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Get PDFThis book is for higher and further education tutors who wish to build on their experience, and deliver exciting and accessible classroom techniques and practices that are highly interactive, creative, and engaging to help further the teaching of sustainability.RKT16/0
Topology of a Home: A Phenomenological Inquiry into the Nature of Dwelling
Get PDFTopology of a Home: A Phenomenological Inquiry into the Nature of Dwelling is a photographic investigation of dwelling and habitation based on my encounter with, and return to, urban and rural locations in the United Kingdom and Thailand. These investigations consider, in phenomenological terms, notions that are related to the ways in which photographs establish how human presence is embodied in space and place. Phenomenology can be comprehended as a description of everyday existence as it shows itself to us. The thesis explores the concept of Being (Dasein) as established by German philosopher Martin Heidegger. Heidegger’s concept of Dasein plays a pivotal role in my thesis leading to an understanding of the relationship between Beings who temporally exist in space, and inhabit a place. In Heideggerian terms, Dasein is understood as the essential rootedness of man.
The thesis explores the question: What is the relationship between Being-in-the-world and Dwelling? It also puts forward the important claim that the practice of photography itself —the taking and making of photographs—can be understood as a modality of dwelling. To support this claim, I draw from the work of British anthropologist Tim Ingold. The photographic practice has become my means of dwelling and the six bodies of photographs which comprise this thesis set out to determine this. Many of the themes explored in images, and which are discussed in the thesis, are cyclical. Accordingly, there is a deliberate use of overlapping of ideas across different projects and these are revealed in the six chapters and their corresponding photographic portfolios.
Chapters One, Two, and Three describe how the photographic trace manifests a chronology of dwelling in sites located in a Northeast province of Thailand and the United Kingdom. Chapters Four and Five evaluate my response to the SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus pandemic and unpack the following scenario: What is the effect of dwelling when a global pandemic suspends movement and isolates individuals? Chapter Six draws everything together highlighting how the photographic practice forefronts my research as a means of dwelling. The themes in this final chapter represent a return to the things themselves, a claim first put forward by Austrian-German philosopher Edmund Husserl when he stated that in order to be able to carry out a phenomenological analysis of the lifeworld that we inhabit: “meanings … are not enough: we must go back to the things themselves [emphasis added]” (2001, p. 168). The thesis and supporting bodies of photographs also explores the claim that the nature of dwelling revolves around the complex relationship between the memories of our lifeworld housed in our mind, and the placement of the significant objects that are “bound up with the structure of Being which belongs to the ready-to-hand” (Heidegger, 1962, p. 135), in the sites we chose to dwell in and call home
Quaternary Hermitian self-dual codes of lengths 26, 32, 36, 38 and 40 from modifications of well-known circulant constructions
Get PDFThis version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review (when applicable) and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00200-022-00589-w]In this work, we give three new techniques for constructing Hermitian self-dual codes over commutative Frobenius rings with a non-trivial involutory automorphism using λ-circulant matrices. The new constructions are derived as modifications of various well-known circulant constructions of self-dual codes. Applying these constructions together with the building-up construction, we construct many new best known quaternary Hermitian self-dual codes of lengths 26, 32, 36, 38 and 40.UnfundedMediated submission at author's request - AAM not added to CR until 22/08/2024 by which point the embargo period had expired
UK Reproducibility Network Open and Transparent Research Practices Survey Dataset
Get PDFThe version of record of this article, first published in [Scientific Data], is available online at Publisher’s website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41597-024-03786-zOpenness and transparency in the research process are a prerequisite to the production of high quality research outputs. Efforts to maximise these features have substantially accelerated in recent years, placing open and transparent research practices at the forefront of funding and related priorities, and encouraging investment in resources and infrastructure to enable such practices. Despite these efforts, there has been no systematic documentation of current practices, infrastructure, or training and resources that support open and transparent research in the UK. To address this gap, we developed and conducted the Open and Transparent Research Practices survey, a large-scale audit study completed by research-active staff in UK research institutions to better understand existing practices, needs, support, and barriers faced when implementing open and transparent research. The data presented here capture responses from over 2,500 research-active staff based at 15 institutions affiliated with the UK Reproducibility Network. The data provide a snapshot of open research practices that can be used to identify barriers, training needs, and areas that require greater investments.Research England Development Fun
New binary self-dual codes of lengths 80, 84 and 96 from composite matrices
Get PDFThe version of record of this article, first published in [Designs, Codes and Cryptography], is available online at Publisher’s website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10623-021-00976-3In this work, we apply the idea of composite matrices arising from group rings to derive a number of different techniques for constructing self-dual codes over finite commutative Frobenius rings. By applying these techniques over different alphabets, we construct best known singly-even binary self-dual codes of lengths 80, 84 and 96 as well as doubly-even binary self-dual codes of length 96 that were not known in the literature before.Unfunde
Impact of multi-year analysis on the optimal sizing and control strategy of hybrid energy systems
Get PDF© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Grid-connected hybrid energy systems (HESs) represent a very promising option for addressing the problem of power outages worldwide. The selection of a suitable optimization approach and operational strategy are important aspects of the optimal design and operation of these HESs. This study aimed to find the optimal grid-connected PV/battery system sizes to supply electricity for a residential house in Karbala, Iraq, using two control strategies, load following (LF) and cycle charging (CC). The optimization was performed using HOMER software with and without the multi-year effects. The comparison analysis was carried out by considering the techno-economic and environmental performance of the feasible systems. The simulation results indicate that optimal configuration is achieved by using the CC strategy. Furthermore, the multi-year module affects the optimal results dramatically. Under the CC strategy, the multi-year effects increase the required PV size from 6 kW to 7 kW and the required number of batteries from 18 to 20, leading to an increase in the net present cost from 33,102 and a decrease in CO2 emissions from 7581 kg/year to 7379 kg/year. The results also show that the optimization results are highly affected by the variations of some critical parameters, such as solar radiation, average load, and battery degradation limits. The achievements indicate the higher effectiveness of the multi-year effects and control strategy on the optimal design of HESs.Al-Mustaqbal University College (grant code: 0122)
Burying the Enemy: The Story of Those who Cared for the Dead in Two World Wars
No full textThis book is not available on ChesterRepPerhaps surprisingly, local people embraced these graves, often caring for them with considerable tenderness. Tim Grady explores the history of this curious aspect of postwar community.“The Unwelcome Gravediggers”: War, Remembrance and the Unmaking of British-German Relations | Funder: Leverhulme Trus
The characteristics and variation of the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos home range
Get PDFSatellite tracking allows for novel investigations into golden eagle home range characteristics. Understanding home range characteristics is important for conservation and for assessing the potential impact of landscape changes from forest planting, wind farms, etc. Small sample sizes, inconsistent definitions and methods restricted several previous studies. Our study involved 69 resident tagged eagles with over one year of data across five Scottish regions. Home range size was estimated from 95% isopleth contours extracted from Utilisation Distributions. Above a small threshold, estimated range size was not affected by the number of records but at least one year of data is required, largely because of the breeding and non-breeding seasonal differences. There were no significant range size differences between birds tagged as range holders and those previously tagged as nestlings. Across four regions, with considerable intra-regional variation, planar 95% isopleths did not differ (medians, km2): Argyll 58.9, Northwest Highlands 61.7, Northeast Highlands 89.3, South of Scotland 91.9. Ranges in the isolated Outer Hebrides region were exceptionally small, at 24.0 km2. Estimated range area was usually reduced to 70–80% of the planar area when restricted to usable habitat, as estimated by the Golden Eagle Topography (GET) model. Applying measures of known unsuitable habitat (closed-canopy commercial forest and wind turbines) further reduced usable open land. Loss of otherwise suitable habitat was substantially due to commercial forest. Larger ranges had larger extents of suitable habitat (according to GET), with no apparent optimum of preferred GET habitat. Range size was not different across a year between the sexes. Breeding ranges were smaller, and females’ breeding ranges were much smaller than those of males, but larger than males’ ranges in the non-breeding season. Breeding attempt duration was probably also influential. Our study provides novel insights into golden eagle home range characteristics and can guide further research and practical applications.The funding of the tags and data download costs notably came from Natural Research, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Scottish Natural Heritage, Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, Ruth Tingay, Forest Enterprise Scotland (FES: now Forestry and Land Scotland), SSE, and the SSGEP. Test Driven Solutions sponsored the tagging of two range holders in Outer Hebrides, and Vattenfall funded tagging of a pair in Argyll. Manuscript production was financially assisted by SSE under the research programme of the Regional Eagle Conservation Management Plan. For facilitating this continued support, we thank Jenny Chambers most recently. Despite this support, SSE had no influence or commentary in the production of the manuscript. The SSGEP was supported by the Heritage Fund, LEADER, NatureScot, RSPB, Scottish Land and Estates, Scottish Forestry, SOSE (South of Scotland Enterprise), Scottish Power Renewables, and Scottish Borders Council
Comparing the performance of statistical, machine learning, and deep learning algorithms to predict time-to-event: A simulation study for conversion to mild cognitive impairment
Get PDFMild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a condition characterized by a decline in cognitive abilities, specifically in memory, language, and attention, that is beyond what is expected due to normal aging. Detection of MCI is crucial for providing appropriate interventions and slowing down the progression of dementia. There are several automated predictive algorithms for prediction using time-to-event data, but it is not clear which is best to predict the time to conversion to MCI. There is also confusion if algorithms with fewer training weights are less accurate. We compared three algorithms, from smaller to large numbers of training weights: a statistical predictive model (Cox proportional hazards model, CoxPH), a machine learning model (Random Survival Forest, RSF), and a deep learning model (DeepSurv). To compare the algorithms under different scenarios, we created a simulated dataset based on the Alzheimer NACC dataset. We found that the CoxPH model was among the best-performing models, in all simulated scenarios. In a larger sample size (n = 6,000), the deep learning algorithm (DeepSurv) exhibited comparable accuracy (73.1%) to the CoxPH model (73%). In the past, ignoring heterogeneity in the CoxPH model led to the conclusion that deep learning methods are superior. We found that when using the CoxPH model with heterogeneity, its accuracy is comparable to that of DeepSurv and RSF. Furthermore, when unobserved heterogeneity is present, such as missing features in the training, all three models showed a similar drop in accuracy. This simulation study suggests that in some applications an algorithm with a smaller number of training weights is not disadvantaged in terms of accuracy. Since algorithms with fewer weights are inherently easier to explain, this study can help artificial intelligence research develop a principled approach to comparing statistical, machine learning, and deep learning algorithms for time-to-event predictions.Agentúra na podporu výskumu a vývoj
Rethinking Elvis
No full textAcademic accounts sometimes suggest that Graceland tourism began when Elvis’s mansion was opened to the public five years after his passing. Disputing such assertions, this chapter provides a comparatively inductive, “hidden history” of early fan visits to the Graceland gates. Its methodological approach is deliberate. Academic discussions about fan tourism are, whether consciously or not, often shaped by existing ideas and paradigms. Unless researchers inductively investigate, and increase the resolution of their scholarly gaze, they will not be able to make the distinctions that move our understanding beyond the unproductive myths and generalizations that can inform academic research as easily as they can shape commercial writing. Using historical evidence, the chapter shows that there were several overlapping eras defined by different types and scales of fan activity. These include an early phase exemplified by the disabled fan Gary Pepper, the development of intelligent networks, ritual bus tours and birthday celebrations, and finally a “massification” period associated with larger crowds and negative press stereotyping. The chapter suggests that the famous Graceland music gates physically separated the star and his fans, but they were not “prison gates.” Instead, the Graceland gates functioned as a kind of semi-permeable membrane, allowing ordinary visitors limited entry into Elvis’s world. To conclude, the piece suggests that gate vigils have now become “imagined memories” in guidebook accounts whose real participants have been made comparatively anonymous so that contemporary consumers can imagine themselves occupying the fortunate positions of the actual “gate people.”N/
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