The adaptation and demolition of existing buildings on masterplan sites

This thesis extends current adaptation theory by considering the practical realities of adaptation and demolition decisions at the masterplan scale. As existing adaptation theory mainly focuses on individual buildings or the city level, it is not sufficient for explaining decisions on large brownfield sites being redeveloped through the implementation of a masterplan. A qualitative inductive approach was used to generate new knowledge about the topic. Initially, data was gathered from interviews and focus groups with built environment professionals. In-depth case study investigations of masterplan developments containing former industrial areas were then undertaken. The locations were Cambridge, UK; Eindhoven, Netherlands; and Sydney, Australia. Examining decisions in these different contexts unpacked the realities of how and why adaptation decisions on masterplan sites are made in practice. For individual buildings, existing literature argues that the physical attributes of a building are the major factor in decisions to adapt or demolish, due to their impact on construction costs. At the masterplan scale, these factors are still applicable. However, the primary data analysis shows there is a different interpretation of economic viability as costs can be offset elsewhere within large developments, and that there are a number of additional issues considered at the masterplan scale. These include the relative scale of buildings and considerations of vehicle and pedestrian flow through the site. There are two benefits of building retention which are commonly cited in the academic literature: conservation of heritage and savings in materials, and therefore savings in embodied energy and greenhouse gas emissions. In practice, the role of heritage was found to be frequently considered at an individual building level and in some instances is thought out at a larger physical scale, notably as part of place-making within a masterplan. However, embodied impacts were found to be rarely considered in adaptation decisions at either the individual building or masterplan scales. This difference, it is suggested, may be due to the fact that heritage has been included within planning policy for many years, while embodied impacts are only just starting to be included. The three case studies uncovered factors that govern decisions on large urban developments. People involved in, or affected by, masterplan developments including planning authorities, local communities and individuals were found to have a significant influence over the decision-making process, which is also contingent on the structure of the planning system and economic conditions at the time decisions are made. Due to the long time-span of masterplan developments, these decisions may also change at a later date in the development process. The theoretical underpinnings of urban development including equilibrium, structural, event-sequence and agency models, are applied to the research findings to offer a potential theoretical framing applicable to the masterplan scale. Through the multiple lenses provided by composite models, the variations in the factors governing decisions are explained. These include the influence of hierarchies within the planning system, the ability of developers to negotiate with local authorities over planning policy requirements and the transfer of risk to individuals willing to take it. Through the exploration of these complexities which are exacerbated by the physical and chronological scale of the masterplan, current adaptation theory is extended and practical recommendations made.EPSRC - grant reference number EP/L016095/

Why do autistic women develop restrictive eating disorders? Exploring social risk factors

This thesis seeks to understand why women with Autism Spectrum Disorder (‘autism’) are more likely to develop restrictive eating disorders (‘REDs’). Part 1 is a conceptual introduction exploring the wider topic. To start, I introduce key terms and explore current understanding of autism among females, including the notion of ‘social camouflaging’; the masking of autistic traits and imitation of social behaviours, common among autistic women. Next, I discuss issues around prevalence and diagnosis of autism among those with REDs and the experience of eating disorder treatment for autistic individuals. Finally, a comprehensive review of the literature, outlining the multiple factors which might increase the likelihood of autistic women developing REDs, is presented. Part 2 documents an empirical study investigating the specific role of social risk factors for autistic women with REDs. It is hypothesised that difficulties gaining acceptance from others increases the likelihood of autistic women to perceive themselves as inferior. Moreover, that autistic women who attempt to ‘fit in’ through social camouflaging, are more vulnerable to such risk factors. Two groups of autistic women, with and without REDs, are compared on measures of social comparison, submissive behaviour, fear of negative evaluation and social camouflaging. Autistic women with REDs are found to compare themselves as significantly more inferior than autistic women without REDs. The clinical implications of the findings are discussed. Part 3 of the thesis is a critical appraisal which describes personal reflections on the research process, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and suggestions for future research

I promise this is my favorite brand! A digital ethnography of the person-as-brand as expressed in sponsored, affiliate, and non-sponsored beauty videos on YouTube

This digital ethnographic study explored branding principles as portrayed in sponsored, affiliate, and non-sponsored video content created by three YouTube beauty influencers. Utilizing Aaker\u27s (1996) model of brand identity, suggestions for how digital influencers can effectively expand their presence through monetization activities with brands, as well as keep their standing in a digital community, are explored

Some Remarks on the Pade Unitarization of Low-Energy Amplitudes

We present a critical analysis of Pade-based methods for the unitarization of low energy amplitudes. We show that the use of certain Pade Approximants to describe the resonance region may lead to inaccurate determinations. In particular, we find that in the Linear Sigma Model the unitarization of the low energy amplitude through the inverse amplitude method produces essentially incorrect results for the mass and width of the sigma. Alternative sequences of Pades are studied and we find that the diagonal sequences (i.e., [N/N]) have much better convergence properties.Comment: 12 pages, 4 fig

"I am made by her, and undone" : mother-son relationships in confessional and post-confessional lyric

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Biblos in New Zealand

publication-status: PublishedWhen we completed Phase Three of the Biblos Project we had clearly established that how young people perceive biblical narrative relates to their cultural situation: home and family; faith community (if any); school curriculum – whether it includes or excludes biblical narrative and how such narrative is presented. How young people view biblical narrative relates potentially even to national or international trends such as secularisation. After eight years of UK-based research it was therefore very desirable to explore in as similar a way as possible the situation of young people and biblical narrative in a different, but still English-speaking, culture. We chose New Zealand as our first international comparison. Culture and language differences between the UK and New Zealand mean that some comparisons cannot be made – but others can. This report carries the results of that investigation. We believe it will be of use both to researchers and faith communities in New Zealand and also in the UK as we seek to explore how, in a shrinking world, young people experience and perceive these archetypal narratives which themselves emanate from another culture and another world.The Hockerill Educational Foundatio

The ethnic density effect in psychosis: a systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis

Background: An 'ethnic' or 'group' density effect in psychosis has been observed, whereby the risk of psychosis in minority group individuals is inversely related to neighbourhood-level proportions of others belonging to the same group. However, there is conflicting evidence over whether this effect differs between minority groups and limited investigation into other moderators. Aims: To conduct a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of the group density effect in psychosis and examine moderators. Method: Four databases were systematically searched. A narrative review was conducted and a three-level meta-analysis was performed. The potential moderating effect of crudely and specifically defined minority groups was assessed. Country, time, area size and whether studies used clinical or non-clinical outcomes were also tested as moderators. Results: Thirty-two studies were included in the narrative review and ten in the meta-analysis. A 10 percentage-point decrease in own-group density was associated with a 20% increase in psychosis risk (OR = 1.20, 95% CI 1.09-1.32, P < 0.001). This was moderated by crudely defined minority groups (F-6,F-68 = 6.86, P < 0.001), with the strongest associations observed in Black populations, followed by a White Other sample. Greater heterogeneity was observed when specific minority groups were assessed (F-25,F-49 = 7.26, P < 0.001). Conclusions: This is the first review to provide meta-analytic evidence that the risk of psychosis posed by lower own-group density varies across minority groups, with the strongest associations observed in Black individuals. Heterogeneity in effect sizes may reflect distinctive social experiences of specific minority groups. Potential mechanisms are discussed, along with the implications of findings and suggestions for future research

Female teat size is a reliable indicator of annual breeding success in European badgers: Genetic validation

Assessing which females have bred successfully is a central requirement in many ecological field studies, providing an estimate of the effective female population size. Researchers have applied teat measurements previously to assess whether females, in a variety of mammalian species, have bred; however, this technique has not been validated genetically. Furthermore, several analytical techniques are available to classify individuals, but their misclassification rates have not been compared. We used 22 microsatellite loci to assign maternity, with 95% confidence, within a high-density population of European badgers Meles meles, as plural and subterranean breeding means that maternity cannot be inferred from behavioural observations. The teat lengths and diameters of 136 females, measured May–July 1994–2005, from social groups in which all offspring were assigned a mother, were reliable indicators of recent breeding success. A Generalised Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) classified both breeding and non-breeding females with lower error rates than discriminant analyses and crude teat-size criteria. The GLMM model logit probability = −20 + 1.8 month + 1.6 mean teat length + 1.0 mean teat diameter can be applied quickly in the field to assess the probability with which a female badger should be assigned maternity. This is a low-cost measure which, after validation, could be used in other badger or mammalian populations to assess the breeding success of females. This may be a particularly useful welfare tool for veterinary practitioners, especially during badger culls