An exploration of self-reflection and critical-thinking exhibited in visual-arts students\u27 portfolios at the secondary level

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The formation of a nanohybrid shish-kebab (NHSK) structure in melt-processed composites of poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)

The combination of synchrotron Small- and Wide-Angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS), and thermal analysis was used to follow the evolution of crystalline morphology and crystallization kinetics in a series of melt-processed composites of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). The as-extruded PET-MWCNT composites underwent both hot and cold isothermal crystallizations where a final oriented nanohybrid shish-kebab (NHSK) crystalline structure was observed. An oriented NHSK structure was seen to persist even after melting and recrystallization of the composites. From the scattering data, we propose a model whereby the oriented MWCNTs act as heterogeneous nucleation surfaces (shish) and the polymer chains wrap around them and the crystallites (kebabs) grow epitaxially outwards during crystallization. However, depending on crystallization temperature, unoriented crystallites also grow in the polymer matrix, resulting in a combination of a NHSK and lamellar morphology. In contrast, the neat PET homopolymer showed the sporadic nucleation of a classic unoriented lamellar structure under the same isothermal crystallization conditions. These results provide a valuable insight into the distinctive modification of the crystalline morphology of melt-processed polymer-MWCNT composites prior to any secondary processing, having a significant impact on the use of MWCNTs as fillers in the processing and modification of the physical and mechanical properties of engineering polymers

Serological investigations of emerging viral zoonoses: Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus in Tanzania and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in Scotland

Emerging viral zoonoses are a significant global health concern, brought into sharp focus in recent times by the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the subsequent global pandemic. Other emerging and re-emerging zoonotic viruses also continue to present significant threats to public health, including Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), a tick-borne virus that can cause severe disease and high case fatality rates in people, but with a complex ecology that remains poorly understood in many areas of the world, particularly in Africa. Serological tools are vital for understanding emerging zoonotic viruses both at a population- and individual-level. Population-level surveillance of animal and human populations can shed light on patterns of viral circulation and aid in identification of risk factors associated with infection, while individual-level serological investigations help to characterise the immune response to infection, providing insights into the nature of protective immunity, possible vaccine targets and improving methods of disease detection. The initial focus of this thesis was the development of a diagnostic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of CCHFV, and its subsequent use to explore the epidemiology of the virus in livestock and people in northern Tanzania. However, the start of the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic part way through this research resulted in an additional set of research questions relating to SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic assay performance and epidemiology during the first wave of the pandemic in Glasgow, UK. This thesis therefore explores diagnostics assay development and epidemiology of CCHFV and SARS-CoV-2. Firstly, an indirect ELISA for detection of anti-CCHFV antibodies in livestock was developed and optimised. It showed good potential for use as an in-house assay for detection of CCHFV exposure in animals. Secondly, the performance of two indirect ELISA assays against the S1 subunit of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S1) and the receptor binding domain (RBD) was investigated, establishing a cut-off value for interpretation of these assays, determining sensitivity and specificity, and exploring measures of assay precision. Both assays showed good ability to distinguish between positive or negative serum samples for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies. These ELISAs were then used to investigate levels of SARS-CoV-2 exposure in a patient population in Glasgow during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating that overall seroprevalence remained low throughout this period. Additionally, ELISA responses were compared against levels of neutralising antibodies (NAbs), measured using HIV(SARS-CoV-2) pseudotype virus neutralisation assays (PVNAs), demonstrating heterogeneity in IgG and NAb responses, and highlighting an association between disease severity and higher levels of IgG and neutralising antibodies. The epidemiology of CCHFV in northern Tanzania was explored through analysis of a large cross-sectional study of livestock and people in linked households, using a commercially produced species-independent ELISA. This study demonstrated for the first time that CCHFV is circulating in northern Tanzania. High levels of exposure were found in cattle (n = 1530/3098, 49.4%), goats (n = 823/2475, 33.3%), and sheep (n = 582/2124, 27.4%) across the region, and an overall seroprevalence of 15.1% (n = 53/351) was observed in people, despite an absence of confirmed clinical disease in the country (Temur et al., 2021). Substantial heterogeneities were observed in levels of exposure between study sites for both livestock and people, indicating that local context is important for determining exposure to CCHFV. However, patterns of village-level exposure varied between people and livestock, possibly suggesting different drivers of exposure. Risk factors associated with CCHFV seropositivity were also investigated in livestock, and demonstrated that increasing age, and extensive, pastoral agro-ecological settings were associated with higher levels of exposure. Additionally, a novel association was identified between pig keeping and higher exposure in cattle. The work presented in this thesis demonstrates the application of serological methods for investigation of two important emerging and re-emerging zoonotic viruses, SARS-CoV-2 and CCHFV. This research adds substantially to our knowledge of CCHFV epidemiology in northern Tanzania, demonstrating high levels of exposure to the virus in livestock populations and highlighting its potential as a public health concern in the country, while the work on SARS-CoV-2 provided important information on population-level immunity and the nature of the immune response during the early phases of the global pandemic

Patterns of creative worker migration across the lifespan: The migration and occupation paths of Bristol designers, 1950-2018

Creative workers are theorised as autonomous and highly mobile, migrating away from their family of origin and childhood friends, breaking away from inherited values and expectations into independence. In contrast to theory, across Europe, including the UK, creative workers are found living in their region of birth or education, suggesting that attachment to place, and social and familial ties are important. This thesis takes a biographical approach to understand the complexity of reasons for migration and occupation choices, set within their historical, political and social contexts. Using 63 in-depth interviews with designers who have lived in the city of Bristol, UK, the thesis maps sequential patterns of creative worker migration over the lifespan, and makes a deep analysis of the impact of early life experiences on migration and occupation outcomes. The thesis finds that migration and occupation outcomes are intimately connected to early family experiences. Designers, who were predominantly white, middle-class and male, depended heavily on family of origin for support into education, access to employment and for housing costs long into adulthood. Trajectories fell into three categories: Stability: remaining in situ was most common among working class designers who did not consider migration as necessary or important in their life trajectory. Mobility: moving from working to middle class through education and employment, migrating away from family of origin, seeking a place to make a new home in a new social position. Recreation: for middle-class designers, a movement away from their home of origin for education was anticipated from childhood. This was followed by one or two movements for a job, then, after the formation of a family, a movement to a location that was similar in feel to their home of origin. This thesis also contributes to migration theory in revealing a yo-yo pattern of migration: a sequence of movements away from and then returning to an anchor place or region, showing that for many creative workers, a specific place, and the social connections contained within it, continue to be important across the life span

Attracting and sustaining the screen industry workforce in Yorkshire and the Humber

A key resource to any creative industry is their workforce, and this is particularly true for the screen industry. Although the central importance of this workforce is widely acknowledged, comparatively little is known about the mobility and embeddedness of these workers in and across firms and in and across regions. This is of crucial importance to investors too, because it is the screen workers who ensure that returns to investments in screen industry capital equipment are realised, and it is their imagination and dexterity in creating captivating TV or film programmes that lead to the exports of visual representations of our cultural heritage, which in turn earns revenues for our economy and enables it to grow

County Agent Views About Facilitating Public Education and Discussion of Genetic Engineering Use in Agriculture

We conducted seven focus groups with Extension agents from three northeast states in Spring 2000 to learn what agents knew about genetic engineering (GE) applications in agriculture, their view of Extension\u27s role in public discussion and education, and the training needed to assume such a role. While participating agents together knew a fair amount about their target audiences\u27 perceptions of GE, they felt unprepared to deal with the challenges of public issues education in light of the current public debate, the publics\u27 low science literacy, and their own science background. Their expressed training needs reflected these challenges

Arthur Garfield Dove's landscape assemblages: a unique intersection of European modernism, American ideas, and nature-based abstraction

In the middle of his career, Arthur Garfield Dove created a smell yet novel body of landscape assemblages. They illustrate Dove's central interest in evoking nature--its motifs and rhythms--through imaginative associations of organic and man-made materials. These works represent Dove's synthesis of contemporary European stylistic and intellectual ideas as well as American philosophies and concerns. They also reflect the influence of Alfred Stieglitz and his circle and the artist Helen Torr, Dove's second wife. This study examines how Dove used a complex interplay of European theory and technique, American ideas and his own nature-based abstract style to create the landscape assemblages, works that are uniquely independent in the history of American art

Structure evolution in poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) - Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composite films during <i>in-situ</i> uniaxial deformation

Combined small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS), mechanical and thermal techniques have been used to follow the morphology evolution in a series of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composite films during quasi solid-state uniaxial deformation at low strain rates. Uniaxially deformed PET-MWCNT films displayed improved mechanical properties compared with unfilled PET films. SAXS/WAXS data revealed a well oriented lamellar structure for unfilled PET films. In contrast, the PET-MWCNT composites revealed a nanohybrid shish-kebab (NHSK) morphology, with reduced orientation and crystallinity. Mechanistically, this morphology development is attributed to the MWCNTs acting as shish for the epitaxial growth of PET crystallites. Furthermore, nucleation and crystal growth occurs in the PET matrix, but MWCNTs ultimately inhibit crystallite development and hinder a final lamellar structure developing. The results show unequivocally the role MWCNTs play as nanofillers, in the morphology development, thermal and mechanical properties in composite polymer films

Investment in digital infrastructure: Why and for whom?

This study investigates the variation in attitudes across stakeholders towards investments in the digital economy. Using semi-structured interviews to identify attitudes about the spatially evolving socioeconomic importance of the digital economy in New Zealand, we identified seven distinct yet partially overlapping concerns that prioritise preferences for digital investment. A key finding is that there are important asymmetries in stakeholders' narratives and epistemological foundations that currently align to collectively strengthen resolve to invest in digital infrastructure and training, but this alignment may splinter in future. Some stakeholders saw internet access as coalescing social economy, and there were concerns that some people and some places would get left behind if access is not rolled out uniformly and as a priority. There were disagreements about who will prosper, who will get left behind, who should pay for upgrading digital skills, the extent that investments were connected with wellbeing and identity, whether fake news was significant, and the longevity of the impact of digital economy investments. This study contributes to theory by demonstrating that practically-relevant, socially-informed policy decisions can be underpinned by collective efforts that draw on heterogeneous narratives and multidimensional understandings. JEL classification: D83; L86; L96; O18; R5

An assessment of the aversive nature of an animal management procedure (clipping) using behavioral and physiological measures

Animal management often involves procedures that, while unlikely to cause physical pain, still cause aversive responses. The domestic horse ( Equus caballus ) regularly has excessive hair clipped off to facilitate its use as a riding/driving animal and this procedure causes adverse behavioral responses in some animals. The aim of this study was to compare behavioral and physiological measures to assess the aversive effect of this procedure. Ten horses were selected on the basis of being either compliant (C: n = 5) or non-compliant (NC: n = 5) during this procedure. The horses were subjected to a sham clipping procedure (SC: where the blades had been removed from the clippers) for a period of ten minutes. Measures were taken pre, during and post SC (−10 min to +30 min) and mean values calculated for ALL horses and for C and NC separately. Behavioral activity was scored (scale 1-5) by twenty students from video footage in (phase/group-blind scoring). Heart rate (HR), salivary cortisol and eye temperature were monitored throughout the procedure. The NC horses were found to be significantly more behaviorally active/less relaxed throughout the trial than C horses(p b 0.05) with the greatest difference occurring during the SC procedure (p b 0.01). NC horses were more active/less relaxed during, compared with pre or post SC (p b 0.05), but showed no behavioral difference pre and post SC. HR of the NC horses was higher than that of the C horses throughout the trial but only significantly so after 10 min of SC (p b 0.01). ALL horses showed significant increase in HR between +5 and +10 min into the procedure (p b 0.05). There was a significant increase in salivary cortisol concentration in ALL horses post procedure (p b 0.01) with levels peaking at 20 minute post SC. No significant differences in salivary cortisol concentration between C and NC were found at any stage of the trial. Eye temperature increased significantly in ALL horses during SC, peaking at +10 min into the procedure (p b 0.05) and then decreased substantially when SC had ceased (p b 0.01). Although no significant differences were found between C and NC per se, there was a significant interaction between group and phase of trial (p b 0.05) with the NC group showing a greater decrease in eye temperature post SC. There was a significant positive correlation between changes in salivary cortisol concentration and eye temperature (p b 0.01) but no correlation between any of the other measures. Although the behavioral response of C and NC to this procedure was significantly different the physiological responses indicated that ALL horses found the procedure aversive. Eye temperature could be used as an objective and immediate measure of how an animal is responding to a specific situation in order to evaluate management procedures and adapt them where appropriate to reduce the negative impact on animal health and welfare