Sustainable cultivation of Limnospira maxima and application in human nutrition through static in vitro digestion models

Abstract not currently available

Three essays on digital economy and corporate tax avoidance

Abstract not currently available

Practices of curating contemporary art programmes within three historic house settings in Scotland: a mixed methods inquiry

Building on UK-based scholarship from 2020 by Nick Cass, Rebecca Farley, Niki Black, and others, which established the area of study referred to as contemporary art in heritage, this thesis offers insight into the nuances of curating arts programmes in historic house settings. Despite the rapid expansion of the practice of contemporary art commissioning and programming in designated heritage contexts (including historic houses) since the 1990s, few studies in the academic fields of heritage, art history, or museology critically evaluate the role and impact of this practice. This thesis addresses this gap, foregrounding the perspectives of contemporary curators and artists, and reassessing the relevance of heritage engagement in creative practices enacted at historic house sites. The methodology used combines case study, ethnographic, and curatorial practice-based research approaches to examine three cases of contemporary art programmes based within rural historic estates in Scotland – Hospitalfield in Arbroath, Mount Stuart on the Isle of Bute, and Jupiter Artland west of Edinburgh. First, the thesis maps the missions of all three organisations to understand how each defines and publicly represents its heritage context. Second, it contrasts organisational perspectives with the claims of recent arts graduates, commissioned artists, programme directors, and exhibition coordinators who have engaged with these programmes to assess how/if heritage plays a role in creative practices, as well as the perceived benefits and challenges of practicing within historic house contexts. Finally, it demonstrates the breadth of alternative vocabulary used by curators and artists to redefine established commissioning models; the unique curatorial approaches each organisation employs in their efforts to host contemporary artists, adapt to practical challenges, and relate to wider arts networks; and the benefits and challenges of carrying out commissions and/or participating in residency programmes at each of these sites. The thesis has relevance to debates about site specificity, artists’ interventions, place-based art practices, and creative ecologies. It also offers a toolbox of practical recommendations for more artist-centred approaches to creative programming in heritage settings

Community regeneration in Glasgow: perspectives of poverty and power

This thesis centres on a collection of published papers based on qualitative research carried out in social housing estates in Glasgow during 2007-2017. The basis for the research was the GoWell Research and Learning Programme of housing investment and area regeneration and its impacts on the health and wellbeing of individuals, families and communities. In 2003, Glasgow City Council transferred its entire stock of council housing to the newly created Glasgow Housing Association through a process of stock transfer which promised to deliver community ownership for Glasgow’s tenants. Following the housing stock transfer, a strategy of ‘transformational change’ for eight housing estates across the city was agreed and community engagement was central to the processes of regeneration. The thesis questions whether substantial improvements to people’s lives can be realistically achieved by regeneration within deprived urban neighbourhoods without policy decisions that address the fundamental characteristics of poverty, such as low income, employment and social security. Poverty underpins my research, and the published papers focus primarily on the processes and outcomes of policies in the context of housing and neighbourhood regeneration. Lukes’ theory of power was used to synthesise the works across the two themes of communities and people to discuss how power dynamics play out in the context of my work. Lukes’ key contribution to power was the third-dimensional view which seeks to broaden the discussion of the concept of power, building on the first and second dimensions. Using the published papers, I discuss power dynamics in relation to the specific narratives, contexts and policies where the studies are situated, and identify different aspects of power relating to the nature of interests, acquiescence, and moral and political responsibility. My main contribution to knowledge has been to assess how, in the context of poverty, power plays out in policies that are routine and unconsidered rather than those regarded as intentionally harmful, such as austerity policies. From the papers, I provide evidence of positive outcomes to people’s lives through investment in social housing, including improvements for children and young people, and some degree of community empowerment. There is some mixed evidence of outcomes and improvements, and also evidence that appears to go against peoples interests that includes the involvement of communities in regeneration planning that is not acted upon. I purport that claims about outcomes (positive, negative and mixed) are relative, and involve value judgements in relation to people’s real interests. I conclude that my work points to the naturalisation of policies designed to make a difference to people’s lives in an unconsidered way: Lukes’ third dimension is not limited to intentional acts of manipulation by the powerful, but can also be seen as self-producing social processes in which the thinking and behaviour of the powerful and the powerless alike are conditioned by social norms. It involves the internalised, often unconscious acceptance of dominant norms as natural and normal even if they appear to be against the interests of the status quo involved. Despite the renewed emphasis and momentum to ‘tackle poverty’, there still lacks a shared narrative and traction within policy and politics to enact change, so ‘inegalitarian social constraints’ that could be otherwise, continue to persist. Substantial improvements to people’s lives cannot be realistically achieved by regeneration without addressing the fundamental characteristics of poverty, which are policy issues determined by political choices. Crucially, however, it is the perpetuation and reproduction of norms and values through the dynamics of power that hinder or influence change. This requires dealing directly with major ideas and narratives which inform, and are informed by, those in power

Controlling nanomaterial properties with the angular momentum of light

The properties of nanomaterials can be tailored through structural and geometrical design, chemical functionalization, strain engineering and other techniques. However,many existing methods for property control are either irreversible or depend on complexphysical set-ups, limiting their practicality and broader technological implementation. This thesis addresses that challenge by developing a non-contact, all-optical approach that leverages the orbital angular momentum carried by Laguerre-Gaussian beams. The method is investigated for two different applications. In the first instance, the focus is given to orbital angular momentum transfer from Laguerre-Gaussian beams to two dimensional (2D) materials. A theoretical framework for calculating optical forces and torques in dielectric media is presented and angular momentum beams are implemented into a numerical simulation software to predict their effects on the 2D materials. Building on this, a novel, non-contact experimental method is developed to induce wrinkling in two common examples of 2D materials, monolayer graphene and WS2, using the optical torques of Laguerre-Gaussian beams. The out-of-plane deformations and property changes are characterized using various experimental techniques, including electrical conductance measurements, Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and photoluminescence. The method is reversible and spatially-selective and only limited by sample heterogeneity and monolayer-substrate interactions. In the second instance, the application of optical angular momentum is extended to chiral sensing. The dynamic control of the optical activity of chiral shuriken meta-materials is demonstrated through numerical simulations and experimental dichroism measurements under varying beam focusing conditions. Together, this thesis highlights the potential of angular momentum beams as a versatile tool for controlling nanomaterial properties with high spatial precision

Modelling the dynamic distribution of geochemical signatures in shallow continental magma bodies

Continental arcs are critical geological settings due to their role in recycling the Earth’s crust through subduction and magma generation. These regions are characterised by intense volcanic activity and host some of the world’s largest ore deposits. Extensive studies of continental arcs have produced large geochemical databases and widely accepted conceptual models. Despite this wealth of data, there is still ongoing debate within the literature on which processes are the dominant control on the diverse range of geochemical signatures observed in continental arcs. This ongoing debate is partially due to these systems being incredibly complex and their spatially and temporally inaccessible nature. This study models the uppermost sections of volcanic plumbing systems, located just below the volcanic edifices, to explore the dynamics that govern magma mixing and fractional crystallisation within these shallow magma bodies. The aim is to understand how these processes affect the geochemical signatures within shallow systems and to determine whether these signatures can be preserved over time. A twodimensional (2D) computational numerical model was employed to simulate shallow melt-rich magma bodies, tracking fluid dynamics, thermochemical evolution, and geochemical changes. Another objective of this research was to determine if two mixing end-member compositions can be reconstructed after magma mixing and fractionation. Machine learning techniques were utilised to reconstruct the initial input compositions. The results of this study show that the volatile content is the primary control of the system dynamics. Lower volatile contents led to faster crystallisation and cooling, while higher volatile contents in the recharging magma triggered vigorous convection, mixing and homogenising of the initial geochemical signatures. The machine learning analysis revealed that a single overturn event could overwrite the original geochemistry. However, it was possible to backtrack to the original geochemical signatures in the simulations without overturn. This study highlights the importance of numerical modelling for testing hypotheses about active volcanic systems. Numerical modelling combined with machine learning could help improve field sampling strategies by identifying zones where parental geochemical signatures are most likely to be preserved within a system

Intelligent dynamic pricing and integrated demand response for multi-energy systems using Deep Reinforcement Learning

The increasing penetration of renewable energy sources (RES) and distributed energy systems (DES) presents significant challenges for the power industry, particularly in ensuring grid stability and optimising energy market operations. This thesis investigates the integration of Dynamic Pricing Integrated Demand Response (IDR) into multi-energy systems using Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) algorithms to improve efficiency, grid stability, and stakeholder benefits in decentralised energy markets. The first study introduces a dynamic pricing mechanism for electricity and gas systems utilising the Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG) algorithm. This mechanism optimises the supply-demand balance, enhances Distribution System Operators (DSOs) profitability, and reduces end-user costs. The second study expands this framework to manage multiple energy carriers— electricity, gas, and heat—through energy hubs (EHs). The DDPG-based IDR strategy promotes cost efficiency and operational flexibility while handling diverse energy demands sustainably. The third study integrates dynamic pricing IDR within a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) energy trading framework for microgrids, employing the Double Actors Regularized Critics (DARC) algorithm. This approach improves renewable energy utilisation, minimises energy deficits, and boosts profitability, outperforming traditional pricing models. The research includes case studies demonstrating the benefits of dynamic pricing and IDR, such as reduced peak loads, increased renewable integration, and enhanced consumer engagement. In conclusion, the thesis lays a foundation for intelligent energy management solutions and suggests future research avenues, including the potential of blockchain technology for P2P trading and advanced consumer behaviour modelling

The structure of a relationship: The asymmetry of labour and trade regulation in international economic law

Abstract not currently available

Application of imaging and omics to understand communication across the microbiome-gut-brain axis

Abstract not currently available

Genomic insights into Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania major: compartmentalised DNA replication, modified base detection by Nanopore sequencing and nucleotide composition analysis

The genomes of the early-diverging eukaryotic parasites Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania major are unusual in both their organisation and dynamics. The majority of transcribed genes in both vector-transmitted parasites are organised in polycistronic transcription units (PTUs), and the boundaries between these units act as transcription start and termination sites. The genome of T. brucei is further shaped by the parasite’s immune evasion strategy – antigenic variation. One variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) is expressed on the parasite’s surface at any given time, despite the trypanosome harbouring >2500 of VSG (pseudo)genes in its genome. This monoallelic gene expression is achieved whereby only one VSG is expressed at a time from a dedicated telomere-proximal site – the bloodstream-form expression site (BES), of which the parasite has ~15. The remainder of VSG genes are located in transcriptionally silent arrays in the subtelomeric compartments of the larger, so-called megabase chromosomes of the parasites, as well as the smaller mini- and intermediate chromosomes. Analysis of DNA replication patterns using marker frequency analysis coupled with sequencing (MFAseq) in T. brucei showed that in the core of the larger chromosomes some PTU boundaries, as well as the annotated centromeric regions, co-localise with early S phase DNA replication initiation; this pattern was consistent between two T. brucei strains, TREU 927 and Lister 427, as well as between mammalian stage bloodstream-form (BSF) cells and insect-stage procyclic cells (PCF). Curiously, the active BES was also an early-replicating region, but only in the BSF cells; the origin – telomeric or upstream – of this replication could not be determined. In addition, complete, genome-wide analysis of DNA replication dynamics was not possible at the time due to incomplete genome assembly. Until recently, the genome of this parasite remained poorly assembled outside of the megabase chromosome cores, despite its small < 50 Mb size. In 2018, a number of major improvements in the genome assembly of T. brucei were achieved using PacBio long-read assembly, assisted by Hi-C DNA interaction data, but the chromosome ‘core’ sequences remained separate from VSG-containing subtelomeric sequences and BES. In addition, none of the centromeric regions, which co-localise with the earliest S phase DNA replication sites, have been fully resolved. Moreover, MFA-seq mapping to mini- and intermediate chromosomes was compromised by much of their content comprising 177 bp repeats. In chapter 3 we discuss de novo long-read assembly of the genome of T. brucei brucei Lister 427 using Nanopore sequencing to improve contiguity along chromosome compartments (core, subtelomeres, BES), as well as improve repetitive region and sub-megabase chromosome assembly. This was motivated by a wish to provide a complete understanding of DNA replication, by expanding MFAseq mapping to the subtelomere compartments of the megabase chromosomes, across the core and subtelomere boundaries, across the entirety of the telomeric BESs, and within the submegabase chromosomes. Long-read assembly resulted in at least 1 bridging of previously separate genome sequences in 10/11 megabase chromosomes, overall improved contiguity, as well as assembly of full-length centromeric, 50bp, 177bp and 70bp repeats. Additionally, smaller, sub-megabase chromosomes of this parasite with the characteristic 177bp repeat region were at least partially assembled; the assembly of these smaller chromosomes showed that they contain more genes than previously thought. The improved genome assembly allowed mapping of MFAseq across the various genome compartments, and showed that megabase chromosome subtelomeres, surprisingly, contain no detectable early-replicating regions outside of centromeric repeats. We also show that 177bp repeats act as sites of DNA replication initiation in the submegabase chromosomes and that they are found in centromeric regions of the megabase chromosomes, revealing these repeats to be widespread, sequence conserved origins of replication. In addition, we demonstrate that early replication if the active BES in BSF cells initiates from the telomere. Finally, we show that, in addition to genome compartmentalisation being evident in gene content, organisation, transcription and DNA replication in T. brucei, genome stability is also compartmentalised, with the subtelomeric regions of megabase chromosomes showing pronounced genomic instability compared to the cores and, indeed, sub-megabase chromosomes. Kinetoplastid parasite genomes also harbour an unusual DNA modification – a thymidine modification termed base J. It is thought to be generated in a twostep process – first, a thymidine is modified to 5-hydroxymethyluracil (5hmU), followed by glycosylation. Previous work has indicated that this modification is present in the T. brucei genome at very low levels, and that it is primarily detected at repetitive DNA, as well as PTU boundaries. Only mammalian stage parasites appear to harbour easily detectable levels of this base, as in the insect vector stage only very low or no base J has been previously detected. While both base J and 5hmU have previously been mapped genome-wide in T. brucei, the existing datasets have not been re-examined in light of improved genome assemblies, nor have they been evaluated together. In addition to offering longread DNA sequencing, the two main long-read sequencing technologies at the time of writing – Nanopore and PacBio – also possess the ability to detect modified bases in DNA and RNA. In chapter 4, we provide more comprehensive analysis of base J and 5hmU ChIPseq datasets in T. brucei, along with newly generated modified base detection data using Nanopore sequencing and Tombo software. We find that Nanopore-generated data recapitulates many base J ChIPseq enrichment patterns, specifically, at polycistronic unit boundaries, in repetitive regions and around coding sequence, while also offering strandspecific and base-resolution data. To our surprise, insect and mammalian stage parasites show similar levels and patterns of DNA modification based on Nanopore data, arguing that the two lifecycle stages may, in fact, have similar DNA modification distribution patterns. In our analysis of modified DNA distribution in Chapter 4, it became clear that broader canonical base distribution genome-wide has not been fully described in T. brucei. DNA strand asymmetries in prokaryotes and eukaryotes often arise as a consequence of directional processes, such as transcription and DNA replication, as these processes are asymmetrical with regards to the two DNA strands. This often leads to overabundances of certain nucleotides on one DNA strand relative to the other, termed nucleotide skews. In many eukaryotic and prokaryotic genomes, analysis of nucleotide skews can even be used to detect origins in DNA replication. In chapter 5 we present efforts in describing the nature, and elucidating the potential contributors of nucleotide skews in T. brucei, and comparing these skews to those observed in L. major, as well as a broad range of trypanosomatid genomes. We found that T. brucei and L. major display clear and distinct skews associated with transcription direction, but similar skews associated with DNA replication, meaning differential processes are responsible for the distinct nature of transcription-associated skews. Additionally, through the inclusion of analysis in other trypanosomatids, we show that nucleotide composition and skew differences observed in T. brucei and L. major can be explained through their evolutionary divergence