence intervals and p value of 0.05 or less as significant. The selected study population was adults who were APD-naïve or only a short history of APD use (<16 weeks). A cross-sectional survey of psychiatrists from the UK and India was conducted to understand their opinions regarding their choice of APDs, their experience with tolerance and efficacy in managing psychosis in patients diagnosed with acute schizophrenia after first episode of psychosis. Both categorical and qualitative data was collected and analysed. The survey was opened from 26 April 2022 to 31 July 2022. Findings: Twenty one RCTs were included in the systematic review. There was better individual patients’ response to aripiprazole vs. ziprasidone (CDSS p=0.04), aripiprazole vs. quetiapine (BPRS p=0.02, YMRS p=0.001) and ziprasidone vs. quetiapine (CGI p=0.02, CDSS p=0.02) in the study sample. In the short term APDs use, the difference between aripiprazole and risperidone was statistically significant for diminished sexual desire (p=0.01). Long term APDs use, the difference between aripiprazole and ziprasidone was significant for increased duration of sleep (p=0.003), rigidity (p=0.02), erectile dysfunction (p=0.005), ejaculatory dysfunction (p=0.02) and weight gain (p=0.01); aripiprazole and quetiapine for sleepiness (p<0.001), increased duration of sleep (p=0.001), tremors (p=0.04), erectile dysfunction (p=0.002), akathisia (p=0.05); quetiapine and ziprasidone for rigidity (p=0.03), vertigo (p=0.05), weight gain (p=0.003) and akathisia (p=0.005); olanzapine and quetiapine for weight gain (p<0.001), risperidone and quetiapine for increased duration of sleep (p=0.02), olanzapine and risperidone for weight gain (p=0.03), olanzapine and haloperidol for weight gain (p<0.001) and akathisia (p=0.0003), haloperidol and quetiapine for akathisia (p=0.02), haloperidol and ziprasidone for weight gain (p=0.03) and olanzapine and ziprasidone weight gain (p<0.001). Total discontinuation after short term use for quetiapine vs. aripiprazole, ziprasidone vs. olanzapine, ziprasidone vs. quetiapine, ziprasidone vs. olanzapine and aripiprazole vs. risperidone was not significantly different (p>0.05) but it was for ziprasidone vs. olanzapine (p=0.02). After long term use of APDs, total discontinuation rate difference was significantly different in six pairs: p=0.03 for quetiapine vs. olanzapine, p<0.001 for quetiapine vs. ziprasidone, p<0.001 for quetiapine vs. aripiprazole, p=0.02 for olanzapine vs. ziprasidone, p=0.002 for haloperidol vs. olanzapine, p=0.05 for haloperidol vs. ziprasidone. However the difference was not significantly different (p>0.05) between quetiapine vs. risperidone, haloperidol vs. quetiapine, ziprasidone vs. aripiprazole, risperidone vs. olanzapine, ziprasidone vs. risperidone haloperidol vs. risperidone. Discontinuation reasons were possible to analyse only with long term APDs use and 12 pairs were compared. The difference was significant between olanzapine and risperidone due to the lack of efficacy (p<0.001), quetiapine and ziprasidone due to lack of efficacy (p<0.001) and side effects (p<0.001), quetiapine and haloperidol due to side effects (p=0.01), quetiapine and aripiprazole due to lack of efficacy (p<0.001) and drop-out (p=0.04), aripiprazole and ziprasidone due to side effects (p<0.001) and lack of compliance (p=0.0005), olanzapine and haloperidol due to lack of efficacy (p<0.001) and side effects (p=0.001), haloperidol and ziprasidone due to lack of compliance (p=0.01) and olanzapine and ziprasidone due to lack of efficacy (p=0.01), side effects (p<0.001) and lack of compliance (p=0.05). For risperidone vs. olanzapine, risperidone vs. ziprasidone vs. risperidone, quetiapine vs. risperidone vs. haloperidol, there was no significant difference in reported reasons (p>0.05). The most selected first line APDs in both countries were olanzapine (47.5%), risperidone (42.8%) and aripiprazole (25.3%). 60% of psychiatrists from India (60%) and 48% from UK (48%) selected that ‘medication efficacy’ as the main reason for choosing specific APD. Switching one APD to another within 4-6 weeks from initiation was selected by 53.7% of psychiatrists and 3-6 months was selected by 11.6%. The main reasons for switching APDs indicated were poor clinical efficacy (69%) and lack of tolerability (45%). Poor efficacy was the most selected reason by the Indian practitioners (68%) and the UK practitioners(71%) for switching APDs. When one APDs did not control the symptoms, 35% of the UK psychiatrists waited 3-6 months and 47% of Indian psychiatrists waited for 4-6 weeks before adding another APDs to manage poor efficacy. Nonadherence was the most common reason for relapse (90% UK psychiatrist and 70% Indian psychiatrist) followed by elicit drug use (27.6%). The most reported side effects which led to nonadherence were weight gain (10.8%), drowsiness (10.4%), erectile dysfunction and movement disorders (equally 8.7%). Weight gain (8.1%), movement disorders (7.7%) and hyperprolactinaemia (7%) were the highest reported side effects that caused psychiatrist to switch to another APDs. Similarly, weight gain (11.4%) was the most common side effects prompting patients to seek termination of the treatment, followed by drowsiness (10.3%) and erectile dysfunction (9.4%). Life threatening rare side effects was the main reason to discontinue the use of APDs (10.5%). Conclusion: Olanzapine, risperidone and aripiprazole were the most selected as initial treatment choice by psychiatrists from India and UK and are perceived as widely effective and/or widely tolerated. It was concluded that no single antipsychotic stands out as uniquely effective or free of side effects for all treated individuals. Individual patient clinical response, tolerance to side effects or life threatening side effects remain the most reliable basis for continuing the use of APD. relevant However, lack of clinical effect or intolerable side effects lead to therapy being reviewed, APD switched or ceased.
  • An exploration of the efficacy of instructor modelling in the application of situated learning to educating student British Sign Language/English interpreters in healthcare interpreting

    Stone, Christopher; Williams, Clare; Hughes, Thaïsa; School of Social Science and Humanities, Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences (University of Wolverhampton, 2023-11)
    The aim of this thesis was to determine whether the performance of student sign language interpreters in simulated healthcare assignments was positively impacted by viewing a modelled interpretation, done by an experienced interpreter beforehand. It also explores the benefits of situating learning in a semi-authentic clinical environment, populated by members of the community of practice, where students can experience legitimate peripheral participation. This improvement in practice was sought in response to the call for interpreter education to address the perceived ‘readiness to work’ gap, which contributes to the disparity in health outcomes between deaf people and their hearing counterparts. This was achieved by undertaking an educational intervention as part of an action research cycle, to evaluate the benefits of situated learning and the cognitive apprenticeship stage of instructor modelling. The study demonstrated that student performance in simulated healthcare assignments was improved in several areas as a result of the educational intervention. For example, there was a reduction in the number of undesirable zero-renditions (which lead to a loss information). Students demonstrated a more proactive and successful approach to negotiating their positioning for the interpretation of a physical examination. They also showed an increased awareness of the role of cues of interest and back channels when used by an authentic healthcare professional. The study also revealed that authentic healthcare professionals use different communication behaviours than an actor playing the role of the professional and that the authenticity of participants in simulation activities is key. Whilst there is some limited existing research about the application of situated learning to interpreter training, it is largely perceptual in nature, without empirical evidence to support the use of such a method of education. This study provides evidence about the impact of this type of andragogy. The results have implications for interpreter education programmes and suggest that using situated learning and instructor modelling is a beneficial stage in the development of students who are soon to transition into practicuum.
  • Additively manufactured aluminium auxetic architecture with targeted mechanical and energy absorption characteristics

    Arjunan, Arun; Baroutaji, Ahmad; Singh, Manpreet; Faculty of Science and Engineering (University of Wolverhampton, 2023-10)
    Auxetic materials offer unconventional properties owing to their negative Poisson’s ratio (−𝜐) leading to deformation modes and mechanical characteristics different to traditional porous architecture. This leads to favourable outcomes for lightweight applications where precise control of the mechanical and crashworthiness responses is required. In this regard, the thesis puts forward an open innovation framework for the selective laser melting (SLM) of auxetic architecture that offers stiffness (E), strength (𝜎𝑡) and energy absorption characteristics suitable for a targeted scenario. The primary objective is to create a framework that integrates numerical modelling, multi-criteria decision-making, and optimisation tools to generate scenario-based auxetic architectures that offer targeted performances. The selection of the five-unit cells were informed by the density and auxeticity criteria. A lower density is required to accommodate large deformation during loading, leading to a relative density range of 0.17-0.26 as suitable to achieve the required porosities. When it comes to unit-cell shape, all fundamental architectures that can lead to auxetic performance were considered. Experimental and numerical analysis is used to reveal the range of −𝜐, E, 𝜎𝑡, specific energy absorption (SEA), peak crush force (PCF), and crush force efficiency (CFE) of the auxetic architectures. The surrogate model developed in this thesis enables the manufacturing of auxetic structures with tailored stiffness (E), (𝜎𝑡) strength, and energy absorption characteristics (SEA, PCF, CFE) to meet specific requirements of the target scenario. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) found the central composite design (CCD) to be suitable for developing the surrogate model and capturing the influence of all design variables on–𝜐, 𝜎𝑦, E, SEA, PCF, CFE for AlSi10Mg metamaterial architecture informed by the sinusoidal ligament architecture (AUX5). When optimising the selected auxetic architecture AUX5 for lightweight application (Scenario 1) a stiffness and strength of 991-1023 MPa and 5.95-5.68 MPa can be expected at a strut thickness and length of 0.371 and 0.632 mm respectively. For crashworthiness performance (Scenario 2), CFE, SEA and PCF can be expected in the range of 69.10-71.62%, 14.48-14.14 kJ/kg and 1762-1850 kN respectively at a strut thickness and length of 0.304 and 1.268 mm. When the scenario changes to a balanced performance (Scenario 3) between targeted mechanical and crashworthiness behaviour can be obtained at 𝑡𝑠 and 𝑙𝑠 of 0.229 mm and 1.268 mm respectively. The resulting characteristics for −𝜐, E, 𝜎𝑦, CFE, SEA and PCF can be expected in the range of -0.21-0.125, 761-771 MPa, 5.53-5.69 MPa, 73.23-69.98%, 17.23-16.89 kJ/kg, 983-960 kN. The error percentage of three scenarios (S1-S3) was less than 5% which justifies the accuracy of the predicted model. The errors were minimised using a validated finite element model to predict the performance characteristics of the auxetic architectures considered. Furthermore, a mesh sensitivity analysis was carried out to ensure results were independent of the meshing strategies used. The results of this study provide a solid foundation for future research and applications in the field of auxetic Material. The thesis demonstrates the use of the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) methodology to select the best-performing architecture based on five criteria. Overall, this thesis offers a new direction in the development of scenario-based tuneable auxetic architectures.
  • Low back pain in ballet, modern, and hip-hop dancers

    Wyon, Matthew; Henn, Erica; Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing (University of Wolverhampton, 2023-06)
    Low back pain (LBP) is a global medical issue that continues to rise in the general population. However, the consequences of low back pain in dance populations have been difficult to quantify, in part due to varying injury definitions. Low back pain is a multifaceted problem that is anecdotally common, but more research is needed to understand how low back pain impacts dancers’ lives and movements. The key aim of this thesis was to investigate low back pain in ballet, modern, and hip-hop dancers, and provide practical recommendations based on the findings. The aims of this thesis were to: (a) investigate the dancers’ perspectives on low back pain and what aspects of their lives and dancing it affects, including a determination of what movements dancers associate with exacerbating their low back pain, and (b) to further examine these movements, through archival and biomechanical research, to provide recommendations to the dance community. Study 1 assessed the dancers’ perspective on the impact and management of low back pain through an online questionnaire disseminated to primarily ballet, modern, and hip-hop dance populations. The results showed that low back pain negatively impacted dancers’ dance movements and non-dance activities, with spinal extension movements being most frequently reported as a movement that increased the dancers’ low back pain. Therefore, Study 2 utilized archival dance videos from YouTube.com to identify how often dancers were exposed to the movements that they reported in Study 1 as exacerbating their low back pain. Results showed that the dance movements that exacerbate low back pain were present in all the dance environments studied: ballet class and performance, modern dance class and performance, and hip-hop breaking, cyphers, and battles. Ballet performance environments had the highest number of total spinal extension movements (77±69.8), and hip-hop cypher environments had the highest frequency of spinal extension movements per minute (7±9.6). Recommendations for training focuses, based on the complete movement profile for each dance genre, are also presented. Study 3 used a case study to examine the biomechanics of three spinal extension movements: the ballet arabesque, the modern dance attitude with body roll, and the hip-hop dolphin dive. The influence of speed on the forces of the spine in dance had not been studied previously. Results suggest that thoracic and lumbar spine joint angles, angular velocity, and angular acceleration increase all three dance genres when performing movements from slow to fast speeds. Collectively, the results in this thesis verified that low back pain is an impactful condition with significant negative consequences for those dancers who are afflicted. The results also revealed dancers are frequently exposed to movements that they report can increase their low back pain. The results show increased angular displacements, angular velocity, angular acceleration in spinal extension movements performed at progressively increasing speeds. However, further research is needed to confirm if the forces at the low back increase as speed increases, and to clarify the role of asymmetry in movements that increase dancer LBP
  • Recalling trauma: the legacy of slavery and colonialism in contemporary black women’s fiction

    Colbert, Benjamin; Otuegbe, Nneoma; School of Humanities, Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences (University of Wolverhampton, 2023-09)
    This thesis examines key literary representations of black women’s historical trauma linked to colonialism and slavery. Through comparative readings of contemporary fiction by black women writers from two continents, I explore the intimate links between the historical traumas of colonialism and slavery and the identity of black women in novels by Toni Morrison, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Edwidge Danticat, Tsitsi Dangarembga and Scholastique Mukasonga published between 2004 and 2014. The authors I consider represent literary historians engaging with traumatic pasts in order to rewrite and (re)present black women in a global present. From a postcolonial feminist and cultural trauma viewpoint, I reflect on the manifestations of slavery and colonial trauma on black women characters and explore the ways in which they navigate the historical limitations of collective trauma in their respective locales. My readings interrogate and demonstrate the possibility of a postcolonial feminist and decolonised trauma model that is specific to black women’s writing through a global, transcultural, and transnational outlook. This is a model which centres the experiences of black women from around the world as it is depicted in literature by black women. In addition to this, I examine the solidarities envisioned by the authors under investigation in this thesis in terms of a progressive decolonised trauma studies which encourages healing beyond borders for female descendants of former slaves and formerly colonised peoples. By uncovering the links between the remembering of traumatic events and the processes of healing as groups –– as opposed to the individualised Euro-American models articulated by pioneer theorists ––I situate my interrogation of a specific postcolonial feminist trauma theory as being crucial to my reading of my primary texts and argue that through this, we can uncover ways in which the fiction discussed here articulates and offers routes to communal healing from (initially through voicing) the previously unsaid traumas that are specific to the experience of black women in postcolonial settings. As its contribution to knowledge, this thesis introduces and utilises a decolonised trauma model which situates the black female historical perspective into specific focus and includes as well as studies postcolonial women’s fiction as part of a historical corpus. The thesis also demonstrates a closure of the gap between cultural texts written by American black women and other black women from around the world. Through a comparative analytical methodology and a theoretical framework which combines theories of cultural trauma, black and postcolonial feminisms, it locates black women’s trauma as a significant specific area in the fields of feminism, postcolonial trauma studies, comparative literature, world literatures in English, women’s studies, and studies in fiction.
  • Necrolabour: A postqualitative contextualisation of contemporary work in respect to the philosophy of Georges Bataille

    Halligan, Benjamin; Kerasovitis, Konstantinos; Centre for Transnational and Transcultural Research, Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences (University of Wolverhampton, 2023)
    This thesis represents a reading, existential at its base, of the protean space of contemporary labour, under the lens of French philosopher Georges Bataille (1897–1962). A historical overview of the understanding of labour reveals the contemporary moment as positioned on the threshold of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Anthropocene. A moment, which in the context of this thesis, is best described in eschatological terms and is defined by the notion of permeability. The fading boundaries between labour, life, employment or unemployment, the distinction between product and producer, the empirical real and the virtual, all these ideas seem to merge into what can be described as the overloading of the Cartesian body/mind divide, introducing a host of unexplored ontologies and subjectivities. The thesis traces the movement towards a paradoxical post-work society, where nothing is classed as pure work and yet everything is a form of labour. This is labour that is immaterial, affective, and most importantly, post-human. The contemporary labourer—an embodied osmosis between the human and the machine—navigates through a ‘life-productive’, subordinated to the wage relations, opaquely managed by the spectral machine that is the algorithm. The work of Bataille, strongly engaged with historical concepts of work, sovereignty and existentialism, offers a rich commentary whose absence has been detrimental in regard to labour theory. An oversight whose importance becomes evident when juxtaposing the modern consideration of the human, the citizen, and the worker as interchangeable, with Bataille’s designation of work as the origin of the human animal. This thesis picks up the thread that the late Mark Fisher first unravelled regarding the omnipresence of capitalism and the lack of any alternative suggestion. The concept of necrolabour results from an interdisciplinary approach that goes beyond relating Bataille to a particular philosophical tradition, in favour of an applied reading of Bataille’s thought. Utilising a Postqualitative methodology, this thesis argues for an Acéphalic (in reference to the secret society of Acéphale Bataille founded), approach to labour and extends Achille Mbembe’s concept of Necropolitics from the purely political to the sphere of work. Acéphalic thought offers a radical yet pragmatic way to confront contemporary existence. Proposing a ‘within and against’ mode, our working lives—and by extension, the existential framing of ourselves—are to be encountered.
  • An empirical evaluation of m-health service users’ behaviours: A case of Bangladesh

    Oriade, Ade; Mahdi, Mohammad; Tweena, Sadia; University of Wolverhampton Business School, Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences (University of Wolverhampton, 2023-05)
    Mobile health (m-health) services are revolutionising healthcare in the developing world by improving accessibility, affordability, and availability. Although these services are revolutionising healthcare in various ways, there are growing concerns regarding users' service quality perceptions and overall influence on satisfaction and usage behaviours. In developing countries, access to healthcare and low healthcare costs are insufficient if users lack confidence in healthcare service quality. Bangladesh's Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) provides the only government-sponsored m-health service available to the entire population. DGHS's m-health service, available since 2009, is yet to be evaluated in terms of users' perceptions of the quality of service and its impact on satisfaction and usage. Hence, this study developed a conceptual model for evaluating the associations between overall DGHS m-health service quality, satisfaction, and usage behaviours. This study operationalised overall m-health service quality as a higher-order construct with three dimensions- platform quality, information quality, and outcome quality, and nine corresponding subdimensions-privacy, systems availability, systems reliability, systems efficiency, responsiveness, empathy, assurance, emotional benefit, and functional benefit. Moreover, researchers in various service domains, including- healthcare, marketing, environmental protection, and information systems, evaluated and confirmed the influence of social and personal norms on satisfaction and behavioural outcomes like- intention to use. Despite this, no research has been conducted to determine whether these normative components affect m-health users' service satisfaction and usage behaviours. As a result, this study included social and personal norms along with overall service quality into the conceptual model to assess the influence of these variables on users' satisfaction and m-health service usage behaviours. Data was collected from two districts in Bangladesh- Dhaka and Rajshahi, utilising the online survey approach. A total of 417 usable questionnaires were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling to investigate the relationships between the constructs in Warp PLS. The study confirms that all three dimensions of service quality and their corresponding subdimensions influence users' overall perceptions of DGHS m-health service quality. Moreover, overall DGHS m-health service quality has a significant direct association with satisfaction and an indirect association with usage behaviours through satisfaction. While social norms do not influence satisfaction and usage behaviours within the DGHS m-health context, personal norms directly influence users' satisfaction and indirectly influence usage behaviours through satisfaction. Theoretically, the study contributes by framing the influence of users' overall m-health service quality perceptions, social and personal norms on their actual usage behaviours rather than the intention to use. It also extends the existing knowledge by assessing and comparing m-health users' continuous and discontinuous behaviours. Methodologically this study confirms the usefulness of partial least squares structural equational modelling to analyse a complex model including a higher order construct (i.e., overall perceived service quality). Practically, the study demonstrates the importance of users' satisfaction in addition to service quality, as service quality only affects usage behaviours through satisfaction in the current study context. Additionally, knowing that personal norms significantly influence service satisfaction motivates providers of m-health services to strive to enhance users' personal norms toward m-health service to enhance service satisfaction and usage. Overall, the study will help enhance patient outcomes and m-health service usage.
  • Registered nurses’ experiences of working with trainee nursing associates in acute hospital settings: a generic qualitative study

    Cureton, Debra; Pursehouse, Lucy; Mitchell, Jacqueline; Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing
    Launching new roles in healthcare settings can be controversial; potentially threatening the status of existing professionals. The introduction of the Trainee/Nursing Associate (TNA/NA) role occurred in response to a governmental mandate to bridge the gap between unregulated generic healthcare support workers and Registered Nurses (RNs) in 2016. Nursing associates support RNs in the provision of quality patient care. Within a growing body of literature exploring the impact of the introduction of TNAs/NAs, there is a clear research gap addressing what it is like to work with TNAs, exclusively from the RN perspective. I adopted a Generic Qualitative Research Approach (GQRA) to explore RN experiences. This overarching GQRA approach provided a method of exploring the discipline of nursing. My study is aligned to the constructivist branch of interpretivism with a narrative inquiry lens. Phenomenology and hermeneutics are integral to my study design, focusing on the lived experience of participants. Purposive criterion sampling recruited five RN participants who took part in an individual face to face semi-structured interview during 2018. Reflexive Thematic Analysis generated five themes and seventeen subthemes. The five themes were, Apprehension, TNAs alleviate pressure and provide support, Conflict and tension, Professional accountability and Harmony and reciprocal learning. Findings revealed that RNs journeyed from an initial position of apprehension and uncertainty as they worked with TNAs, to a later position of accepting and welcoming TNAs to the role across a variety of acute clinical settings. An unexpected finding was the existence of conflict, tension, jealousy and animosity from healthcare support worker colleagues toward TNAs. The introduction of new healthcare support roles can be contentious. A myriad of dynamics impact on the acceptance and successful embedding of new roles into existing teams. The exclusive RN perspective within a generic qualitative research approach, with both a narrative inquiry and hermeneutic interpretative lens makes this study unique. My study is timely and adds to the developing body of knowledge where an in-depth understanding of the RN experience of working with TNAs and NAs is not evident. Various recommendations have been proposed for three different audiences: the nursing profession and nursing practice, workforce planners and managers, and educationalists in academic settings.
  • The genetic interactions of PKHD1 and ATMIN in autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD)

    Goggolidou, Paraskevi; Richards, Taylor; Research Institute in Healthcare Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering (University of Wolverhampton, 2023-08)
    The main gene associated with Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease (ARPKD) is PKHD1 which encodes a ciliary protein associated with planar cell polarity. In mice, mutations in the transcription factor Atmin can present with an ARPKD-like phenotype with kidney disease similar to an early manifestation of ARPKD. Like the mouse gene Pkhd1, mutations in Atmin are associated with altered WNT/PCP expression. Previous work has suggested that Atmin and Pkhd1 do not physically interact, but Atmin may modulate Pkhd1 expression. However, the mechanisms governing this relationship are unknown. ARPKD is a rare disorder typically associated with severe kidney and liver disease in children. The disease has considerable clinical and familial variability, but little is known regarding genotype-phenotype relationships. It has been proposed that genetic modifiers may influence disease severity. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) using ChIP-Seq and RNA-Seq techniques in mouse kidneys and intermedullary collecting duct (mIMCD3) cells identified new transcriptional targets of Atmin, which did not include Pkhd1 but included genes associated with cystic kidneys in animal models (Camk2g and G6pc). NGS in Atmin and Pkhd1 KDs identified a common transcriptional network between the two genes. Gene enrichment analysis suggests this common network is associated with immune system processes. Dysregulated genes associated with double KDs showed greater enrichment of processes associated with the actin cytoskeleton, cell cycle and energy metabolism. Loss of Atmin expression negatively impacts the ciliary localisation of Fibrocystin, suggesting that Atmin may be needed for the proper localisation of Fibrocystin to the cilium. NGS in ARPKD kidneys highlights mutations in ATMIN as a potential regulator of disease severity, associated with reduced ARPKD severity. Expression differences in WNT genes may be present between severe and moderate ARPKD and transcriptomic profiling identified candidate diagnostic markers in ARPKD which included MSC, FGA, WNT4, WNT9B and KIF26B. This work indicates that Atmin and Pkhd1 interact in a similar transcriptional network in mice. Atmin is not a transcription factor of Pkhd1 but may modulate its function by governing its ciliary localisation by a yet unknown mechanism. Additionally, ATMIN mutations may modulate ARPKD disease severity, and the amount of differential expression in WNT/PCP genes may be a marker of disease severity.

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