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On the analysis of SRG(85, 14, 3, 2)
Get PDFWe investigate the second smallest unresolved feasible set of parameters of strongly regular graphs, (v,k,λ,µ) = (85,14,3,2). We start with the general properties of the 34dimensional Euclidean representation of such a graph G, and then focus on the special subgraphs called segments, which are edge complements in the local subgraphs of G. Since local subgraphs are cubic graphs of order 14, we utilize the available classification of all such cubic graphs. After enumerating possible segments, pairs of segments, and triples of segments, we concentrate on a configuration of four segments build around a maximal 3-clique of G. We enumerate all such configuration and eliminate them case by case, using both combinatorial and metric properties of G. Thus we show that there exists no strongly regular graph with parameters (85,14,3,2). The method we use is quite general and we hope that it can be applied in the future in other unresolved cases with small λ and µ
Indie aesthetic: a pathway towards the theorisation of emotion and affect in contemporary American independent cinema
Get PDFThis thesis combines an interest in film theory and philosophy to explore the multifaceted nature of the identity of contemporary American cinema. American independent cinema, specifically, has historically been viewed in terms of its contrast to Hollywood cinema, particularly in terms of narrative and stylistic differences. American independent cinema has evolved over the years, however—particularly since the emergence of ‘Indiewood’, and more recently, the rise in digital streaming platforms—thereby complicating the categorisation of films within the previously distinct cinema identities.
How then can contemporary independent cinema be understood, and what useful distinctions can be drawn between its identity and that of Hollywood? How can such distinctions be drawn? To answer these questions, the thesis aims to explore how the concept of Cognitive Film Theory can be understood in relation to the identity of cinema, specifically though cinema’s components, such as storytelling, narrative structure, aesthetics, and ideology. The thesis aims to showcase how Cognitive Film Theory—through the notions of Emotion and Affect—can serve as a useful way of understanding independent cinema in contemporary discourse. What does an engagement with film through the concepts of emotion and affect tell us about: (a) the way meaning is offered by the filmmaker, (b) the way films can be interpreted by an audience and (c) the cultural significance of such interpretations that ultimately serve to strengthen the identity of a specific cinema (d) how we might theorise emotion and affect in independent cinema, based on our understanding of a–c?
As the thesis begins to explore these questions across several chapters, it gradually guides the reader through some of the key issues and concepts in film studies. It also traces the historical developments of independent cinema and introduces some key films. The thesis also highlights key arguments surrounding the independent label and then moves to explore methods through which we might theorise the concepts of Emotion and Affect in contemporary independent cinema. The thesis does this as a way of asserting that through an in-depth exploration of Emotion and Affect—and through key components such as storytelling, narrative structure, aesthetics (including sound, editing, lighting), emotional engagement and ideology (including cultural and political representations) we can understand independent cinema in contemporary discourse.
By exploring the roles that Cognitive Film Theory plays in the perception, understanding and interpretation of films—through emotive and affective constructions in films—the thesis aims to make the argument that Cognitive Film Theory serves as the most effective way of differentiating ‘indie’ from Hollywood. The thesis investigates how, and to what extent, cognitive psychology and philosophy can be utilised to analyse the cognitive mechanisms of film, and by extension, a broader understanding of cinema identity as a medium of expression.
Several key issues are addressed throughout the thesis. To begin with, the intricate nature and definitions of several key terms used in the thesis are explored. Descriptors such as ‘Independent’, ‘Hollywood’, ‘Emotion’, ‘Affect’ and ‘Philosophy’ are isolated as being of key importance. This serves the purpose of limiting the thesis’ territory and avoiding any confusion to the reader. Furthermore, there are prospects that new definitions and approaches to understanding the way in which independent films can be understood, will be proffered by the end of the thesis. It is therefore crucial to distinguish working theories/definitions from newly proposed ones.
Much like Cognitive Film Theory, Ideology/ideological dimensions—as an approach to film studies—is shown to play a significant role in our understanding of film. Ideology is thence used as a framework in the thesis in two ways: firstly, it serves to highlight how ideological notions and perspectives can structure and influence our understanding and reading of film characters, themes, visual styles, and narratives. Secondly, it is adopted to showcase how ideological frameworks (such as gender, class, and political ideology) influence the way emotion and affect function in film. A range of theories, theorists and scholars are presented in this thesis—from the notion of cognitivism to formalism—through the works of Gilles Deleuze, Sigmund Freud, André Bazin, Noël Burch, Jeffrey Sconce, Carl Plantinga, and several others.
A key feature of the thesis includes a literature review which covers a wide range of concepts, theories, and issues in film studies. The thesis includes an in-depth discussion of contemporary American film industry and significant changes within the industry over the years. There are chapters which focus on both Independent and Hollywood cinema as well as Cognitive Film Theory. The thesis employs both independent and Hollywood case studies films, some of which are well established within film criticism. It also proposes new case study films in order to both demonstrate developments within American filmmaking and to establish the ways in which emotion and affect are offered in various film texts. In exploring film analysis, the thesis provides both vibrant and crucial illustrations, along with key terms so that the reader can be fully immersed in the thesis’ exploration of film.
Each chapter is written to explore specific subjects, such as ‘The Independent Film Culture’, ‘Concepts of Representation in Independent Cinema’ and ‘Emotional Sustainability in Films Directed by Nick Cassavetes’. A wide range of films are analysed and discussed in varying degree, and within the context of aesthetics, representation, ideology, emotion, and affect.
Finally, suggestions are made in the thesis’ conclusion for further research, reading and viewing, along with a comprehensive list of bibliography and filmography. The concluding chapter of the thesis offers a foundation for further research. It proposes that a new study could contextualise the viewing experience of film through the lens of political ideology. It would undoubtedly prove useful to explore how outside forces and institutions play a significant role in the audience’s interpretation of film. In other words, how could contemporary political culture be effective in shaping the emotional and affective experience of film (a process that would occur outside of the realms of the formal devices employed in a film, and outside the boundaries of the affective experiences within a cinematic space)?
The thesis will hopefully inspire other researchers in Film Studies by broadening approaches to interpreting films as well as deepening the understanding of cinema identity and representation through theoretical concepts. Such concepts highlight how an engagement with psychology, ideology and philosophy can serve as governing tools for identifying, understanding, interpreting, and valuing film texts
Crimes of passion and the making of modern intimate life in Twentieth-Century Britain
Get PDFThis thesis is the first history of the crime of passion in twentieth-century Britain. It demonstrates how the crime of passion, even if formally disavowed from English law, was a powerful and capacious way of understanding violence throughout the twentieth century. The crime of passion, it argues, shaped everyday attitudes towards the more difficult edges of modern intimate life. Murders ostensibly triggered by jealousy at infidelity, or rage at love gone wrong, stood at the fault-line between ideals of love which promised personal transformation and fulfilment, and the pain caused when this ideal never fully delivered on its promise.
The crime of passion was central to the operation of the English law and the British state. The thesis shows how public and official sympathy for those seen to have committed a crime of passion served to normalise almost exclusively male violence as an inevitable, if regrettable,
feature of the demanding task of managing disappointment in love. This was particularly important in shaping the decision-making of the British Home Office, even though politicians and civil servants overtly distanced their decisions from the language of the crime of passion.
The thesis is thus also the first sustained study of the Home Office’s responsibility for the royal prerogative of mercy in the twentieth century. It explores how institutions of state and law reaffirmed the inevitability of male violence, particularly when provoked by women’s ‘disreputable’ behaviour. One by-product of this process is a rich and unprecedented record of ordinary people managing the demands of modern love in their own words. Drawing on this material, the thesis offers a social history of intimate life, which recasts established chronologies on the emergence of ‘heterosexual’ and liberal sexual cultures. In so doing, this thesis also emphasises the centrality of male violence to modern ways of understanding desire, sexuality and selfhood
The experiences of deaf young people in higher education in Saudi Arabia
No full textThis qualitative research study sought to critically explore the experiences and inclusion of deaf young people in higher education (HE) in Saudi Arabia (SA). It specifically focused on investigating how well-supported deaf young people were in HE, how well-supported they were to transition into HE, how inclusive the environment was for them, and also how prepared they were to be independent learners in a HE setting.
The present study draws upon on a nested case study into the experiences of deaf young people, and the analysis is focused on semi-structured interviews, observation, and documentary evidence with 30 participants from three higher education institutions (HEIs) in Saudi Arabia, including deaf young people from these institutions, student support staff who work with deaf young people, academic staff, and lecturers. This research applied two interconnected theoretical models, in which they offered an in-depth comprehension of the process of personal development of deaf young people in HE in SA. The first model is the ‘bioecological model of human development’ (Bronfenbrenner, 1977), which provides a holistic perspective of their development, acknowledging their unique characteristics (e.g., the nature of hearing loss) and the context in which they sit (e.g., the HE environment in SA), including interpreting how their personal characteristics and prior life experiences can influence their experiences in higher education. The second is the ‘dual access model’ (McLinden and Douglas, 2014), which suggests an appropriate balance of inclusive access to HE ‘access to learning’, for example, through ensuring that the environment in which deaf young people are situated is structured in a way that promotes their learning and involves guided support, as well as supporting them to develop independence skills ‘learning to access’ (e.g., self-advocacy and access to technology).
The research study indicated that higher education institutions face intricate challenges with regards to making the necessary modifications that allow deaf young people to fully participate in HE. The study also found important policy factors, including barriers to access to higher education for deaf young people due to restricted opportunities and admission to specific institutions and majors. These undoubtedly demonstrate a lack of sufficient understanding of inclusive practice for deaf young people in HE institutions in Saudi Arabia that remains in stages of development and requires ongoing development to address many different challenges. The current research thus revealed the complexities of deaf young people's inclusive experiences in higher education. It might be argued that a part of their complexity was derived from poor transition support into higher education while they were in compulsory education. Therefore, the study used the findings to provide a set of suggested guidelines that intend to assist policy makers in Saudi Arabia and higher education providers in comprehending ways they can work effectively to promote an inclusive and beneficial experience for young people with disabilities, as well as guaranteeing that those learners receive the support they require to access and achieve success in learning
Cellulose-based bioink formulations for 3D bioprinting
Get PDFIn tissue engineering, although three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has emerged as a revolutionary technology for precise manufacture of living biomimetic scaffolds, challenges persist in fulfilling the technical requirements concerning the processability of bioink formulations (scaffold precursors), the desired mechanical properties in scaffolds, and the cell-guided functionality of the biomaterials. To surmount the technical constraints of 3D bioprinting, cellulose-composited, including microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) (width of 0.3-2 µm) and nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) (width of 30-100 nm), gelatin methacryloyl (G)/sodium alginate (A) bioink formulations were developed and constructed to cellulose-composited ionic-covalent entanglement (ICE) G/A hydrogel scaffolds.
Cellulose is proven to enhance the printability of G/A bioink formulation. Hydrogen bonds between cellulose and G/A impart a yield stress of the formulation, improving the stability of formulations before printing. The shear-induced orientation behaviours of MFC and NFC by hydrogen bond breaking can enhance the shear-thinning of G/A formulation, enabling it to smoothly pass through nozzles during printing. Also, due to the reformation of hydrogen bonds within cellulose network and between cellulose and G/A, cellulose introduces excellent thixotropy to G/A bioink and thus high recoverability after shear deformation, allowing it to maintain filament shape post-printing. MFC-composited G/A formulations with varying contents of MFC produce scaffolds with distinct printability indices under identical printing conditions, which can be explained by disparities in the yield stress and thixotropy among these formulations. The linear relationship between the layer numbers and the height of the 3D structure prepared by cellulose-composited G/A formulations can guide the building of complex structures with great shape fidelity.
Cellulose not only improves the macroscopic Young’s modulus of ICE hydrogel but also diversifies its microscopic Young’s modulus distributions, attributed to three different reinforcement types in hydrogel: cellulose network distributes energy evenly across the hydrogel; ICE network dissipates energy by ionic bonds breaking; synergy of fibril network and ICE G/A dissipates energy by hydrogen bonds. The increases in MFC concentration and fibril size from NFC to MFC are all beneficial to the strength of cellulose network and synergy of cellulose and ICE. From the perspective of micromorphology, the mechanical enhancement of ICE hydrogel by cellulose is because cellulose fibril networks fill large pores in ICE hydrogel and concentrate pores in a small range of 25 to 50 micros, thus avoiding stress concentration.
While the mechanical properties of cellulose-composited ICE hydrogels are enhanced, the high water-holding capabilities (87.83 to 89.71%) are also maintained, which is vital for hydrogels to balance between mechanical and biological functions. Also, cellulose extends the half-life of ICE hydrogels in enzymatic biodegradation from less than 7 to 12 days, which contributes to the biostability of hydrogels for performing mechanical support functions in the initial stage. Moreover, cells elongate in bioprinted cellulose-composited ICE scaffolds after 14 days and proliferate significantly after 21 days. Meanwhile, porosities of scaffolds rise after 21 days due to hydrogel degradation. Thus, degradation process of cellulose-composited ICE hydrogel scaffolds aligns exceptionally well with tissue remodelling process. Furthermore, cellulose prolongs the half-life of ampicillin release process from hydrogels and changes drug release kinetics from diffusion-controlled to anomalous transport, which facilitates the controlled, gradual release of drugs within hydrogel systems.
Overall, cellulose, particularly MFC, demonstrates great potential in simultaneously improving the printability of bioink formulations, the mechanical properties, and the biological functionality of hydrogel scaffolds. This thesis provides meaningful guidance for designing bioprinted biomimetic scaffolds that more closely align with the extracellular matrix of human tissues
Rap lyrics are representative of the realities of real people: an abstract view of the commonalities in life between high-brow literature and explicit rap
Get PDFAbstract
This thesis comprises a creative portfolio of original short stories that combine social realism and magic realism, set largely in the West Midlands and taking influence, directly or indirectly, from contemporary rap lyrics. This is accompanied by a critical component which curates and analyses a selection of short stories by contemporary (largely 21st century) authors. Examples have been selected for their literary acclaim and achievements in combination with their thematic relevance to the creative portfolio.
‘Friday Black’ and ‘Zimmerland’ by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (from Friday Black, 2018), focus predominantly on materialism and the disregard of institutional racism and violence, while ‘Zimmerland’ explores the reality of race, and the value of some lives over others. ‘The Husband Stitch’ by Carmen Maria Machado (from Her Body & Other Parties’ 2017) delves into female consent, sexuality and gender inequality. ‘Waxy’ by Camila Grudova (from The Dolls Alphabet, 2017) is a bizarre account of child labour, rigorous rules for all females and constant praise and worship of all males. ‘Red Sultan’s Big Boy’ by Chuck Palahniuk (from Make Something Up, Stories You Can’t Unread, 2015) is a dark insight into sexual deviance, internet safety and how individuals place materials and money over life and moral exactitude. Finally, ‘Death is Not the End’ by David Foster-Wallace (from Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, 1999) is an intimate reflection on the literary life and the hope for life beyond death.
These close readings are placed in the context of the candidate’s own creative practice alongside lyrics from the following rap artists: Tupac Shakur, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Eminem, Nicki Minaj, Nas, Jay-z, Grand Master Flash, Lil Kim, 50 Cent, Scarface and Ice Cube. All of these are used to accentuate the correlation between two types of narrative, the short story and the lyric, and to further solidify the argument that rap lyrics should be treated with the same consideration as high-brow literature
Friendships and self-harm in young people: an exploration of lived experience and social mechanisms
Get PDFSelf-harm, or intentional self-injury and self-poisoning regardless of intent, is a key health concern among young people (NICE, 2023). Self-harm is intrinsically tied to its social context, of which friendships are an important aspect. Our understanding of social and friendship aspects of self-harm in young people is fragmented. Historically, the role, influence and impact of friends has been explored either as a source of risk for self-harm or protective factor, while the experiences of friends have rarely been considered. Friendships are reciprocal and mutual relationships in which friends influence one another, and should be studied accordingly. The present thesis considers the perspectives of young people who self-harm and friends of young people who self-harm, thereby extending our understanding of friendships in the context of self-harm from multiple perspectives.
Four studies were conducted for the present thesis using a sequential mixed-methods multi-informant approach. Chapter 3 presents a novel overview of existing knowledge around the relationship between friendships and self-harm in young people (11-25 years old) through a systematic review and narrative synthesis of the literature on a) young people who self-harm and b) friends of young people who self-harm. Chapter 4 presents a qualitative study of the experiences of young people who self-harmed in adolescence, with a particular emphasis on the importance, role and influence of friendships in their experiences of self-harm. Qualitative Chapter 5 focuses on the experiences of friends of young people who self-harmed during adolescence, highlighting their processes of sense-making, the importance and consequences of their supportive role for themselves, their friend and the friendship. Chapter 6 is a quantitative social network study which gathered longitudinal, temporally high-resolution data from a social network of adolescents to investigate causal relationships between supportive peer interactions and daily mood.
Overall, findings in this thesis enhance our understanding of the interrelated and complex nature of friendship and self-harm experiences, and their contribution to distinct outcomes among young people who self-harm and friends of young people who self-harm. Evidence suggests that young people who self-harm may be exposed to friends’ negative influence, yet they may also rely on friends for support. Friends hold a unique position and role as supporters, yet this may come at a personal cost. Self-harm represents a unique experience impacting friendships, whereby these acquire distinct meanings, characteristics and dynamics. Finally, the complex nature of peer social support is a key finding from the present thesis, emerging as a conduit for both protective and risk effects occurring at the individual, friend and friendship level. The evidence generated in this thesis proposes the careful integration of adolescent friends and friendships in self-harm research and intervention development. The developmental and potential clinical relevance of adolescent peer support in self-harm calls for expanding research in this direction
The Roman titles of the caliph in the seventh–eleventh centuries: a study of Byzantine terminology for the commander of the faithful
Get PDFBuilt on the foundations of the prophet Muhammad’s leadership, the Arabic-speaking Muslims established a continent-spanning empire in the seventh century with the figure of the caliph as their leader. Over centuries of diplomatic contact between the caliphate and their Greek-speaking Roman rivals in the west, a complex and multifaceted system of titles was developed for the caliph by the Romans. This thesis outlines the history of the Roman titles for the caliph, demonstrating how the Arabic titles khalifah and amir al-muminin were first created by the caliphs themselves, before being rendered into Greek by the Greek-speaking Christians living under the Caliphate. And from there, the reception of the titles within the Roman Empire itself, and the further elaboration by the court at Constantinople in the aid of maintaining diplomatic ties between the two empires. This thesis presents almost every title used by the Romans for the caliph between the seventh and eleventh centuries, categorising them into three separate classifications and explaining the history and context of each of these titles
Impedance modelling and stability analysis of power grid-connected inverter-based resources
Get PDFModern power systems are transitioning from synchronous generators dominated power systems to inverter-based resources (IBRs) dominated power systems. This change leads to low inertia and low fault current power systems, which tends to cause power system oscillations. Traditional modelling methods have the difficulty to capture the dynamic response of complex control systems. In addition, detailed white box models of inverters are generally unavailable due to commercial intellectual property and other commercial reasons. Therefore, impedance-based stability analysis has various applications for such black-box models.
This thesis aims at the development of methods and tools for the enhancement of the stability of power systems with a high proportion of renewable energy. This is to be achieved by development of a number of methods and tools, which include impedance modelling methods using measurements, impedance-based stability analysis method and tool with fast preliminary screening and detailed impedance-based stability theory, novel auxiliary phase-locked loop (PLL) control method to enhance to enlarge the stable boundary, stability enhancement by impedance tuning method using perturbation and observation, a data-driven automation method for clustering and aggregation of multiple operating point impedance models, and a data-driven automation method using a Bayesian optimisation method to determine stability boundary.
The two impedance-based modelling methods are implemented to demonstrate the characteristics of the interconnected power system. The impedance modelling method derived from state space equations is presented and the impedance modelling method based on measurements is also presented. Then they are compared, which indicates that the impedance model based on measurements can match the impedance model derived from state-space equations very well. Furthermore, several important concerns for practical applications are addressed and appropriate guidance is provided to obtain a highly accurate model via case study.
Based on the impedance model of the interconnected system, the impedance-based stability analysis is widely adopted to understand the system oscillation phenomenon normally caused by control interaction. A two-step screening method including multi-infeed impact factor (MIIF) and short circuit ratio (SCR) index are proposed in this thesis to identify the potential threats. If a risk is identified, then secondly a full-scale analysis is automated using an automation tool as a scripting tool. Hence, the systematic method, including preliminary screening and impedance-based stability theory, is proposed to trade off effort and accuracy.
Since the stability analysis is presented, the further actions on stability enhancement could be implemented. The information obtained from the state-space model is validated with simulations, revealing how the control parameters affect the impedance transfer function and eigenvalues. A novel auxiliary phase-locked loop (PLL) control method is proposed to enlarge the stable boundary of the operating points by impedance reshaping methods.
For the black box model, it would be a bit challenge to enhance the stability for inverter cause the inner control topology and parameters are unknown to the engineer. Therefore, the impedance tuning method using perturbation and observation is proposed for black-box model to enhance the stability. The changes in eigenvalue explain the effect of variable disturbance on stability. When the real part of eigenvalues decreases, the changes on parameters should be retained to enhance the stability.
The measurement-based impedance model is applicable for specific operating point and it could be different under multiple operating points. Giving tens of thousands of models for a power grid with multiple operating points and making these models available to equipment manufacturers and wind farmer developers/operators would be impractical. Such large amounts of data sets should be clustered and aggregated into a limited number of impedance models. Hence a data-driven automation method for clustering and aggregation of multiple operating point impedance models is proposed. A clustering method based on discrete Fréchet distance (DFD) is proposed to allocate impedance data to different groups. An aggregation method with data shift is proposed to reduce the data size and generate the aggregated transfer function. A data-driven toolbox for stability analysis is developed to make above process be automated and improve system efficiency.
The method of traversing all operating points to determine the system stability boundary is time-consuming, so a fast method for optimizing the stability operating range is needed. Data-driven automation method using a Bayesian optimisation method to determine stability boundary is proposed. Compared with grid search method, this data-driven method selects the next operating point to test based on the experience of previous operating points. The proposed Bayesian optimization method reduce the required number of frequency scan to find stable operating boundaries, especially with a large number of operating points. The user-friendly interface of the toolbox has been developed for engineers to use in a broader range of applications
The production effect in children learning modern standard Arabic vocabulary as an additional language
Get PDFThis thesis investigates the production effect (PE), a phenomenon where actively producing words (reading aloud, writing) leads to better learning compared to passive exposure (reading silently). While extensively studied in adults, the PE's impact on children's foreign language acquisition remains unclear. This research explores the influence of the PE on noun acquisition in child learners of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA).
A pilot study examined the Production Effect (PE) in 72 bilingual children aged 4-11 with basic Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) knowledge. Participants engaged in an online MSA word-learning task under two conditions: listening only and listening then repeating. Testing occurred immediately, 24 hours, and nine weeks after learning. This pilot study highlighted the need to control for age and language background in subsequent experiments. It also suggested exploring a broader range of learning conditions to capture potential differences in retention better. These insights informed the design adaptations made in Experiments 1 and 2.
Experiment 1 explored the PE using a larger set of 64 MSA words while controlling for age and language background. Participants (6-year-old bilingual children) learned new words in either listen-only or repeat conditions. Testing occurred immediately, one week later, and two weeks later. Delayed tests revealed an overall improvement in performance across both groups. However, the experiment did not show a significant effect of production.
Experiment 2 expanded the investigation by including a writing condition alongside listening and repeating. This experiment focused on 8-year-old bilingual children. Testing was conducted immediately after learning, one week later, and two weeks later. The writing condition significantly enhanced retention and recall, particularly in delayed tests. These findings suggest that the PE's learning effects on children's MSA word acquisition are moderated by various factors, including age of the learners, the specific learning materials and the length of time between learning and testing.
Overall, this thesis contributes to understanding the PE in children's additional language learning. The results highlight the potential benefits of writing as a production mechanism in enhancing vocabulary learning in MSA children. The research also identifies factors influencing the effectiveness of the PE, paving the way for further investigation in the field of learning mechanisms and the development of more effective pedagogical approaches
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