Young children’s approaches to additive missing number equations: A longitudinal study

This doctoral research explores young children’s solving approaches for additive missing number equations, during their first and second years of formal school instruction (Year 1 aged five to six years, and Year 2 aged six to seven years, in England). A context for age-related expectations is provided by the inclusion of additive missing number equations in the Statutory Guidance for Mathematics: Addition and Subtraction in the National Curriculum for England, for Year 1. Central to this study is the qualitative longitudinal research design and the holistic approach taken. This research project explores how the same participant group of ten children approached additive missing number equations through qualitative, individual, task-based interviews. Data were collected at three collection points: when the children were at the end of Year 1, halfway through Year 2 and again at the end of Year 2. An analytical framework was developed to analyse the data, which came from audio-visual recordings and children’s written work and jottings. A holistic view of ‘solving approaches’ was operationalised to include observable solving behaviours, including verbal utterances and any use of mathematical models and manipulatives during each task solution. Areas of mathematics drawn on by the participants were quantitative relations, knowledge of part-whole structure and relations, addition and subtraction principles and interpretations of the equals sign and the notion of equivalence. The thread that runs through this study is mathematical structure. How participants read aloud the equation revealed that reading aloud the equation syntax incorrectly was not necessarily associated with an incorrect solution. When the surface structure (syntax) of canonical and non-canonical equations was verbally reordered, conserving the underlying part-whole relations underpinned successful solving approaches. From the finegrained analysis of the observed solving behaviours, the study found that the use of mathematical models and manipulatives provided evidence of structuring part-whole relations, and addition and subtraction counting strategies. From the holistic approach, a key finding was that children generally drew on combinations of mathematical knowledge during a solving approach, further, that convincing evidence of drawing on knowledge of part-whole relations and structure underpinned correct solutions, even when evidence of drawing on other aspects of mathematical knowledge was less strong. These findings remained true over time and reflected individual differences. Changes in participants’ solving approaches over time were analysed individually. Unsuccessful solutions for equation tasks, particularly for those with the structure ‘missing whole and using the symbol ‘-‘ for subtraction, showed evidence of the recall of associated incorrect number triplets, also backwards working in tasks with a non-canonical syntax. Early algebraic reasoning has roots in aspects of mathematics encountered in preformal learning experiences. The outcomes of this study bring to the fore the strength of evidence of early algebraic reasoning in solving missing number equations. Convincing knowledge of part-whole structure and relations was important, and evidence of drawing on combinations of mathematical knowledge was observed in successful solving approaches

Forested bioshields and tsunami impact mitigation in a Polynesian setting

In the 21st century tsunamis have claimed the lives of over 250,000 individuals, and have caused extensive damage to vulnerable coastal ecosystems. This vulnerability continues to increase in many areas as human activity further degrades the coastal forests that once provided a degree of protection against storms and tsunamis, collectively known as high energy marine inundation events. This work presents a case study of the design and implementation of a forested bioshield established to protect a vulnerable wetland on Maui's south east coast. Although subject to coastal inundation, this ecosystem provides high quality habitat for numerous endangered species. Anthropogenic modifications around the wetlands, particularly the loss of the protective forest, have made this ecosystem vulnerable to future inundation events. Establishing an effective bioshield requires in-depth knowledge of both the frequency and intensity of inundation events, as well as effective tree species selection and their proper configuration within the bioshield. Here, we present palynological and archaeobotanical data from the studied wetlands, and combine this with local paleotsunami data, previously published data on forested bioshields, and traditional ecological knowledge to design, optimize and install an 8,000 m2 forested bioshield, and review the wider benefits and limitations of this bioshield approach.</p

Attachment style predicts emotion regulation, help‐seeking, and recovery in psychosis

Untreated psychosis can have a devastating impact on individuals and their families. Recommended therapies are underutilised. Attachment theory provides a framework to understand intra- and interpersonal responses to threat cues, such as voices and paranoia, which affect recovery. This is the first study to test a coherent set of theory-driven predictions about the impact of attachment style on people's ability to manage distress associated with psychosis, and seek help effectively. We used a cross-sectional design to examine the impact of attachment style on emotional regulation, help-seeking intentions, service engagement, and clinical and recovery outcomes in people with psychosis. We recruited a total of 65 participants with psychosis from community and NHS pathways. Participants completed standardized measures of predictor and dependent variables at one-time point. Regression analyses showed that insecure attachment (anxious and avoidant) predicted more use of unhelpful emotional regulation strategies, less help-seeking, and poorer clinical and recovery outcomes, with medium to large effects (p &lt; 0.05). We found no effects for service engagement. Attachment style predicts intra- and interpersonal responses to threat in psychosis, and may partially account for the considerable variation in engagement with recommended therapies, and longer-term outcomes. Routine assessment of attachment at initial service contact would identify people likely to struggle to seek and accept therapeutic interventions, who may in turn benefit from attachment-congruent engagement efforts

Grounding and causation

Grounding and causation are remarkably similar phenomena. They have the same logical properties and bring about explanatory order by relating what does the explaining to what is explained. This thesis provides an answer to the question of whether they are unified. I argue that the answer is 'yes'.The case has already been made in the literature. Schaffer (2016) deems it significant that grounding and causation can be represented in structural equation models, where 'the ultimate test of unity is whether the concept can be successfully enfolded in a formalism in a unified way' (Schaffer 2016, p. 93). Bennett (2017) thinks that they are unified by resemblance. Kivatinos (2017) says that they impose similar ordering on ontological structure. Wilson (2018) believes that they are both types of causation. Zhang (2023) claims that they are the very same relation. In what follows I argue that the best way to understand their similarities is through analogy. Specifically, I put forward a novel account in which grounding and causation are analogates of the bringing-about relation. This work contributes to the field in three significant ways. First, it serves as a useful resource for those who take an active interest in grounding, causation, or both. I have carefully brought together contemporary accounts of each relation, focusing on those that are conducive to a unity hypothesis. Second, I demonstrate continuity between historical and contemporary thought. Notably, I find a historical precedent for the unity of grounding and causation in the work of Schopenhauer and I situate the question of unity within the Aristotelian tradition. Third, I make original research contributions. I am the first to argue that the relation between grounding and causation—this relation of relations—is one of analogy. I also provide the first metaphysically robust account of their unity through the genus–species relation.The upshot of this investigation is that my theory of analogy, when compared with the other theories, provides the most compelling account of the unity of grounding and causation. This theory (i) explains the systematic sharing of features by grounding and causation through a substantive metaphysical framework, (ii) can account for differences between them, and (iii) structures them such that there is a highly natural relation through which their natures are understood. While other accounts of grounding and causation's unity have their merits, my theory does better with respect to (i), (ii), and (iii)

A hydrokinetic power converter for supercritical flow

Hydrokinetic Power Converters (HKPCs) are a class of hydrokinetic machines that convert the kinetic energy of incoming water flow into useful energy such as electricity. This research pioneers the development of a device to harness the relatively high-power density of supercritical flow, an abundant renewable energy resource currently wasted in energy-dissipating structures such as ramps, stilling basins and other drop structures found in most irrigation systems. The development of such innovative and sustainable technology could have widespread implications in global clean energy transitions to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. This thesis describes the design concept development, construction, and testing of a first-of-its-kind HKPC designed to operate in very-low head sites with supercritical flow. The observations and results of performance tests are then studied and analysed to shed light on the working principle of the new technology. A new theoretical framework is developed to quantify the power generation of a straight-bladed stream wheel in supercritical flow on steeply sloping channels, which is found to be in very good agreement with performance measurements obtained from scale model tests. Observations of the hydrodynamics around different blade geometries during model operation have increased our understanding of the energy transfer mechanism that occurs between the blade and the working fluid within the machine. HKPCs performance increased significantly from about 40% to a range of 44.9% to 86.9%. By fundamentally changing the curvature and angle of the blade, the way the water acts within the machine and its performance have altered remarkably. The new technology will offer multiple solutions to enable clean energy production without any greenhouse gas emissions. Distinctive features, including compact size, comparatively high rotational speeds, retrofitting capabilities and low cost, will enable the exploitation of a so far untapped renewable energy source

Physiology and pathophysiology of mucus and mucolytic use in critically ill patients

Airway mucus is a highly specialised secretory fluid which functions as a physical and immunological barrier to pathogens whilst lubricating the airways and humifying atmospheric air. Dysfunction is common during critical illness and is characterised by changes in production rate, chemical composition, physical properties, and inflammatory phenotype. Mucociliary clearance, which is determined in part by mucus characteristics and in part by ciliary function, is also dysfunctional in critical illness via disease related and iatrogenic mechanisms. The consequences of mucus dysfunction are potentially devastating, contributing to prolonged ventilator dependency, increased risk of secondary pneumonia, and worsened lung injury. Mucolytic therapies are designed to decrease viscosity, improve expectoration/suctioning, and thereby promote mucus removal. Mucolytics, including hypertonic saline, dornase alfa/rhDNase, nebulised heparin, carbocisteine/N-Acetyl cysteine, are commonly used in critically ill patients. This review summarises the physiology and pathophysiology of mucus and the existing evidence for the use of mucolytics in critically ill patients and speculates on journey to individualised mucolytic therapy.</p

Looking for love: an inter(-sectional dys-)course

Invited, in progress. Applying the big-picture and risk-taking approaches of neurodivergence, I cultivate creative interventions to catalyse conversation and action towards dismantling (neuro-)normative, colonialist and other harmful cultures and structures. Love is the subject, method and proposed outcome of my current creative research programme Looking for Love, 2024-2029, and this new diagram is part of this endeavour. Drawing on and extending findings from my book, Neuro-Futurism &amp; Re-Imagining Leadership: An A-Z For Collective Liberation (Palgrave MacMillan 2024), including the introduction of ‘monster-mapping’ as a creative strategy of ‘way-finding and re-direction during and beyond crisis’ (Tan 2024), I will create a new diagram to articulate a creative, decolonial, neuroqueered practice of intimacy. The title reflects the playfulness of my approach, as well as how my discussion is anchored in an intersectional, tentacular prism, and draws on my discussions of ‘discourse’ — and knowledge-making as necessarily embodied, dynamic, creative mobilities process. The diagram will reference how marginalised culture workers have discussed love such as Baldwin, hooks, Lorde, Friere et al. I will also discuss and extend past explorations such as Hinder (a dating app which encourages inter-species entanglement) and Speed-Dates (eg with neuro-queering proponent Nick Walker 2023 and artist Bob and Roberta Smith in How to Thrive in 2050!, BBC Culture in Quarantine 2021, and the public in an exhibition-cum-performance on a ‘Neuro-futuristic 2050’ at Attenborough Arts Centre 2022)

Investigation into the immunomodulatory activity of XPO1 inhibitors

Nuclear export is an important process for regulating transcription and translation by spatial distribution of transcription factors, RNA and signalling components. Exportin-1 (XPO1) is a nuclear export protein that transports key tumour suppressor proteins, oncogenic mRNA and ribosomal constituents into the cytoplasm and its function is often dysregulated in haematological malignancies to promote cancer cell survival and proliferation.Selinexor is a first-in-class inhibitor of XPO1 and is approved for the treatment of relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma and diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Selinexor induces the accumulation of tumour suppressor proteins in the nucleus and inhibits oncogene translation to impair cell proliferation and induce apoptosis. It is beginning to be appreciated that small molecule drugs which target tumourigenic pathways also possess immunomodulatory activity. Understanding the mechanism behind these immunomodulatory effects can improve the design of rational combination strategies with immunotherapies. Selinexor has been shown to enhance T cell function, increase NK cell abundance in tumours and promote tumour regression in combination with PD-1 blockade. But how XPO1 inhibition impacts NK cell-mediated immunity is unknown, which this project aimed to address, with the hypothesis that XPO1 inhibition sensitises cancer cells to NK cell immunosurveillance via modulation of NK cell ligand expression. XPO1 inhibition in B-cell lymphoma and multiple myeloma cell lines and primary chronic lymphocytic leukaemia cells sensitised cancer cells to NK cell cytotoxicity. Increased sensitivity to NK cell activation was due to decreased surface expression of HLA-E, the ligand for the inhibitory NK cell receptor NKG2A. As such, XPO1 inhibition led to preferential activation of NKG2A+ NK cells and potentiated the effects of expanded allogeneic NK cells, anti-CD19 CAR NK cells and promoted antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity in combination with clinically relevant monoclonal antibodies. This research project also identified that lymph node-associated signals IL-4 and CD40L confer resistance of malignant B cells to NK cell activation through upregulation of HLA-E, and this can be reversed by XPO1 inhibition.Overall, this research project revealed a novel immunomodulatory mechanism of XPO1 inhibition in haematological malignancies by sensitising cancer cells to NK cell anti-tumour functions via disruption of NKG2A:HLA-E interactions. Future work could investigate the combination of selinexor with NK cell therapeutic strategies in vivo to assess the potential for translation of these findings to clinical trials.<br/

Electrodeposited Zn-Ni coatings for the replacement of cadmium

This thesis investigates the electrodeposition and characterization of zinc-nickel (Zn-Ni) coatings, focusing on the enhancement of adhesion and corrosion resistance by optimizing deposition parameters, anode materials, and post-deposition treatments. Zn-Ni coatings, containing 10–15 wt% Ni, offer superior corrosion resistance compared to pure zinc, making them an effective alternative to cadmium-based coatings. The effects of different anode materials (zinc, nickel, platinum, 1020 steel, and stainless steel) on coating properties were studied, including voltage behaviour, microstructure, Ni content, and corrosion resistance. Coatings from zinc and nickel anodes exhibited consistent thicknesses of 13–15 µm, with zinc anodes achieving a Ni content of 13.5 wt%, whereas coatings from steel-based anodes were significantly thicker, reaching up to 33 µm, but with lower Ni content (~7 wt%). The coatings from zinc and nickel anodes exhibited fewer defects and minimal porosity, while those from steel-based anodes displayed higher porosity and more irregular surface morphologies. In terms of corrosion resistance, zinc anodes coatings exhibited a lower corrosion rate of 0.44 mm/year compared to 1.54 mm/year for nickel anodes coatings.The study also investigated the influence of saccharin concentrations on coating properties. Saccharin concentrations up to 1 g/L significantly improved adhesion by producing dense, defect-free coatings. The surface roughness was reduced to 0.897 µm, compared to over 1.7 µm in coatings without saccharin. EDS analysis revealed that the oxygen content was reduced to 1.1 wt% in saccharin-enhanced coatings. High saccharin concentrations also led to a reduction in grain size, but excessive grain refinement resulted in lower hardness, following an inverse Hall-Petch relationship.Post-deposition heat treatment at 200°C further improved adhesion by promoting atomic diffusion and healing interfacial voids, enhancing the structural integrity of the coatings. The study also explored the use of Ni-Sn interlayers to improve adhesion. Coatings with Ni-Sn interlayers exhibited superior bonding compared to those with pure Ni interlayers, particularly after heat treatment. The Sn content in the interlayer decreased from 7.9 wt% to 5.8 wt% during heat treatment, which improved the interfacial cohesion by reducing oxidation-related brittleness. SEM analysis confirmed that the Ni-Sn interlayers provided a more cohesive interface, minimising voids and cracks even under thermal conditions