Discourses of disability sport: Experiences of elite male and female athletes in Britain and Taiwan

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.Disability sport has been a relatively under-researched area within the fields of both sport sociology and disability studies, in particular regarding countries outside the West. This comparative research, therefore, is an attempt to rectify the situation and make sense of the experiences of elite sportsmen and sportswomen with physical disabilities in Great Britain and Taiwan, specifically those who have represented their respective countries at the Paralympic Games or the Athletics and Power lifting World Championships. Through 21 in-depth interviews with a life history approach, the aim of the research has been to gain a greater understanding and provide as authentic an account as possible of the experiences of elite male and female athletes with disabilities - in particular, how they experience their bodies and construct, negotiate, and perform their identities in relation to their involvement in elite disability sport. This research also involves a critical analysis, set within the social model of disability and using a feminist perspective, of dominant medical model ideologies and discourses associated with disability, gender and sport in British and Taiwanese societies. It investigates how dominant ideologies and stereotypes produce disabling physical and social barriers that are manifest in various oppressive practices within social institutions and thus impinge on the lives, sporting experiences and the construction of identities of the research participants. In line with the emancipatory research framework adopted in this research, the elite disabled athletes are included in the research process as active participants who are experts in their own experiences, rather than as research objects.Funding from the Taiwanese Government and Dandao Culture Foundation are used in this study

Consumer Perceived Economic Value of Electronic Charts

This paper applies the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) to derive the mean willingness to pay (WTP) for the chart information in electronic format by end users. A case study of the members of the Passenger Vessel Association (PVA) was conducted. The results show that on average a PVA Vessel member is willing to pay approximately US$700 per vessel just for the chart information in electronic format. The proposed evaluation methodology can be modified to assess WTP for electronic charts of other key users such as recreational boaters and larger cargo shipping companies so the overall benefits of electronic charts can be derived.Este articulo apfica ef Metoda Contingente de Vaforacion (CVM) para derivar fa vofuntad de pagar (WTP) promedio del usuario de fa informacion de cartas en formato efectronico. Se efectuo el estudio de un caso de fa Asociacion de Buques de Pasajeros (PVA) para demostrar fa metodologra. Se pidio a los miembros del buque de fa PVA. Los resultados muestran que, en promedio un buque miembro de fa PVA esta dispuesto a pagar aproximadamente$700 par buque solo par fa informacion de fa carta en formato electronico. La metodologra de vaforacion propuesta puede modificarse para evafuar ef WTP par las cartas electronicas de otros utifizadores clave como los navegantes de embarcaciones de recreo y las compantas navieras mayores, de manera que los beneficios generales de las cartas electronicas pueden derivarse.Get article applique fa methode d 'evaluation CVM (Contingent Valuation Method) afin de cafcufer fa vofonte de payer de l'utifisateur (WTP) moyenne pour fes informations cartographiques dans un format electronique. Une etude de cas ete menee a bien parmi fes membres de l'Association des navires a passagers (PVA). Les resuftats ant montre qu'en moyenne, un membre de fa PVA est pret a consacrer approximativement 700 $ par navire, uniquement pour disposer des informations cartographiques dans un format electronique. La methodologie d 'evafuation proposee peut etre modifiee pour evafuer fa WTP pour les cartes efectroniques d'autres utifisateurs ces comme fes pfaisanciers, et fes compagnies maritimes plus importantes afin de pouvoir calculer les benefices globaux des cartes electroniques

ALTERNATIVES FOR FINANCING MUNICIPAL SERVICES: THE CASE OF UNIT-PRICED TRASH DISPOSAL

New policy is being developed that incorporates not only innovative means of disposal, including the integration of source reduction and recycling, but also innovative approaches to funding disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW). This study was conducted to determine if a higher marginal price for MSW disposal affected per capita waste generation in New Hampshire towns, how the existence of a pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) program influenced per capita MSW generation, and to attempt to determine which towns were most likely to adopt a PAYT program in the future. The results showed that average household size, existence of a capital improvement plan, and marginal price to dispose of waste were statistically significant influences, regardless of the variation of price in the PAYT program. Towns with PAYT programs currently being implemented produce 0.18 tons of MSW less waste per capita per year than towns without PAYT programs.Public Economics,

TINKERING WITH VALUATION ESTIMATES: IS THERE A FUTURE FOR WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT MEASURES?

This paper examines various methods proposed in the literature to calibrate welfare measures, especially willingness to accept and willingness to pay, derived from contingent valuation surveys. Through simulation and a case study, we hope to provide guidance for empirical welfare measurement in response to the theoretical dispute regarding WTA/WTP disparities.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

An Hedonic Analysis of the Effects of Lake Water Clarity on New Hampshire Lakefront Properties

Policy makers often face the problem of evaluating how water quality affects a region's economic well-being. Using water clarity as a measure of the degree of eutrophication levels (as a lake becomes inundated with nutrients, water clarity decreases markedly), analysis is performed on sales data collected over a six-year period. Our results indicate that water clarity has a significant effect on prices paid for residential properties. Effects of a one-meter change in clarity on property value are also estimated for an average lake in four real estate market areas in New Hampshire, with effects differing substantially by area. Our findings provide state and local policy makers a measure of the cost of water quality degradation as measured by changes in water clarity, and demonstrate that protecting water quality may have a positive effect on property tax revenues.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Discourses of disability sport : experiences of elite male and female athletes in Britain and Taiwan

Disability sport has been a relatively under-researched area within the fields of both sport sociology and disability studies, in particular regarding countries outside the West. This comparative research, therefore, is an attempt to rectify the situation and make sense of the experiences of elite sportsmen and sportswomen with physical disabilities in Great Britain and Taiwan, specifically those who have represented their respective countries at the Paralympic Games or the Athletics and Power lifting World Championships. Through 21 in-depth interviews with a life history approach, the aim of the research has been to gain a greater understanding and provide as authentic an account as possible of the experiences of elite male and female athletes with disabilities - in particular, how they experience their bodies and construct, negotiate, and perform their identities in relation to their involvement in elite disability sport. This research also involves a critical analysis, set within the social model of disability and using a feminist perspective, of dominant medical model ideologies and discourses associated with disability, gender and sport in British and Taiwanese societies. It investigates how dominant ideologies and stereotypes produce disabling physical and social barriers that are manifest in various oppressive practices within social institutions and thus impinge on the lives, sporting experiences and the construction of identities of the research participants. In line with the emancipatory research framework adopted in this research, the elite disabled athletes are included in the research process as active participants who are experts in their own experiences, rather than as research objects.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceTaiwanese GovernmentDandao Culture FoundationGBUnited Kingdo

Unmasking stem-specific broadly neutralizing epitopes by abolishing N-linked glycosylation sites for vaccine design

Targeting highly conserved HA stem regions has been proposed as a useful strategy for designing universal influenza vaccines. The influenza virus HA stem region, consisting of a HA1 N-terminal part and full HA2 part, contains several potential sites for the addition of N-glycans. We expressed a series of recombinant HA (rHA) mutant proteins with deleted N-linked glycosylation sites in the HA1-stem and HA2-stem regions of H5N1 and pH1N1 viruses. Unmasking N-glycans in the HA2-stem region (rH5HA N484A and rH1HA N503A) did not affect the trimeric structure of HA. Immunizations using rH5HA N484A and rH1HA N503A elicited more potent neutralizing antibody titers against homologous, heterologous and heterosubtypic viruses. Unmasking the HA2-stem N-glycans of rH5HA N484A induced higher levels of stem-specific CR6261-like and FI6v3-like antibodies, improved the ability of stem-specific anti-fusion antibodies, enhanced H5 stem helix A epitope-specific B and T cell responses in splenocytes, and provided better protection against both homologous and heterosubtypic virus challenges. These findings suggest that HA2-stem N-glycan unmasking holds potential as a useful design strategy for developing more broadly protective influenza vaccines

Impacts of Property Taxation on Residential Real Estate Development

Decisions about residential lot size and square footage are influenced by a variety of determinants ranging from zoning regulations to neighborhood characteristics. Our theoretical analysis suggests that the property tax rate could also affect residential lot sizes and the sizes of newly constructed houses. Using descriptions for over 36 thousand houses built in New Hampshire between 1985 and 2006, we find empirical evidence that higher property taxes are indeed associated with both smaller lots and smaller houses. On average, higher property tax rates are associated with more additional living space per newly developed acre. These effects are modest in magnitude, however.This paper was accepted for publication in Journal of Housing Economics