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Item Open Access Association of egg consumption and dementia in older people(University of Wolverhampton, 2026)Background: Dementia is one of the most pressing public health challenges and is increasingly prevalent due to an ageing population. Currently, there is no cure for dementia; consequently, research has shifted towards identifying protective and risk factors associated with the disease for prevention and a non-pharmacological remedy for prognosis. A limited number of studies suggested a relationship between egg consumption and reduced dementia risk, but the findings were inconsistent. Few studies have investigated the association between egg consumption and survival among patients with dementia. This PhD research aims to determine the association between egg consumption and dementia risk and survival by conducting a systematic literature review on the association of egg consumption with cognitive impairment and dementia risk, along with one case-control study and two cohort studies. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted by searching and analysing publications from APA PsycInfo, PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and the Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection databases. The search spanned from each database’s inception to 31 January 2024. Following the screening and selection process, 12 relevant studies were identified. The review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. A case-control study was conducted with 466 participants aged ≥ 50 years, comprising 233 individuals with dementia and 233 without dementia. Participants were recruited from community health service clinics and the dementia management system in Guangzhou, China. The Whitehall II cohort study included 8,288 participants aged ≥35 years, drawn from Phase 1, Phase 3, and the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) dataset. Dementia cases were identified in the HES dataset after 30 years of follow-up, and duplicate records were reviewed and excluded to ensure accurate case ascertainment. A Chinese cohort comprising 614 participants aged ≥ 60 years, recruited through the third wave of a health survey conducted in Anhui Province, as well as from four additional provinces, which include Guangdong, Shanghai, Shanxi, and Heilongjiang. Individuals diagnosed with dementia within this cohort were selected for analysis. Data from the case-control and Whitehall II cohort studies were analysed using multivariate-adjusted logistic regression, while Cox proportional hazards models were employed to examine the impact of egg consumption on survival in the Chinese cohort study. Results: The systematic review findings, after reviewing 12 papers including seven cohort studies, four cross-sectional studies, and one case-control study identified from the databases, showed that greater egg intake is associated with improved cognition and a reduced risk of dementia. The case-control study found that daily egg consumption could help to reduce the risk of dementia. The corresponding ORs for dementia among participants who consume eggs weekly and monthly, after multivariate adjustment, were 2.10 (1.10-4.02) and 4.82 (1.90-12.27), respectively. However, no significant association was found for Non-consuming or < Monthly and ≥Twice a day, which were 0.73 (0.29-1.88) and 4.16 (0.80-21.63), respectively. The Whitehall II study revealed a non-statistically significant association between egg consumption and dementia with Corresponding ORs for dementia in participants who consume egg 1-3 per month, Once a week, 2-4 per week and 5-6 per week after multivariate adjustments were 0.80 (0.48-1.30), 0.83 (0.53-1.30), 0.73 (0.46-1.16), 0.89 (0.44-1.80) respectively. The Chinese cohort study across the five provinces did not reveal a significant beneficial effect of egg consumption on survival in people with dementia. The corresponding ORs for mortality among participants who consume eggs once a day or more than twice a day, after multivariate adjustment, were 1.06 (0.52-2.12) and 0.99 (0.45-2.20), respectively. Conclusions: The findings provide new evidence supporting egg consumption as a modified protective factor for dementia in the general population. Its beneficial impact on survival among people with dementia remains not statistically significant. These insights lay the groundwork for future research and policy efforts aimed at reducing dementia incidence and improving survival.Item Open Access The transformation of the Prussian artillery 1860-1875(University of Wolverhampton, 2026)In a single decade Prussia fought three wars at the end of which it had emerged from a second-rate power to leader of a new united Germany. This thesis delves into the as-yet unexplored transformation of the Prussian artillery 1860-1875, examining the proposition that this period saw not incremental change but a comprehensive transformation into a major contributor to military success, generating a lasting and international impact. Drawing on the resources of the National Archives, Royal Artillery Archives, German Federal Archives and Krupp Archives, battlefield visits, eyewitnesses’ reports and contemporary analyses, and both technological and historical resources, the thesis examines whether or not it can be considered overall as a comprehensive revolution. An overview of the interlocking personalities is followed by a performance review of the shortcomings of Prussian artillery in the Wars of 1848-50, 1864 and 1866. Tracking innovations in artillery technology and the birth of the artillery arms race, the thesis examines the building of a new German artillery in training and tactics. Chapters on the battlefields of 1870 discuss the progression from integration into the battlefield to how artillery designed the battlefield itself. Impacts on static warfare are examined, as are the political impacts of artillery off the battlefield. The challenge of logistics is evaluated and the thesis closes with an assessment of post-1871 developments and the wider impact on other nations. The thesis found that, taken together, what had taken place was a revolution in the design, scope, training, tactics, strategy, logistics, and morale effect of artillery, combined with the world’s first arms race. The conclusion is that the transformation of the Prussian artillery had a major but as yet unrecognised influence on the conduct of war towards the end of the 19th Century and into the 20th.Item Open Access Spatial reception of interactive digital poetry: a practice-led investigation(University of Wolverhampton, 2026)This thesis aims to identify and investigate the various spaces — physical, geometrical, digital, blended, multimodal, mental, social, and cognitive — that emerge from an audience’s interactive digital poetry experience. Through a transdisciplinary approach, led by and based on my ongoing practice as a digital artist and poet, I discuss the digital space that informs the design of new artworks through an examination of concepts such as technogenesis (Hayles, 2012), blended space (Benyon, 2012, 2014) and affordance (Gibson, 1986). To address the concept of literary space and frame my generative writing process, I investigate the concepts of defamiliarisation, procedural writing, proto-letters, and cognitive poetics (Stockwell and Gavins, 2007), which I combine with semiotic multimodality. The concepts of social spaces and non-representational theory are instrumental in highlighting the impact of environmental dynamics on interactive reading experiences. I discuss the concept of affect and delve into enactive literariness as a means to redefine defamiliarisation (Scarinzi, 2015), and explore the connections between enactive emotional experience, affordance, and umwelt. This investigation offers a fresh perspective on a distributed and extended text world. In the interactive digital poetry experience, spaces are interwoven in a performed fabric that questions our relationship to language, computational systems, our bodies as organisms, and others. I propose the concept of enactivity to describe the interactive digital poetry experience, which is built upon enaction and interactivity. Enactivity is a quadrilogue between the text, the organism, the machine, and their surroundings; it produces a new, affective, rhythmic, and unique space.Item Open Access An integrated BIM-based cost management framework for smart buildings to optimise CapEx and OpEx across the building lifecycle from inception to in-use(University of Wolverhampton, 2026)The increasing adoption of smart buildings in the UK construction industry has intensified challenges in effective cost management, particularly due to the technological complexity and long-term operational demands inherent in such projects. Although smart buildings offer potential benefits in performance and sustainability, existing research has predominantly focused on their technological development, with comparatively limited attention to integrated lifecycle cost management, particularly the systematic and effective consideration of operational expenditure (OpEx) alongside capital expenditure (CapEx). This research addresses this gap by developing and validating an integrated BIM-based Cost management framework for smart buildings to optimise CapEX and OpEx across the building lifecycle from inception to in-use. A mixed-methods research design was adopted, incorporating quantitative data collected through a structured questionnaire survey and qualitative data obtained from semi-structured expert interviews. Quantitative data concerning the significance and ranking of BIM-related cost management processes, smart building cost optimisation practices, digital infrastructure requirements, project team capabilities, and organisational enablers were analysed using the Relative Importance Index (RII) and The Mann-Whitney U test statistical analysis, while the qualitative data concerning expert perspectives on current practices, challenges, enablers, and the integration of BIM and smart technologies in lifecycle cost management were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings, including the prioritisation of lifecycle cost planning, the critical role of interoperable BIM systems, the influence of project team competencies, and the identification of gaps in facilities management integration, informed the development of a BIM-based framework that structures cost management activities across key project stages, clarifies the roles of project stakeholders, and enhances information integration between design, construction, and facilities management functions. The study identified inconsistencies in cost management priorities across professional roles. It highlights the limited integration of facilities management input within BIM-enabled processes, despite its importance for operational cost control. The developed framework emphasises early lifecycle cost planning, improved interdisciplinary collaboration, and the strategic use of BIM tools to support more informed and consistent cost-related decision-making in smart building projects. This research contributes to the body of knowledge by addressing the disconnect between BIM implementation and holistic cost management practices in the context of smart buildings. The framework offers practical and policy-relevant insights to support improved lifecycle value and cost transparency in the UK smart building sector.Item Open Access Effective teaching: a case study exploring the development of a shared understanding of effective teaching practices in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates(University of Wolverhampton, 2026)Effective teaching has been a key area of focus in educational research, aiming to identify the key factors that contribute to successful student outcomes (Hattie, 2023; Zhang et al. 2024). This study defines effective teaching as the integration of teacher’s knowledge, attributes, classroom processes and practices that address students' learning needs and attainment, fostering an inclusive and supportive learning environment to enable learners at all stages of their development and learning needs, as well as phases to flourish (e.g. Allier-Gagnér et al. 2020; Au, 2022; Hattie, 2023; OECD, 2024b; Shulman, 2005; Stronge, 2018). The qualitative case study explored the perceptions of eight schoolteachers and two members of the research context’s senior leadership team (SLT) regarding effective teaching. The study examined the extent to which there was a shared understanding of this concept and how it can support student progress. During the data collection process semi-structured interviews and diamond-nine ranking were used to enable participants to conceptualise what effective teaching is and to identify support structures that can help teachers improve their skills. The data revealed both shared and divergent perceptions between classroom teachers and the SLT. While the importance of professional development (PD) was universally recognised in the case study, there was inconsistency in recognising the mechanisms to support effective teaching. Teachers revealed differences influenced by their international, national, and regional training backgrounds and educational contexts, highlighting the need for tailored PD programmes that address specific regional needs while establishing a shared foundation of professional skills. In summary, the research revealed that teachers from diverse international backgrounds necessitate a shared understanding of effective teaching to ensure consistency and high-quality education for all students. This helps maintain high-quality academic standards, ensuring all students receive an equitable education, regardless of which teacher they have. By investing in ongoing high-quality PD, schools and educators in the UAE can ensure that teachers develop a shared understanding of best practice, drawing on core principles of effective teaching. This fosters consistency in approaches to teaching and learning across classrooms, helping to ensure that all learners’ needs are met and that student outcomes are enhanced. These efforts align with the UAE Vision 2021's ongoing aim to establish a world-class education system and Vision 2030's focus on building a knowledge-based economy, both of which emphasise the importance of high-quality, consistent education for the nation's future.
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