Dismantling Rape Culture

"This book analyses rape culture through the lens of the ‘me too’ era. Drawing feminist theory into conversation with peace studies and improvisation theory, it advocates for peace- building opportunities to transform culture and for the improvisatory resources of ‘culture- jamming’ as a mechanism to dismantle rape culture. The book’s key argument is that cultural attitudes and behaviours can be shifted through the introduction of disrupting narratives, so each chapter ends with a ‘culture- jammed’ re- telling of a traditional fairy tale. Chapter 1 traces an overlap of feminist theory and peace studies, arguing that rape culture is most fruitfully understood through the concept of ‘structural violence.’ Chapter 2 investigates the gender scripts that rape culture produces, considering a female counterpart to the concept of ‘toxic masculinity’: ‘complicit femininity.’ Chapter 3 offers analysis of non- consensual sex and a history of consent education, culminating in an argument that we need to move beyond consent to conceptualise a robust ‘respectful mutuality.’ Chapter 4 ’s history of sexual harassment in the workplace and the rise of #metoo argues that its global manifestations are a powerful peace- building initiative. Chapter 5 situates ‘me too’ within a culture- jamming history, using improvisation theory to show how this movement’s potential can shape cultural reconstruction. This is a provocative and interventionist addition to feminist theory scholarship and is suitable for researchers and students in women’s and gender studies, feminist theory, sociology and peace studies.

Multilateralism in Asia

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The structure and stability of high temperature intermetallic phases for application within coating systems

The reduction of noise and emissions is becoming increasingly important in civil aircraft jet engines as well as requirements for reduced fuel consumption and improved efficiency. This has resulted in the drive towards increasing turbine entry temperatures and the development of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). Due to the effectiveness of the platinum-modified nickel aluminides currently used as bond coat layers for Ni-based superalloy TBCs, higher temperature ruthenium-containing bond coat layers are being examined as a possible low cost alternative to platinum. Rolls Royce have a patented process, whereby precious metal layers directly react with single crystal substrate alloys to form an aluminium containing surface coating. The aluminium is sourced from the single crystal alloy and the coating so formed has a + structure, but contains other intermetallic phases due to the reaction between the coating and the single crystal substrate. This bond coat layer acts as a diffusion barrier, which limits interdiffusion between the coating and the substrate. The aim of this research was to examine the stability of various phases within platinum and ruthenium-containing multilayer systems formed during the above reaction process and to determine the most stable intermetallics for inclusion in future coating systems. Foil samples were manufactured using multilayer sputter coating methods and the exothermic formation of these phases was examined using differential scanning calorimetry. The identification of the phases formed was carried out using X-ray diffraction. It was found that the interdiffusion between the initial multi-layers had been incomplete during the samples heat treatment, and so more intermetallic phases formed in some samples than aimed for. Hence, from the large number of samples studied it was shown that, as a result of kinetic factors, the reaction onset (or trigger) temperature was not related to the enthalpy of the intermetallic phases formed or the sample compositions within a target phase field. For the β-phase (NiAl) type intermetallic systems, the samples that produced the highest enthalpy values (i.e. the most stable intermetallic compounds) were those with the nominal compositions (in atomic %) of; ‘47Ni53Al’, ‘48Ni6Pt46Al’ and ‘51Ni7Ru42Al’. For the γ΄-phase (Ni3Al) type intermetallic systems, the highest enthalpy values were from samples with nominal compositions of ‘60Ni16Pt24Al’ and ‘74Ni5Ru24Al’EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

The importance of contextualization when developing pressure intervention: An illustration among age-group professional soccer players

© 2020 The Authors. Published by Psychreg. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://zenodo.org/record/3871272#.XueTxUVKg2wThe need for interventions that help adolescents cope with pressure is widely recognised (Yeager et al., 2018). However, a recent systematic review indicates that contextualising the pressure intervention is often overlooked (Kent et al., 2018) which likely detracts from intervention effectiveness. The focus of contextualisation is to identify from the perspective of intended intervention recipients, pressureinducing incentives, and factors factor facilitative and debilitative of performance under pressure. The present case study illustrates a process of contextualisation among age-group professional soccer players. Thirty-two male academy soccer players (11–12 years, n = 8; 13–14 years, n = 8; 15–16 years, n = 8; 17–18 years, n = 8) participated in one of eight focus groups. Informed by Baumeister and Shower’s (1986) definition of pressure five situational and two personal incentives were deductively identified. Fletcher and Sarkar’s (2012) model of psychological resilience was used to identify perceived protective and debilitative factors of performance under pressure. Supporting contextualisation, recommendation for integrating the identified incentives and protective factors into a pressure training intervention are presented. The resultant understandings are also of value to those working with adolescents

Examining the effects of sport and exercise interventions on body image among adolescent girls: A systematic review

Body image dissatisfaction among females is suggested to be so widespread, that is has been described as normative discontent. Consequently, there is great interest in the development of interventions that may enhance body image perceptions. The aim of the present systematic review was to investigate the effects of sport and exercise interventions on body image among adolescent females. Following preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines (Higgins & Green, 2009; Petticrew & Roberts, 2005), a search of six electronic databases produced 4,210 records of which six met the inclusion criteria. The methodological quality of included articles was assessed using the Standard Quality Assessment (Kmet, Lee, & Cook, 2004). This yielded a mean score for quality of .90 (SD = 0.22), indicating poor quality of research. In two studies, significant and positive change was observed in body image following intervention (aerobics or self-selected sports activities) in comparison to a control condition. In four studies, no significant effect of intervention on body image was observed. We conclude that there is insufficient evidence to suggest that sport and exercise interventions can improve body image. Furthermore, due to the limitations of existing research highlighted within this review, findings suggesting positive influence should be interpreted with caution. Recommendations for improving the methodological quality of research examining the influence of sport and exercise interventions on body image are proposed. This includes considerations such as participant sampling, control conditions/groups, measurement of key variables, intervention features, and analysis of data

Digital consultations for weight management in the NHS: A qualitative evaluation

© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orcp.2023.03.003Receiving digital healthcare consultations for weight management, in place of in-person appointments, has proliferated in recent years, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of the present study was to investigate patients’ experiences of digital weight management services (DWMS) provided by the National Health Service (NHS). Particular emphasis was placed on examining the perceived benefits and limitations of DWMS so as to identify potential means of improving provision. Sixteen patients (eight male; eight female) accessing digital consultations at one of two West Midlands (UK) NHS trusts, participated in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed via thematic analysis. We identified three overarching themes and associated sub-themes that reflect the perceived benefits and limitations of service provision as identified by patients. These were technology acceptability (sub-themes ‘challenges’, ‘requirements/facilitators’, and ‘beneficial features’); treatment acceptability (sub-themes ‘treatment features’, ‘patient attributes’, and ‘practitioner skills’); and treatment efficacy (sub-themes ‘treatment features’, ‘patient attributes’, and ‘practitioner skills’). Themes identified in this study have informed recommendations intended to enhance acceptability of DWMS technology and treatment, potentially encouraging engagement and increasing treatment efficacy. Limitations of the present study and recommendations for further research are also presented.This work was supported by the Association for the Study of Obesity (grant reference: 2104) and the University of Wolverhampton.Published versio

Remote and digital interventions for weight management in the NHS: A qualitative evaluation & service delivery applications

Poster presented at British Obesity & Metabolic Surgery Society Annual Scientific Meeting, 6th-7th June 2023, Birmingham

The Effects of Coping Interventions on Ability to Perform Under Pressure

The ability to perform under pressure is necessary to achieve goals in various domains of life. We conducted a systematic review to synthesise findings from applied studies that focus on interventions developed to enhance an individual's ability to cope under performance pressure. Following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a comprehensive search of five electronic databases was conducted. This yielded 66,618 records, of which 23 peer review papers met inclusion criteria of containing an intervention that targeted coping skills for performing under pressure. Using the Standard Quality Assessment for evaluation of primary research papers (Kmet et al., 2004) to assess quality, included studies performed well on reporting research objectives, research design, and statistical procedures. Sixteen studies showed poor quality in controlling for potentially confounding factors and small sample sizes. A narrative aggregate synthesis identified intervention studies that provided an educational focus (n = 9), consultancy sessions (n = 6), simulation training (n = 5) and emotion regulation strategies (n = 3). Findings highlight a need to; 1) establish a contextualized pressure task which will generate high levels of ecological validity for participants. Having established a suitable pressure task, 2) research should assess the effects of pressure by evaluating conscious and nonconscious effects and associated coping mechanisms, which should inform the subsequent development of interventions, and 3) assess interventions to enhance understanding of the ways in which they improve coping with pressure, or may fail, and the mechanisms which may explain these outcomes.University of Wolverhampton and Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Clu

A microscopy study of nickel-based superalloys performance in type I hot corrosion conditions

Alloy material selection for sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective use in components is a key requirement for both power generation and aerospace sectors. Superalloys are manufactured using a combination of different elements, selected carefully to balance mechanical performance and environmental resistance to be used in a variety of different service conditions. Therefore, a fundamental understanding of each element is critical to alloy design. In this paper, the interaction of alloy chemistry, particularly chromium as a corrosion-resistant element along with titanium and molybdenum, and their effect on alloys performance for the relevant gas turbine industries were discussed. Based on the findings, the single-crystal alloy is found to be a better corrosion resistant alloy exhibited higher corrosion resistance in comparison to polycrystal alloys and proved that microstructure has a significant impact on alloy performance. This study also established that molybdenum level in chromia former alloys can significantly enhance the corrosion damage

Brief Remote Intervention to Manage Food Cravings and Emotions during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Pilot Study

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic people have endured potentially stressful challenges which have influenced behaviours such as eating. This pilot study examined the effectiveness of two brief interventions aimed to help individuals deal with food cravings and associated emotional experiences. Participants were 165 individuals residing in United Kingdom, Finland, Philippines, Spain, Italy, Brazil, North America, South Korea, and China. The study was implemented remotely, thus without any contact with researchers, and involved two groups. Group one participants were requested to use daily diaries for seven consecutive days to assess the frequency of experience of their food cravings, frequency of giving in to cravings, and difficulty resisting cravings, as well as emotional states associated with their cravings. In addition to completing daily food diaries, participants in group two were asked to engage in mindful eating practice and forming implementation intentions. Participants assessed their perceived changes in eating, wellbeing, and health at the beginning and end of the intervention. Repeated measures MANOVAs indicated that participants experienced significantly less food cravings (i.e., craving experience, acting on cravings, difficulty resisting), as well as lower intensities of unpleasant states associated with cravings across time (T1 vs. T7). In contrast to our hypothesis, the main effects of the group (food craving diary vs. food craving diary and mindful eating practice) were not significant. Participants reported less eating and enhanced wellbeing at the end of the study (T7 vs. T1). Our findings can be used to inform future remote interventions to manage food cravings and associated emotions and highlight the need for alternative solutions to increase participant engagement