Wolverhampton Intellectual Repository and E-Theses: Recent submissions
Now showing items 1-20 of 7731
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The questioning of intuition; a post structural analysis of nurses’ storiesAim. The aim of this thesis is to question intuition, and analyse factors which influence Registered Nurses decision making, when recognising and responding to an acutely ill patient. Background. Two models of decision making are historically identified in the literature, the Hypothetical - Deductive reasoning and Intuitive-Humanist (Banning, 2008), with the Hypothetical - Deductive reasoning model initially adopted, to offer authority to nursing as a science (Dowding, 2008; Krishnan, 2018). The Intuitive-Humanist model came to the fore through the work of Benner (1984) and Benner and Tanner (1987), who stated that intuition is an essential part of clinical decision making, emphasising the importance of person-centred nursing care. Intuition in nursing is afforded credibility as a legitimate form of knowledge (Benner, 1983; Green, 2012), particularly in relation to the ‘expert’ nurse, who is able to demonstrate an “intuitive grasp” of each situation, utilising a wealth of experience (Benner, 1983). But intuition is an abstract notion (Green, 2012), in order to study the role of ‘intuition’ in nursing practice, and the rhetoric that affords it legitimacy, means questioning how it is viewed in the current nursing paradigm, which I aim to do in my thesis. Because much of the current data on expert intuition is based on nurses caring for acutely ill/deteriorating patients, this became a point of reference, to ensure a focus for the data collection, and the application of the findings from the data analysis to the discussion and conclusion. Methodology. Data was collected using a naturalistic focus group, with a group of experienced nurses on a Continuous Professional Development programme, with the University of Wolverhampton. The participants were asked to consider a time when they had cared for an acutely ill patient, they were then given one minute to write down ten words related to the scenario, this gave a focus for the subsequent paragraph they were asked to write, and stories they were asked to relate. Analysis. The data analysis was completed using the post structuralist philosophy of Roland Barthes, diachronic evidence from the literature review, was compared to the synchronic evidence from the data analysis, interrogating the text to potentially present an alternative perspective, from what is already ‘known.’ Dissemination of findings. Socratic questioning facilitated interrogation of the text, the data analysis was summarised into four themes, for the summary of findings, What knowledge means to nursing and the impact this has on decision making. Nursing feeling vulnerable and isolated, and the link between the two. Emotion is associated with intuition, the manifestation of emotion and its meaning to nursing. Patients or protocols? The diachronic evidence of the literature review was compared to the synchronic evidence of the interrogation of the text to address the questions, whilst there is some agreement, mostly the synchronic evidence contradicted the diachronic evidence. Conclusion. Despite the drive to identify specific nursing knowledge, particularly when involved with an acutely ill patient knowledge, knowledge is an assumed and expected attribute of nursing. Knowledge is tied up, in the culture of nursing as a societal group, which as long as this is understood by the members of the societal group, the need to understand it, particularly with its link to intuition becomes irrelevant. Personal agency and salience are tied up in being a member of the societal group, not just nursing, but also part of a recognised team. Judgement of others comes from not having the same cultural values, as nursing, despite being in a societal group, in a clinical placement area. Knowledge, to nursing, is not related to evidence-based practise, but being up to date and informed about the patient. The relationship between the patient, the relatives, and the nurse is significant, with shared values and expectations, although the relationship is not one sided, with the nurse being the can giver, and the patient being dependent on the nurse. There is a sense of co-dependency which strengthens the relationship, but also leads to a sense of vulnerability for both the nurse and the patient. The sense of vulnerability, also occurs, not from being faced with a new situation, but being outside a societal group, with a sense of isolation. Nurses are not scared of ‘getting it wrong’, but being isolated, because of the humanistic element of their approach. Actions and behaviour are what define nursing practise, knowledge is locked up in these, and are related to cultural norms and language. This is how nursing should be defined, by what is done, the actions and behaviours which indicate what nursing is, and the knowledge and language that informed this. Emotion is frequently linked to intuition, but again this is physical, a response, behaviour, and actions. Patient focused care is fundamental to nursing, most policies and procedures are valued, mainly as legal protection, the moral obligation to the patient, and to self, are fundamentally more important than the risk of not adhering to policies and procedures. Gathering policies, understanding their use, is linked to the notion of an expert, but the linear trajectory of novice to expert, is challenged due to elements of uncertainty, mainly related to being outside the societal group and a loss of shared cultural values.
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‘’It’s not just the rape’’: an ecological exploration of the factors impacting female sexuality after rapeThe ecological model of trauma enables a multifaceted exploration of the interacting factors influencing rape recovery and sexuality. However, research into the ecological factors associated with rape recovery is limited and fails to focus on function of behaviour, and the context of an individual’s protective strategies. Furthermore, despite the prevalence of sexual and somatic difficulties after rape, including female sexual dysfunction (FSD), no ecological studies were found exploring sexuality specifically after rape. Substantial feminist research documents that female sexual difficulties are consistently medicalised and do not accurately reflect the biopsychosocial nature of sexuality and fail to appropriately explore the impact of trauma. This study aimed to provide an insight into female's experiences of sexuality after rape through an ecological lens. Focus was placed upon interacting factors within the ecosystem and how they may be re-conceptualised to improve understanding and treatment by integrating ideas from Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), the Dynamic Maturational Model of Attachment (DMM) and Polyvagal Theory (PVT), to offer a more holistic and less pathologising view of FSD after rape. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to analysis data from six semi-structured interviews of women who had experienced rape. The use of extended demographics was integrated in line with the ecological model to explore how each system may interact and impact one another. It also enabled a quantitative measure of FSD and nervous system functioning. Four superordinate themes were identified; ''Society and Female Sexuality'', ''Rape and Female Sexuality'', ''Knowledge is Power'' and ''I was raped, that doesn't make me dysfunctional''. Themes highlight the inextricable link between society and sexuality, as well as individual factors such as attachment and neuropsychology. These findings offer an alternative conceptualisation of females' sexual difficulties than what the DSM-5 currently offers, providing a more trauma-informed and context sensitive formulation, incorporating theory from the DMM, CFT and PVT. Application to practice is identified, suggesting the dynamic and interacting factors impacting sexuality should be individually assessed and formulated. Sensitivity to context and function is imperative, whereby the interventions offered to individuals should reflect the multifaceted and nuanced phenomena that is being experienced.
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The challenges faced by senior leaders within their leadership roles in a multi academy trust when aiming to create conditions for school improvementThis study explores the practices and strategies employed by senior leaders when aiming to create conditions for school improvement within a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT). Understanding how these leaders navigate and influence the school improvement process is crucial for developing effective leadership strategies and policies in educational contexts. A constructivist grounded theory (CGT) approach was utilised to capture the complex dynamics of senior leadership within MATs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior leaders currently working in a MAT, and over one hundred documents were analysed. This approach allowed for the development of a theory grounded in the lived experiences and practices of these leaders. The analysis yielded the theory of ‘Crossing the school improvement bridge’ which encompasses key categories such as initial social processes, MAT-induced interruptions, managing relationships and conflicts, and enacting the MAT agenda. The findings highlight that senior leaders undergo significant changes in their leadership approaches as they facilitate school improvement within the structured environment of a MAT. The research provides valuable insights into the challenges and strategies senior leaders employ to enhance school performance in MATs. It suggests that a deep understanding of these leaders' experiences can inform the development of support systems and training programmes for future senior leaders. By acknowledging the complexities of their roles, this study offers recommendations for better preparing senior leaders to effectively manage and lead school improvement initiatives in a MAT.
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The bookbinder and historical invisibility: bookbinding and the Staffordshire book trade 1750-1850Provincial bookbinding has been largely overlooked as a subject for study. The social history of bookbinding has been neglected in the historiography of the book trade, confining it in narrow bibliographical studies. This thesis investigates and challenges this situation, and the orthodox view of the dominance of the London book trade over the Staffordshire trade. It addresses the historical 'invisibility' of the bookbinders, and argues that Staffordshire's bookbinders made a significant contribution in the commerce between the county trade and London. There is little first-hand evidence of the lives lived by Staffordshire's binders. In the absence of such evidence my methodology relies on primary information from contemporary newspapers and books, and secondary data from regional scholars and published research, enabling the analysis of the activities and social context of Staffordshire's binders. It uses the greater availability of book history information in various databases. The thesis argues that the study of bookbinding should form an integral element of book trade history scholarship, in order to explore its place in the social, historical and cultural experience of the advancement of literacy and reading. It makes a significant new addition to knowledge of the contribution of Staffordshire's binders to regional and national printing culture, and also investigates the roles and value of its women bookbinders, leading to a greater understanding of the cultural value of Staffordshire's binders.
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The millennial generation’s self-care practices – a poetic representationBackground: This study explored the poetics of the self-care practices of the millennial generation. Millennials are those with the starting birth years of early 1980s and ending birth years of 2000s. This was during the era of technological revolution and are thus known as digital natives. Having been born and raised with technology, they are a distinct generation which are culturally dissimilar to the previous generations. Being ubiquitous, dominating the higher education and workplace spaces, their health and wellbeing are of public health interest. While on one hand, there is tension in the literature on their ability to self-care, there is a gap in the literature on what their self-care practices can mean on the other hand. It was thus necessary to investigate their notion of self-care without the encumbrances of scientism. The study examined their self-care practices and made sense of them contextually in order to be culturally relevant to them. Methodology: The research design used poetic inquiry to relook at the self-care practices of the millennial generation. Poetic inquiry is a way of knowing and provides the space for polyvocal voices on a given concept. It is rooted in subjectivity and expressed using language, reflexivity, and metaphor. These poetic devices were helpful both in crafting the found poems from the graphic and textual data on millennials’ self-care practices provided by the study participants and in developing and discussing the themes that emerged. An inductive approach based on the Braun & Clarkes (2006) method was utilised as the analytical framework. This allowed fluidity in how the meanings were made and discussed. Findings: The study explored the self-care practices of the millennial generation through a primary study involving the use of digital theme boards and written stories on their self-care practices. The study contributes to furthering the body of knowledge of millennials’ self-care practices by providing found poems and exploring their meanings contextually. This threw up new themes, Academic Stress and the Ways to Overcome It; Parental Support among the Millennials; The Millennials’ Tribe; and Spirituality and Millennials’ Self-Care, and meanings on millennials’ self-care practices that extends knowledge which are useful for professional practice and further research. It offers new insights into the cultural values held by the millennial generation which are different from previous generations. The millennials’ self-care practices identified and discussed are exposed as important for their health and wellbeing. They trump the notion of scientism on what is acceptable as self-care practice and are thus canvassed for as necessary in holistic care. Recommendations: Quantitative research involving the use of structured questionnaire would be helpful in providing outcomes that are both generalisable and comparable with the current study. A longitudinal study which monitors the millennials till old age and the poetics thereof would be helpful to find out if their values are simply based on their young age or the generation to which they belong. Findings should be conveyed to health and wellbeing professionals working with young people to provide insights into the millennials’ self-care practices and the meanings.
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“What country are you from originally?” A conversation analysis of black clients' and black therapists' talk during therapeutic encountersBlack individuals, historically engage less and have less positive outcomes from therapy than other populations. In the context of an increasingly multicultural society, research examining the ways in which clients of different ethnic minorities experience counselling and therapy is prevalent. Previous research has explored at length, barriers impacting Black people’s engagement with therapy, as well as the different dynamics in cross-cultural encounters. However, what occurs in the sessions of Black clients with therapists who are racially similar to them has been explored far less than other areas. The focus of this current study was to examine the moment-to-moment encounters in therapy dyads of Black therapists and Black clients. As well as, examine how race and culture is made relevant in these encounters and the multicultural approaches used by Black therapists to navigate these incidents. Eleven therapy sessions were recorded with a total time of 10 hours and 38 minutes. The researcher drew on microanalytic approaches, including Conversation Analysis, Membership Category Analysis and Discursive Psychology to analyse the data. The analysis highlighted four distinct findings: a) racial and cultural identities are drawn upon in talk both implicitly and explicitly, b) therapists make self-disclosures specifically to do with race and culture to both normalise and demonstrate cultural awareness and sensitivity, c) Blackness is also at times drawn upon as a distinct tool with Black clients. The key contributions to counselling psychology are that therapists can use the ‘Self’ with Black clients more relationally, that cultural humility and opportunities can impact these dialogues, and transform the way Blackness in interaction is understood.
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Investigating disparities in SMEs digitalisationThis research investigates disparities in digitalisation among UK Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), with a specific focus on variations by gender, ethnicity, region, and industry. Adopting a mixed-method approach, data was collected from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data was obtained from a panel discussion with academics, SME owners, and industry experts, providing a practical perspective that bridges the gap between theory and practice in digital transformation, particularly in the context of SMEs. Secondary data was sourced from the UK Longitudinal Small Business Survey (LSBS) spanning from 2018 to 2022, which examines digital technology adoption trends across five key digitalisation indicators: Accountancy Software, HR Management Software, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Software, AI/Robotics/Automation, and Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality (VR/AR) technologies.
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The role of Rnd3 in kidney morphogenesis and functionAutosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) is an adult-onset, multi-systemic disorder, which affects ~12.5 million people worldwide. ADPKD is characterised by progressive kidney enlargement caused by continuous growth of cysts, alongside extra-renal phenotypes. ADPKD is caused by mutations in PKD1 and PKD2. The phenotypic variability of ADPKD can be attributed to genic, allelic and gene modifier effects. To understand the involvement of modifier genes in the onset and development of ADPKD phenotypes, a novel mouse model Rnd3tm1b(EUCOMM)Hmgu was generated. Rnd3 is an atypical member of the Rnd subgroup of the Rho family of GTPases and has a role in actin cytoskeleton reorganisation, cell cycle progression, and cell migration. The characterisation of the kidney phenotype revealed the onset of cyst formation in the cortex in 5-month-old adult Rnd3tm1b+/- kidneys. A significant upregulation in Pkd1 and Pkd2 expression was also observed in adult Rnd3tm1b+/- mice. The kidneys of aged 9-month-old Rnd3tm1b+/- mice presented with multiple cysts in the cortex, mimicking moderate-to-severe ADPKD. The expression of Pkd1 and Pkd2 was significantly downregulated in aged Rnd3tm1b+/- mice. RNA-Sequencing performed on 5-month-old Rnd3tm1b+/- kidneys generated 415 statistically significant protein coding differentially expressed genes. Six genes were selected for validation via qRT-PCR which included Smoc2, Col5α3, Slc4a3, Cchcr1, Psmb7, Dnaja4. All validated genes followed an expression pattern that was in accordance with the data generated by RNA-Sequencing. The characterisation of extra-renal phenotypes revealed that hearts of adult and aged Rnd3tm1b+/- mice exhibited a left ventricular hypertrophy phenotype and fibrosis. To dissect the role and function of Rnd3 in the kidney, mouse Inner Medullary Collecting Duct (mIMCD3) cells were utilised. The downregulation of Rnd3 in post-siRNA mediated mIMCD3 cells resulted in the upregulation of Pkd1 and Pkd2 expression. The downregulation of Rnd3 also increased cell proliferation, migration and disassembled the actin cytoskeleton. The findings from this study highlight the importance of Rnd3 as a potential genetic modifier involved in ADPKD by modulating the expression of Pkd1 and Pkd2. It is proposed that there is a critical window where the expression of Pkd1 and Pkd2 is altered, exacerbating the phenotypes between adult and aged Rnd3tm1b+/- mice. Furthermore, the dysregulation of Rnd3 is also proposed to result in the destabilisation of the cAMP-PKA-mTORC-1 signalling cascade, which contributes towards the onset and development of polycystic kidneys, mimicking ADPKD.
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Familiarity influences on proactive interference in verbal memoryProactive interference occurs when older memories interfere with current information processing and retrieval. It is often explained with reference to familiarity, where the reappearance of highly familiar items from the recent past produces more disruption than older, less familiar items. However, there are other forms of familiarity beyond recency that may be important, and these were explored in a verbal recent-probes task. Participants viewed eight targets per trial and then determined whether a probe matched any of those targets. Probes matching a target from the previous trial, rather than an earlier trial, led to more errors, revealing proactive interference. However, this effect was influenced by experimental familiarity (whether stimuli were repeated or unique) and pre-experimental familiarity (whether stimuli were meaningful words or meaningless nonwords). Specifically, proactive interference was strongest for repeated nonwords, and smallest for unique nonwords, but stimulus repetition had little impact for words. In addition, the time separating trials (temporal familiarity) was unrelated to proactive interference. The present findings revealed more complex effects of familiarity than have previously been assumed. To understand proactive interference in a working memory task, it is necessary to consider the role of long-term memory via experimental and pre-experimental stimulus familiarity.
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Genome-wide identification of a MADS-box transcription factor family and their expression during floral development in Coptis teeta wallBackground MADS-box transcription factors have been shown to be involved in multiple developmental processes, including the regulation of floral organ formation and pollen maturation. However, the role of the MADS-box gene family in floral development of the alpine plant species Coptis teeta Wall, which is widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), is unknown. Results Sixty-six MADS-box genes were identified in the C. teeta genome. These genes were shown to be unevenly distributed throughout the genome of C. teeta. The majority of which (49) were classified as type I MADS-box genes and were further subdivided into four groups (Mα, Mβ, Mγ and Mδ). The remainder were identified as belonging to the type II MADS-box gene category. It was observed that four pairs of segmental and tandem duplication had occurred in the C. teeta MADS-box gene family, and that the ratios of Ka/Ks were less than 1, suggesting that these genes may have experienced purifying selection during evolution. Gene expression profiling analysis revealed that 38 MADS-box genes displayed differential expression patterns between the M and F floral phenotypes. Sixteen of these MADS-box genes were further verified by RT-qPCR. The 3D structure of each subfamily gene was predicted, further indicating that MADS-box genes of the same type possess structural similarities to the known template. Conclusions These data provide new insights into the molecular mechanism of dichogamy and herkogamy formation in C. teeta and establish a solid foundation for future studies of the MADS-box genes family in this medicinal plant species.
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William Penny Brookes and his Olympian GamesThis thesis investigates the life of Victorian doctor, William Penny Brookes, the genesis of his Olympian Games, and their significance in sporting history. In 1850, Brookes set up Wenlock Olympian Class, later Society, the first formally constituted athletics club outside educational and military organisations, and was the first person to lead a committee of lower-class men in its management. Post-ancient Olympics the club’s Wenlock Olympian Games was the first known muliti-event meeting instituted for competitions in serious sports. Of significance to Brookes, the word ‘Olympian’ also embraced contests in intellect and industry, fine arts, and military disciplines. The study interrogates the evolution of Brookes’s several concepts into national Olympianism during the second half of the nineteenth century, and considers the importance he attached to physical education. A biographical methodology underpins the examination, and draws on the archive of primary evidence held by Wenlock Olympian Society, in particular Minute Books 1 and 2. These record the vast majority of his public addresses given over a period of forty five years and consequently, have enabled his spoken words to be preserved in print. Sporting scholarship largely overlooks Brookes’s work as, up until recently, Wenlock Olympian Society’s archive was inaccessible for reasons detailed in this study. Additionally, Pierre de Coubertin, credited as the originator of the open international Olympic Games, not only failed to acknowledge the old doctor’s contribution to their establishment, but promulgated his own reimagined version of Olympic history. The evidence questioned in this thesis demonstrates that Brookes was a visionary whose ideas were the catalyst used for development by others, but rarely acknowledged. Specifically, he was the first person to conceive the idea of an ancient Olympic Games revived as an open international meeting, and sought to promote the idea for others such as Coubertin, to bring to fruition
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A comparative philosophical analysis of primary mathematics curricula between the mainland of China and England in the United KingdomThis research undertakes a comparative philosophical analysis of ongoing primary mathematics curricula in the mainland of China and England, while acknowledging the profound impact that the philosophy of mathematics education has on shaping these curricula, as evidenced by the works of Hersh (1979), Lerman (1983), Bishop (1991), Ernest (1991) and Zheng (2023), among others. It is dual-faceted, encompassing a comparison of both intended curriculum and potential curriculum implementation. In comparing the intended curriculum, this research adopts an interpretivist perspective and utilises document analysis as its approach. It undertakes a philosophical comparison of the two national curricula in the Number domain within Key Stages 1 and 2 in the mainland of China and Years 2 to 5 in England, considering the initial school entry ages (5 in England and 6 in the mainland of China) to align curriculum comparisons at equivalent cognitive levels. The identified similarities indicate shared constructivist and progressive foundations. However, the curriculum in England exhibits a pragmatic emphasis on practical learning, while the Chinese one leans more towards humanism, prioritising holistic development. In assessing potential curriculum implementation, this study explores teachers’ philosophies regarding the nature of mathematics and its learning and teaching in Hebei Province, in the mainland of China, and the West Midlands, England. Results from the 60 questionnaires and interviews with 10 teachers across the two regions show a general alignment with constructivist and progressive principles. However, divergences emerged: certain West Midlands teachers, shaped by pragmatism and utilitarianism, emphasised practical application and computation, while some Hebei teachers, guided by Confucian values, could lean toward teacher-centred methods even though they promote studentcentred philosophies. The findings of this research offer significant insights into the philosophical foundations that influence mathematics curricula across varied cultural contexts, specifically in the mainland of China and England. These insights underscore the critical role of philosophical considerations in the development of mathematics curricula. Additionally, the study serves as a crucial reference for educators, policymakers, and curriculum designers in the field of mathematics education, particularly those involved in adapting or borrowing educational policies from different cultural backgrounds. The nuanced understanding of how philosophical underpinnings shape curriculum design in different regions emphasises the need for a thoughtful and contextsensitive approach when integrating educational practices across cultures.
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A roadmap for net-zero energy buildings in emerging economies: a study of residential new-buildings in NigeriaThe building industry is widely believed to be a major contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and consequently, climate change worldwide. Buildings contribute approximately 40% of global energy consumption and over 30% of total CO2 emissions. Over the past three decades, there has been progressive research interest in low-energy buildings in emerging economies. However, the issue of Net-Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs) is less discussed and less represented in literature in the context of emerging economies. The aim of this research is to develop a strategic roadmap to achieve NZEBs in Nigeria within the residential sector. Data was obtained using survey questionnaires, and expert interviews. The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics and Inferential statistics, while the qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis. Based on the research findings, a strategic roadmap with timelines and milestones was developed to achieve NZEBs within the residential sector in Nigeria. The nature of this roadmap involves policy creation and implementation, regulatory frameworks, investments, and partnerships. Research findings indicate potential future research on lifecycle analysis of buildings and circular economy in Nigeria, NZEB retrofit, and NZEB technological Interventions. This study makes novel theoretical contributions by addressing the issue, context, and level of analysis gap in literature on NZEBs in emerging economies. From a practical standpoint, it provides researchers, industry professionals, policymakers, funding bodies, and the third sector with a strategic roadmap with short-term, medium-term, and long-term strategies tailored to Nigeria's development needs and priorities. The implementation of the proposed roadmap can catalyse the scalable adoption of net-zero energy residential buildings, thereby reducing Nigeria's carbon footprint and supporting its sustainable development goals.
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The effect of interference and time on forgetting in visual short-term memory‘Memory’ is a flexible cognitive system, adapting to suit the specific needs of the individual. Creating and losing memories helps to maintain the harmony of a complex set of neurological processes. However, the reason for losing memories has led to a contentious debate, especially in short-term memory. Theories based on temporal decay, temporal distinctiveness, interference or consolidation offer the main explanations for the phenomenon of forgetting, but the debate concerning these theories is fiercely argued. This project designed and developed a new methodological approach to understand the effects of time on very short-term memory and test the four major forgetting theories. The method was developed over six experiments and the main task was built around encoding visual stimuli presented in two or three blocks. After all stimuli had been displayed, there was a recognition task, but primary interest was in the second block. The delay between blocks was varied, to assess the effect of a pre-learning break (the delay separating blocks 1 and 2) and a post-learning break (the delay separating blocks 2 and 3, or block 2 from recognition). Stimuli were either unfamiliar, abstract shapes (Experiments 1-3) or photos of meaningful items (Experiments 4-6), Overall findings showed the effect of time on visual memory to be complex. However, generally there was evidence for longer delays leading to better performance, although this did depend on specific methodological parameters. The findings did still challenge traditional interference-based theories and temporal distinctiveness models emerged as the best account for the current findings.
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Effect of spices on food borne pathogens during African milk fermentationRecent studies have highlighted an overall consumers’ trend towards less processed and the use of natural antimicrobials for food preservation. There are no studies however on the effect of spices on foodborne pathogens in fermented milk. in this study, the antimicrobial effect of spices and essential oils when combined with milk fermentation acids and/or with each other on food-borne pathogens was evaluated with the aim to find new ways to preserve traditional fermented milk using natural products. It is often assumed that acidic foods such as fermented milk products are intrinsically safe due to their low pH (high acidity), however there are evidences that pathogens do survive in these products. To establish the status of microbial risks associated with the traditional African milk fermentation, the microbiological quality of typical African traditional fermented milk was assessed. The results showed that the traditional fermented milk products indeed have low pH (2.9-3.6) but contained a rich microbial diversity (22 different types of microorganisms according to colony types and Gram stains and biochemical reactions). Irrespective of the country or region collected from, the fermented milk products were dominated by lactic acid bacteria (35%). Yeasts and moulds comprised of 9% with high cell counts (107-1010 CFU mL-1) Pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus and other species were common (11%) comprising of 103-106 CFUmL-1, above the recommended safe levels. The impact of fermentation temperature on lactic acid and the test bacteria (E. fergusonii, S. Typhimurium, S. aureus or L. monocytogenes) was observed when milk was fermented at the traditional (25-30oC) or industrial (43oC) temperatures with the test bacteria. The pH of the fermented milk declined from the initial 6.68 (±1) to pH 4.1-4.4 at 43oC and to pH 5.4-5.6 at 25oC after 24h of fermentation. This was reflected in the viable cell counts of the test bacteria which was lower in the samples with the test bacteria in milk fermented at 43oC (106-7 CFUmL-1) than in milk fermented at 25oC (108 CFU mL-1). Growth of LAB were not affected as the cultures increased from 106 to above 109 CFUmL-1 the levels required for milk fermentation. The antimicrobial activities of whole unground spices (clove buds, cinnamon bark, cardamom, cumin, black pepper, and red pepper) were assessed individually at 1-4% (w/v) the levels traditional farmers add in fermenting milk, and incubated at 25, 30, 37 or 43oC for 24h and stored for 144h. The test bacteria increased to from 105 to 108 CFUmL-1 after 24h of fermentation and each LAB bacterium increased from 106 to 109 CFUmL-1 indicating that the quantity of the spice added was not enough to restrict growth of the tested bacteria. An antimicrobial study was carried out with the methanol extracts of clove buds (CL), cinnamon bark (CNN) or black pepper and their essential oils (eugenol, cinnamaldehyde and piperine) individually at the concentrations ranging from 0-1% at a double increment in combination with lactic fermentation milk against E. fergusonii, S. Typhimurium, S. aureus or L. monocytogenes. The milk was incorporated with 1% (v/v) of Lactobacillus delbrueckii (approx. 106 CFUmL-1 each) and incubated at 25 or at 43 °C for 24 h and subsequently, the fermented milk was stored at 25°C for 144 h. (pre-fermentation contamination). Another set was contaminated post fermentation of the milk. Results showed that cell counts of Gram-negative bacteria (E. fergusonii and S. Typhimurium) in milk fermented with clove extracts were approx. 107 CFUmL-1 1-log unit higher than those observed in samples containing Gram positive bacteria (S. aureus or L. monocytogenes) suggesting that G+ve bacteria were more affected by the spice extracts. When CL, CNN, or BP were applied singly or in combination with each other at concentrations based on their minimum inhibitory concentrations as follows: BP alone; ¼BP + ¾CL/CNN; ½BP + ½ CL/CNN; ¾ BP + ¼CL/CNN; CL/CNN alone. results showed that during fermentation for 24h at 25°C all the test bacteria grew to a similar level (approx. 109 CFUmL-1) in samples with the combination of these essential oils, the test bacterium grew to a lower number of 106-107 CFUmL-1 only. During fermentation at 43°C, the test pathogens did not maintain their contamination levels during fermentation as they declined by approximately 2-3 log units depending on the concentrations of the spices. During subsequent storage at 25°C for 5 days resulted in undetectable levels of the bacteria in all the samples treated with the EOs and that were not recovered after 24 h of storage in samples containing CL combined with CNN or BP at different combinations. EOs showed stronger antimicrobial activities in fractional combination (Most combinations ¼Eu + ¾Ci; ½Pi + ½ Eu/Ci; ¾ BP + ¼Eu/Ci showed synergistic or additive interactions) of the essential oils. the combinations led to the total demise of the test bacteria within 4-12h of incubation. The inhibition was stronger against S. aureus, a Gram-positive bacterium and lower against E. fergusonii, a Gram-negative bacterium. The starter cultures were less affected by the concentration of the spice extract applied (0-0.125%) although the cell counts were lower in sampled containing 0.5-1% clove or eugenol extract (107 CFUmL-1) compared to the other concentrations (108 CFUmL-1) after 24h of fermentation. A mixture of spice EOs could be applied to successfully extend the shelf-life of fermented milk products. The combination of spices together with organic acids that are produced in fermenting milk by lactic acid bacteria, albeit in low amounts, may lead to a synergistic effect that renders pathogens susceptible to the combined action of organic acids. This study showed that when spice extracts were combined or incorporated with lactic milk fermentation and other inhibitory factors (low pH and high temperature) safe and good quality traditional fermented milk is maintained. Moreover, the strong aroma of the spice extracts can also be reduced to an acceptable level. Further work is needed to explore the use of combination of active constituents of clove, cinnamon, or black pepper.
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Hybrid medium access control strategy for internet of things-enabled intra-vehicular health monitoring systemThe increasing importance of intra-vehicular health monitoring systems (IVHMS) necessitates robust communication protocols within vehicles, especially with the integration of the Internet of Things (IoT). This integration presents challenges in enhancing vehicle health monitoring efficiency due to the constrained space for numerous sensing devices, leading to scalability and performance issues. Existing MAC (Medium Access Control) schemes often result in congestion, decreased throughput, and increased delays. This study proposes a scalable hybrid MAC strategy to improve throughput and reduce congestion in IVHMS. The approach features a two-phase communication model—Non-emergency and Emergency phases—for scalability. Our hybrid MAC strategy combines a history-based approach for Emergency Communication and a priority-based approach for Non-emergency Communication. A Markov chain model evaluates the expected throughput and delay of the proposed MAC strategy, with numerical analysis validating the approach. Results show the hybrid MAC achieves a 66.7% throughput improvement over the history-based strategy and a 16.7% improvement over the priority-based approach while effectively reducing data collisions and delays. Furthermore, the hybrid MAC demonstrates an 8.3% increase in throughput compared to a previously proposed distributed hybrid MAC. Implementing this Hybrid MAC in industrial-scale vehicular health monitoring can enhance vehicle safety, benefiting manufacturers and passengers alike.
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Unveiling community needs and aspirations: card sorting as a research method for developing digital learning spacesThis pilot study is part of a larger “Decolonization of Digital Learning Spaces” project, which aims to develop research tools for communities that are remote and/or excluded geographically, politically, economically, socially, culturally, and linguistically. The project’s ultimate goal is to work alongside these communities to design their own digital learning tools, networks, and online educational environments by accessing and leveraging their knowledge and skills. Testing the single-criterion card sorting method is the first step toward this goal. Card sorting is an easy, enjoyable, and cost-effective method for data collection and analysis, particularly for researchers working in remote areas with limited access to electricity or the Internet. The pilot explored singlecriterion card sorting as a method to elicit knowledge from two diverse cultural and linguistic groups engaged in learning activities within their communities. These groups were from a Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) community in Canada (engaged in a bowmaking workshop) and a rural Kabyle community in Algeria (engaged in a traditional cooking lesson). Despite low participant numbers, distinct patterns emerged, indicating the method's effectiveness. The results, though anticipated, were non-random, demonstrating the potential of card sorting in producing patterns indicative of how individuals and/or communities categorize their world(s). Kabyle sortings focused on ingredients, highlighting older individuals as teachers passing along knowledge, while the DHH sortings emphasized face-to-face contact and hand movements in communication. The findings, though modest, established relationships, provided insights into the research context and offered logistical understanding, paving the way for further work with DHH and Kabyle communities towards the design of digital learning spaces.
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iCan, empowering recovery: evaluating a patient-centred cancer rehabilitation programme across the cancer care continuumBackground/Objectives: The adverse effects of cancer and the long-term sequelae of associated treatments result in reduced quality of life and increased mortality for patients. Supporting patients with cancer to mitigate adverse outcomes is an important aspect of oncology care and the primary purpose of cancer rehabilitation. A retrospective service evaluation was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the core iCan patient-centred cancer rehabilitation service. Methods: At the beginning and end of a five-week programme, a series of questionnaires evaluating changes in mental health and wellbeing, and physical activity performance/attitudes, and functional capacity were administered to participants. Results: Following iCan, we found that functional capacity was improved (30 s sit-to-stand: +6.3 repetition; d = −1.00, p < 0.001) and that self-reported physical activity was increased (~1173 MET-mins/wk; d = −0.76, p < 0.001); participants also perceived greater capability, opportunity, and motivation to be active. Mental wellbeing was also improved (SWEMWBS: d = −0.69, p < 0.001), whilst fatigue was reduced (FACIT: d = −0.77, p < 0.001). Conclusion: It appears that iCan has beneficial effects upon the physical/functional and psychological health of its participants. Where data are available, there appear to be clinically significant improvements across the range of measured functional, wellbeing, and activity/sedentariness outcomes, which suggest that participation in iCan is instrumental in adding value to the health and wellbeing of patients.
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How is ChatGPT acknowledged in academic publications?This study analysed the acknowledgment of ChatGPT in 1,759 academic publications indexed in Scopus and Web of Science up to August 2024. Around 80% of acknowledgments were related to text editing and proofreading, while only 5.3% mentioned ChatGPT for non-editorial research support, such as data analysis or programming. A small portion (3.5%) of researchers acknowledged ChatGPT for drafting sections of manuscripts. About two-thirds of corresponding authors who acknowledged ChatGPT were from non-English-speaking countries, and 75% of the publications with ChatGPT acknowledgments were published within January to August 2024. These findings suggest that ChatGPT was primarily acknowledged for language enhancement rather than more complex research applications, although some researchers may not have found it necessary to mention its use in their publications, highlighting the need for transparency from journals and publishers.
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Bataille, Foucault and the lost futures of transgressionThis paper examines the theme of transgression as it is developed in Bataille’s text L’érotisme of 1957. It is critical of Foucault’s 1963 essay on Bataille Préface á la transgression and it then considers the linked yet distinct processes of transgression, profanation and degradation in contemporary culture. Far from inaugurating a new era of transgression, the last sixty years have seen the dissolution of ‘sexuality’ from supposed limit experience to one of limitless confinement within commodified identity positions. What might a future of transgression, in Bataille’s rather that Foucault’s sense, have looked like and why did it not take place?