Events, processes, and the time of a killing

The paper proposes a novel solution to the problem of the time of a killing (ToK), which persistently besets theories of act-individuation. The solution proposed claims to expose a crucial wrong-headed assumption in the debate, according to which ToK is essentially a problem of locating some event that corresponds to the killing. The alternative proposal put forward here turns on recognizing a separate category of dynamic occurents, viz. processes. The paper does not aim to mount a comprehensive defense of process ontology, relying instead on extant defenses. The primary aim is rather to put process ontology to work in diagnosing the current state of play over ToK, and indeed in solving it

Driving as you feel : a psychological investigation of the novice driver problem

The current thesis aimed to explore the novice driver problem from a psychological perspective. The ultimate aim was to enhance knowledge and understanding which may advise how to improve novice driver safety. The novice driver problem is a worldwide trend; which in the UK involves one in five newly licensed drivers being crash involved in their first year of driving (Maycock & Forsyth, 1997). Research suggests that both age and inexperience are the major factors of novice driver crash risk; although inexperience has been shown to be the more important (Maycock, 2002). Crash risk reduces dramatically as drivers gain experience of driving after licensure, although what drivers are psychologically learning through experience is not yet understood. Using the Task-Capability Interface model (Fuller, 2005) to conceptualise driving, the current thesis sought to extend the theory by exploring the psychological processes through which drivers appraise risk and how this shapes a decision and behavioural response. Study One reports that there are two distinct ways in which drivers appraise risk, which supports theory proposed by Slovic et al. (2004): risk as feelings and risk as analysis. Current neurological theory, in the form of the Somatic Marker Hypothesis (Damasio, 1994), supports the role of feelings and emotion as an evolved automated system of human risk appraisal that biases judgement and decision making. Studies Two and Three investigated emotional appraisal of hazards between novice and experienced drivers through physiological skin conductance. The results suggest that novice drivers fail to emotionally appraise developing hazards when compared to experienced drivers. Study Three demonstrated that novice drivers who had driven less than 1000 miles had physiological anticipatory scores similar to learner drivers whereas novices who had driven more than 1000 miles had scores approaching those of experienced drivers. This demonstrated a learning curve mediated by driving experience. As a result of the thesis, it is suggested that further research into the role of feelings and emotion in learning to drive is performed. The implication of the results for graduated licensing is also discussed.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

The characterisation of AOP2: a gene associated with the biosynthesis of aliphatic alkenyl glucosinolates in Arabidopsis thaliana

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Glucosinolates, a group of nitrogen and sulfur containing compounds associated with plant-insect interactions, are produced by a number of important <it>Brassicaceae </it>crop species. In <it>Arabidopsis </it>the <it>AOP2 </it>gene plays a role in the secondary modification of aliphatic (methionine-derived) glucosinolates, namely the conversion of methylsulfinylalkyl glucosinolates to form alkenyl glucosinolates, and also influences aliphatic glucosinolate accumulation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>This study characterises the primary structural variation in the coding sequences of the <it>AOP2 </it>gene and identifies three different <it>AOP2 </it>alleles based on polymorphisms in exon two. To help determine the regulatory mechanisms mediating <it>AOP2 </it>expression amongst accessions, <it>AOP2 </it>5' regulatory regions were also examined however no major differences were identified. Expression of the <it>AOP2 </it>gene was found to be most abundant in leaf and stem tissue and was also found to be light dependent, with a number of light regulatory elements identified in the promoter region of the gene. In addition, a study was undertaken to demonstrate that the <it>Arabidopsis AOP2 </it>gene product is functional <it>in planta</it>. The over-expression of a functional <it>AOP2 </it>allele was found to successfully convert the precursor methylsulfinyl alkyl glucosinolate into the alkenyl form.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The expression of the <it>AOP2 </it>gene has been found to be influenced by light and is most highly expressed in the photosynthetic parts of the <it>Arabidopsis </it>plant. The level of <it>AOP2 </it>transcript decreases rapidly in the absence of light. <it>AOP2 </it>exists as at least three alleles in different <it>Arabidopsis </it>accessions and we have demonstrated that one of these, <it>AOP2-2</it>, is functionally able to convert methylsulfinyl glucosinolates into the alkenyl form. The demonstration of the <it>in planta </it>functionality of the <it>Arabisopsis AOP2 </it>gene is an important step in determining the feasibility of engineering glucosinolate profiles in food plants.</p

Driving as You Feel: A Psychological Investigation of the Novice Driver Problem.

The current thesis aimed to explore the novice driver problem from a psychological perspective. The ultimate aim was to enhance knowledge and understanding which may advise how to improve novice driver safety. The novice driver problem is a worldwide trend; which in the UK involves one in five newly licensed drivers being crash involved in their first year of driving (Maycock & Forsyth, 1997). Research suggests that both age and inexperience are the major factors of novice driver crash risk; although inexperience has been shown to be the more important (Maycock, 2002). Crash risk reduces dramatically as drivers gain experience of driving after licensure, although what drivers are psychologically learning through experience is not yet understood. Using the Task-Capability Interface model (Fuller, 2005) to conceptualise driving, the current thesis sought to extend the theory by exploring the psychological processes through which drivers appraise risk and how this shapes a decision and behavioural response. Study One reports that there are two distinct ways in which drivers appraise risk, which supports theory proposed by Slovic et al. (2004): risk as feelings and risk as analysis. Current neurological theory, in the form of the Somatic Marker Hypothesis (Damasio, 1994), supports the role of feelings and emotion as an evolved automated system of human risk appraisal that biases judgement and decision making. Studies Two and Three investigated emotional appraisal of hazards between novice and experienced drivers through physiological skin conductance. The results suggest that novice drivers fail to emotionally appraise developing hazards when compared to experienced drivers. Study Three demonstrated that novice drivers who had driven less than 1000 miles had physiological anticipatory scores similar to learner drivers whereas novices who had driven more than 1000 miles had scores approaching those of experienced drivers. This demonstrated a learning curve mediated by driving experience. As a result of the thesis, it is suggested that further research into the role of feelings and emotion in learning to drive is performed. The implication of the results for graduated licensing is also discussed

Structured evaluation of virtual environments for special-needs education

This paper describes the development of a structured approach to evaluate experiential and communication virtual learning environments (VLEs) designed specifically for use in the education of children with severe learning difficulties at the Shepherd special needs school in Nottingham, UK. Constructivist learning theory was used as a basis for the production of an evaluation framework, used to evaluate the design of three VLEs and how they were used by students with respect to this learning theory. From an observational field study of student-teacher pairs using the VLEs, 18 behaviour categories were identified as relevant to five of the seven constructivist principles defined by Jonassen (1994). Analysis of student-teacher behaviour was used to provide support for, or against, the constructivist principles. The results show that the three VLEs meet the constructivist principles in very different ways and recommendations for design modifications are put forward

A framework for power analysis using a structural equation modelling procedure

BACKGROUND: This paper demonstrates how structural equation modelling (SEM) can be used as a tool to aid in carrying out power analyses. For many complex multivariate designs that are increasingly being employed, power analyses can be difficult to carry out, because the software available lacks sufficient flexibility. Satorra and Saris developed a method for estimating the power of the likelihood ratio test for structural equation models. Whilst the Satorra and Saris approach is familiar to researchers who use the structural equation modelling approach, it is less well known amongst other researchers. The SEM approach can be equivalent to other multivariate statistical tests, and therefore the Satorra and Saris approach to power analysis can be used. METHODS: The covariance matrix, along with a vector of means, relating to the alternative hypothesis is generated. This represents the hypothesised population effects. A model (representing the null hypothesis) is then tested in a structural equation model, using the population parameters as input. An analysis based on the chi-square of this model can provide estimates of the sample size required for different levels of power to reject the null hypothesis. CONCLUSIONS: The SEM based power analysis approach may prove useful for researchers designing research in the health and medical spheres

Occupational exposure to N-nitrosamines and pesticides and risk of pancreatic cancer

Objectives Animal evidence shows that N-nitrosamines and similar xenobiotic compounds are pancreatic carcinogens. We aimed to determine whether occupational exposure to N-nitrosamines or to pesticides increases risk of pancreatic cancer development. Methods Participants (504 cases, 643 controls) in a population-based case-control study (The Queensland Pancreatic Cancer Study) provided data on demographic, medical and lifestyle factors and lifetime job histories. Specific questions were asked regarding work in rubber and leather industries, metalworking jobs and occupational or direct use of pesticides on animals or crops. An occupational hygienist reviewed this information (blind to case status) to assess likelihood of exposure to N-nitrosamines and pesticides, and estimated level and frequency of such exposures. Results No associations were found for risk of pancreatic cancer and occupational exposure to N-nitrosamines (OR=0.85, 95% CI 0.51 to 1.42) and no associations were seen with level or frequency of exposure. No associations were observed for ever exposure to pesticides in general (OR=0.90, 95% CI 0.61 to 1.33) or to any of the pesticide subgroups. Stratification by history of cigarette smoking did not change these results. Conclusions This comprehensive analysis of a large case-control study does not support an association between occupational exposure to N-nitrosamines or pesticide use and risk of pancreatic cancer

Increased biomass, seed yield and stress tolerance is conferred in Arabidopsis by a novel enzyme from the resurrection grass Sporobolus stapfianus that glycosylates the strigolactone analogue GR24

Isolation of gene transcripts from desiccated leaf tissues of the resurrection grass, Sporobolus stapfianus, resulted in the identification of a gene, SDG8i, encoding a Group 1 glycosyltransferase (UGT). Here, we examine the effects of introducing this gene, under control of the CaMV35S promoter, into the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Results show that Arabidopsis plants constitutively over-expressing SDG8i exhibit enhanced growth, reduced senescence, cold tolerance and a substantial improvement in protoplasmic drought tolerance. We hypothesise that expression of SDG8i in Arabidopsis negatively affects the bioactivity of metabolite/s that mediate/s environmentally-induced repression of cell division and expansion, both during normal development and in response to stress. The phenotype of transgenic plants over-expressing SDG8i suggests modulation in activities of both growth- and stress-related hormones. Plants overexpressing the UGT show evidence of elevated auxin levels, with the enzyme acting downstream of ABA to reduce drought-induced senescence. Analysis of the in vitro activity of the UGT recombinant protein product demonstrates that SDG8i can glycosylate the synthetic strigolactone analogue GR24, evoking a link with strigolactone-related processes in vivo. The large improvements observed in survival of transgenic Arabidopsis plants under cold-, salt- and drought-stress, as well as the substantial increases in growth rate and seed yield under non-stress conditions, indicates that overexpression of SDG8i in crop plants may provide a novel means of increasing plant productivity