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The impact of micro-finance on long-run economic growth
Get PDFMicro-finance, banking and financial services to the poor, is a highly debated global phenomenon introduced by Nobel Prize Winner Dr Mohammad Yunus of Bangladesh in the 1970s. Dr Yunus has proven that the poor are in fact sufficiently responsible to manage credit and repay loans on time. The aims of micro-finance are to improve the borrowers' standard of living, education, nutrition, health and so forth.;According to the United Nations, 2005 was the International Year of Micro-finance. Since then, micro-finance has been shown to be an efficient and compelling economic tool for the poor sector of an economy where access to formal financial services is restricted. It demonstrates that access to efficient provision of micro-finance can empower the poor to smooth their consumption, better manage their risks, build up their own assets, develop their small and medium-sized enterprises, increase their income earning capacity, and improve their standard of living.;This study investigates the relationship between Real Per Capita growth rate and standard growth determinants, conventional finance and micro-finance determinants in a sample of 124 countries over the period 1995-2013. The data on growth and conventional finance variables were collected from the World Bank Indicators, Barro-Lee database, Beck & Demirgüç-Kunt database and International Financial Statistics database, and the micro-finance data were collected from the Micro-finance Exchange (MIX) market.;The basic estimation technique, Ordinary Least Square (OLS) is applied; this study uses the initial values of variables as well as the averages of the variables. This study provides empirical evidence as to the impact of conventional finance and micro-finance determinants on economic growth. The results suggest that conventional finance indicators, i.e. liquid liabilities to GDP and domestic credit provided by the financial sector, and micro-finance variables, i.e. gross loan portfolio and active borrowers, have impacts on economic growth.Micro-finance, banking and financial services to the poor, is a highly debated global phenomenon introduced by Nobel Prize Winner Dr Mohammad Yunus of Bangladesh in the 1970s. Dr Yunus has proven that the poor are in fact sufficiently responsible to manage credit and repay loans on time. The aims of micro-finance are to improve the borrowers' standard of living, education, nutrition, health and so forth.;According to the United Nations, 2005 was the International Year of Micro-finance. Since then, micro-finance has been shown to be an efficient and compelling economic tool for the poor sector of an economy where access to formal financial services is restricted. It demonstrates that access to efficient provision of micro-finance can empower the poor to smooth their consumption, better manage their risks, build up their own assets, develop their small and medium-sized enterprises, increase their income earning capacity, and improve their standard of living.;This study investigates the relationship between Real Per Capita growth rate and standard growth determinants, conventional finance and micro-finance determinants in a sample of 124 countries over the period 1995-2013. The data on growth and conventional finance variables were collected from the World Bank Indicators, Barro-Lee database, Beck & Demirgüç-Kunt database and International Financial Statistics database, and the micro-finance data were collected from the Micro-finance Exchange (MIX) market.;The basic estimation technique, Ordinary Least Square (OLS) is applied; this study uses the initial values of variables as well as the averages of the variables. This study provides empirical evidence as to the impact of conventional finance and micro-finance determinants on economic growth. The results suggest that conventional finance indicators, i.e. liquid liabilities to GDP and domestic credit provided by the financial sector, and micro-finance variables, i.e. gross loan portfolio and active borrowers, have impacts on economic growth
Searching for Phoebe : a collection of ekphrastic poetry on Phoebe Anna Traquair with a reflection on developing a feminist ekphrasis
No full textSearching for Phoebe consists of two parts: first, a collection of ekphrastic poems responding to the artwork and life of Scottish Arts and Crafts artist Phoebe Anna Traquair (1852-1936) followed by a reflection on the development of feminist ekphrasis. The poems aim to re-present Traquair, her art and her historical narrative that faded through history. To encourage further viewing of the art objects, some poems feature footnotes and/or reference to the Appendix of Images.The reflection analyses the theory that influenced the poetry collection, which includes studies of Victorian life writing, the formation of women's identities and approaches used to build a feminist ekphrasisSearching for Phoebe consists of two parts: first, a collection of ekphrastic poems responding to the artwork and life of Scottish Arts and Crafts artist Phoebe Anna Traquair (1852-1936) followed by a reflection on the development of feminist ekphrasis. The poems aim to re-present Traquair, her art and her historical narrative that faded through history. To encourage further viewing of the art objects, some poems feature footnotes and/or reference to the Appendix of Images.The reflection analyses the theory that influenced the poetry collection, which includes studies of Victorian life writing, the formation of women's identities and approaches used to build a feminist ekphrasi
Prosperity and slums : a dynamic trajectory for positive development
Get PDFThis thesis was previously held under moratorium from 15th February 2019 until 23rd November 2020.Slums and their management are a phenomenon as old as cities. For Developing Region cities, slums present a challenge in maintaining inclusivity and sustainability, which the United Nations considers to be a fundamental human right and essential for fulfilling sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda. On-going slum intervention approaches are inadequate in providing desired outcomes. Limitations involve overcoming negative perceptions with non-inclusive and ineffective approaches, and comprehensively understanding slums' complex social, spatial, and environmental dynamics. Interestingly, as illustrated in this thesis, slums and cities are linked through continuously evolving patterns of growth that are demographic and responsive to cities' structural vitality, which is focused on prosperity. Furthermore, there is potential to streamline slum improvement with that of cities and their prosperity, and for slums to contribute to such urban improvement endeavour when, however, what it means to prosper is clarified and detailed. This thesis recognises that definitions of slums, just like the strategies employed to address them in cities follow trends. It seeks to provide a comprehensive framework to define any slum as it exists in the city for effective intervention, and to re-formulate slums' roles, while managing them, in cities' broader progress through prosperity pursuit. The Slum Property Map (SPM) is proposed to provide an organised and rigorous way of comprehensively describing slums and developing a narrative that defines them and their existence in the city. It is developed as a non-exclusive, structured, dynamic framework and a reliable heuristic following on an integrated ontological and cognitive research and expansive literature analysis. The proposed theory for prosperity tries to simplify perceptions of the concept through an analytical synthesis of relevant theories. It shows how our existential pursuits with and within lived spaces through time can provide an operative view and a model for prosperity. Ultimately, the Slum-Prosperity Framework (SPF) is proposed as an actionable slum intervention framework, with assistive and conceptual tools for stakeholder implementation. It is conceived to help them identify and invest in most effective pathways for improvement and prosperity through streamlined, flexible, responsive (to comprehensively defined slum), and progressive actions. The SPF's development framework, while conceptual and approximate, with relevant expert validation provides a robust base for practical advancement, especially with institutional and expert collaboration. This thesis is motivated by the researcher's past experiences regarding slums and set to contribute to proactive and inclusive global urban improvement: for every challenge presented there can emerge novel and creative possibilities for engagement once the details of these challenges are closely examined and understood.Slums and their management are a phenomenon as old as cities. For Developing Region cities, slums present a challenge in maintaining inclusivity and sustainability, which the United Nations considers to be a fundamental human right and essential for fulfilling sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda. On-going slum intervention approaches are inadequate in providing desired outcomes. Limitations involve overcoming negative perceptions with non-inclusive and ineffective approaches, and comprehensively understanding slums' complex social, spatial, and environmental dynamics. Interestingly, as illustrated in this thesis, slums and cities are linked through continuously evolving patterns of growth that are demographic and responsive to cities' structural vitality, which is focused on prosperity. Furthermore, there is potential to streamline slum improvement with that of cities and their prosperity, and for slums to contribute to such urban improvement endeavour when, however, what it means to prosper is clarified and detailed. This thesis recognises that definitions of slums, just like the strategies employed to address them in cities follow trends. It seeks to provide a comprehensive framework to define any slum as it exists in the city for effective intervention, and to re-formulate slums' roles, while managing them, in cities' broader progress through prosperity pursuit. The Slum Property Map (SPM) is proposed to provide an organised and rigorous way of comprehensively describing slums and developing a narrative that defines them and their existence in the city. It is developed as a non-exclusive, structured, dynamic framework and a reliable heuristic following on an integrated ontological and cognitive research and expansive literature analysis. The proposed theory for prosperity tries to simplify perceptions of the concept through an analytical synthesis of relevant theories. It shows how our existential pursuits with and within lived spaces through time can provide an operative view and a model for prosperity. Ultimately, the Slum-Prosperity Framework (SPF) is proposed as an actionable slum intervention framework, with assistive and conceptual tools for stakeholder implementation. It is conceived to help them identify and invest in most effective pathways for improvement and prosperity through streamlined, flexible, responsive (to comprehensively defined slum), and progressive actions. The SPF's development framework, while conceptual and approximate, with relevant expert validation provides a robust base for practical advancement, especially with institutional and expert collaboration. This thesis is motivated by the researcher's past experiences regarding slums and set to contribute to proactive and inclusive global urban improvement: for every challenge presented there can emerge novel and creative possibilities for engagement once the details of these challenges are closely examined and understood
Novel applications of magnesium base systems in preparative organic chemistry and asymmetric synthesis
Get PDFDuring this research project the synthesis of sp³-rich azepanes was envisioned using our asymmetric deprotonation strategy as a key step build in chirality. First a series of chiral enol phosphates were prepared in good to high yields with high enantioselectivities (up to 99:1) using a C₂-symmetric magnesium base developed in the Kerr group. Thereafter a series of trisubstituted alkenes were synthesized by a cross coupling strategy using phenylmagnesium bromide and to our delight, after a detailed optimisation, the desired products were obtained with high to excellent yields. The scope of the nucleophilic coupling partner was also successfully expanded for primary and secondary alkyl Grignard reagents, which are known to be more challenging coupling partners and the desired products were obtained in high to excellent yields. When the primary alkyl cross coupled products were used as substrates the desired 7-membered azepanes were obtained after a one pot ozonolysis-reductive amination sequence, with good yields and high ers in a diastereoselective manner. Neither in the cross coupling step nor in the tandem ozonolysis-reductive amination erosion of the enantioselectivity was not observed. In the case of the secondary and aryl coupled products, with identical conditions the ring closure does not occur, and the corresponding aliphatic ε-amino ketones could be obtained with moderate to good yields in an enantiomerically enriched fashion. Further optimisation of the reaction conditions allowed us to prepare the desired chiral azepanes even with these challenging substrates.In parallel with this a series of conformationally locked cyclobutanones were synthesised and desymmetrised with a C₂-symmetric magnesium base, developed in our group. The enol phophates were isolated with significantly lower enantiomeric ratios (57:43 to 59:41) than the previously reported values (95:5 to 99:1). In order to explain the observed differences a Kumada coupling reaction was developed for the cross coupling of enol phosphates with phenylmagnesium bromide. The products were obtained in moderate to high yields and separation of these products revealed that the enantioselectivity of the products was identified incorrectly previously. In addition the structure of the C₂-symmetric magnesium base was also investigated by DOSY NMR and revealed that under standard conditions a mixed alkylmagnesium amide forms instead of the previously assumed bisamide. With these results in hand, a novel mixed magnesium amide system was identified computationally as an efficient base, for the asymmetric deprotonation of cyclobutanones. Finally, the desired amine was prepared through a three step synthetic sequence.During this research project the synthesis of sp³-rich azepanes was envisioned using our asymmetric deprotonation strategy as a key step build in chirality. First a series of chiral enol phosphates were prepared in good to high yields with high enantioselectivities (up to 99:1) using a C₂-symmetric magnesium base developed in the Kerr group. Thereafter a series of trisubstituted alkenes were synthesized by a cross coupling strategy using phenylmagnesium bromide and to our delight, after a detailed optimisation, the desired products were obtained with high to excellent yields. The scope of the nucleophilic coupling partner was also successfully expanded for primary and secondary alkyl Grignard reagents, which are known to be more challenging coupling partners and the desired products were obtained in high to excellent yields. When the primary alkyl cross coupled products were used as substrates the desired 7-membered azepanes were obtained after a one pot ozonolysis-reductive amination sequence, with good yields and high ers in a diastereoselective manner. Neither in the cross coupling step nor in the tandem ozonolysis-reductive amination erosion of the enantioselectivity was not observed. In the case of the secondary and aryl coupled products, with identical conditions the ring closure does not occur, and the corresponding aliphatic ε-amino ketones could be obtained with moderate to good yields in an enantiomerically enriched fashion. Further optimisation of the reaction conditions allowed us to prepare the desired chiral azepanes even with these challenging substrates.In parallel with this a series of conformationally locked cyclobutanones were synthesised and desymmetrised with a C₂-symmetric magnesium base, developed in our group. The enol phophates were isolated with significantly lower enantiomeric ratios (57:43 to 59:41) than the previously reported values (95:5 to 99:1). In order to explain the observed differences a Kumada coupling reaction was developed for the cross coupling of enol phosphates with phenylmagnesium bromide. The products were obtained in moderate to high yields and separation of these products revealed that the enantioselectivity of the products was identified incorrectly previously. In addition the structure of the C₂-symmetric magnesium base was also investigated by DOSY NMR and revealed that under standard conditions a mixed alkylmagnesium amide forms instead of the previously assumed bisamide. With these results in hand, a novel mixed magnesium amide system was identified computationally as an efficient base, for the asymmetric deprotonation of cyclobutanones. Finally, the desired amine was prepared through a three step synthetic sequence
Optimisation and control of ion acceleration in intense laser-foil interactions
Get PDFThis thesis reports on experimental and numerical investigations of ion acceleration driven by the interaction of short, ultra-intense (> 1020 Wcm-2), linearly polarised pulses of laser light with thin foil targets. Four investigations were performed to explore various aspects of the acceleration and the physics underpinning potential applications of these sources.;The first investigation explores a hybrid scheme of radiation pressure-sheath acceleration, enhanced by relativistic transparency at an optimum foil thickness. Efficient proton acceleration with energies exceeding 94 MeV is achieved. The range of parameters over which this hybrid scenario occurs is discussed, and implications for ion acceleration driven by next-generation, multi-PW laser facilities are explored.;The second investigation concerns the diagnosis of the highly transient electric field responsible for ion acceleration in the target normal sheath acceleration (TNSA) regime. High resolution, temporally-resolved measurements of the field evolution are obtained using proton deectometry.;In the third investigation, a laser generated proton beam is used to heat and preexpand the rear-surface of a secondary foil. This target is then irradiated by a second laser pulse, with the resultant proton beam spatial-intensity distribution measured. For an increasingly expanded target the maximum proton energy, overall number of accelerated protons and the size of the proton beam consistently decreases. A simple analytical model describing the expansion behaviour is developed.;In the final investigation, initial steps towards proton focusing for the purposes of proton fast ignition (PFI) using novel conical targets are addressed. Clear focusing is observed for an open-tipped conical target. These beams are used to isochorically heat copper, with the X-ray emission imaged. Finally, in order to close in on a realistic PFI scenario, the effects of an external plasma surrounding the cone is explored.This thesis reports on experimental and numerical investigations of ion acceleration driven by the interaction of short, ultra-intense (> 1020 Wcm-2), linearly polarised pulses of laser light with thin foil targets. Four investigations were performed to explore various aspects of the acceleration and the physics underpinning potential applications of these sources.;The first investigation explores a hybrid scheme of radiation pressure-sheath acceleration, enhanced by relativistic transparency at an optimum foil thickness. Efficient proton acceleration with energies exceeding 94 MeV is achieved. The range of parameters over which this hybrid scenario occurs is discussed, and implications for ion acceleration driven by next-generation, multi-PW laser facilities are explored.;The second investigation concerns the diagnosis of the highly transient electric field responsible for ion acceleration in the target normal sheath acceleration (TNSA) regime. High resolution, temporally-resolved measurements of the field evolution are obtained using proton deectometry.;In the third investigation, a laser generated proton beam is used to heat and preexpand the rear-surface of a secondary foil. This target is then irradiated by a second laser pulse, with the resultant proton beam spatial-intensity distribution measured. For an increasingly expanded target the maximum proton energy, overall number of accelerated protons and the size of the proton beam consistently decreases. A simple analytical model describing the expansion behaviour is developed.;In the final investigation, initial steps towards proton focusing for the purposes of proton fast ignition (PFI) using novel conical targets are addressed. Clear focusing is observed for an open-tipped conical target. These beams are used to isochorically heat copper, with the X-ray emission imaged. Finally, in order to close in on a realistic PFI scenario, the effects of an external plasma surrounding the cone is explored
Wideband data-independent beamforming for subarrays
Get PDFThe desire to operate large antenna arrays for e.g. RADAR applications over a wider frequency range is currently limited by the hardware, which due to weight, cost and size only permits complex multipliers behind each element. In contrast, wideband processing would have to rely on tap delay lines enabling digital filters for every element.As an intermediate step, in this thesis we consider a design where elements are grouped into subarrays, within which elements are still individually controlled by narrowband complex weights, but where each subarray output is given a tap delay line or finite impulse response digital filter for further wideband processing. Firstly, this thesis explores how a tap delay line attached to every subarray can be designed as a delay-and-sum beamformer. This filter is set to realised a fractional delay design based on a windowed sinc function. At the element level, we show that designing a narrowband beam w.r.t. a centre frequency of wideband operation is suboptimal,and suggest an optimisation technique that can yield sufficiently accurate gain over a frequency band of interest for an arbitrary look direction, which however comes at the cost of reduced aperture efficiency, as well as significantly increased sidelobes. We also suggest an adaptive method to enhance the frequency characteristic of a partial wideband array design, by utilising subarrays pointing in different directions in different frequency bands - resolved by means of a filter bank - to adaptively suppress undesired components in the beam patterns of the subarrays. Finally, the thesis proposes a novel array design approach obtained by rotational tiling of subarrays such that the overall array aperture is densely constructed from the same geometric subarray by rotation and translation only. Since the grating lobes of differently oriented subarrays do not necessarily align, an effective grating lobe attenuation w.r.t. the main beam is achieved. Based on a review of findings from geometry,a number of designs are highlight and transformed into numerical examples, and the theoretically expected grating lobe suppression is compared to uniformly spaced arrays.Supported by a number of models and simulations, the thesis thus suggests various numerical and hardware design techniques, mainly the addition of tap-delay-line per subarray and some added processing overhead, that can help to construct a large partial wideband array close in wideband performance to currently existing hardware.The desire to operate large antenna arrays for e.g. RADAR applications over a wider frequency range is currently limited by the hardware, which due to weight, cost and size only permits complex multipliers behind each element. In contrast, wideband processing would have to rely on tap delay lines enabling digital filters for every element.As an intermediate step, in this thesis we consider a design where elements are grouped into subarrays, within which elements are still individually controlled by narrowband complex weights, but where each subarray output is given a tap delay line or finite impulse response digital filter for further wideband processing. Firstly, this thesis explores how a tap delay line attached to every subarray can be designed as a delay-and-sum beamformer. This filter is set to realised a fractional delay design based on a windowed sinc function. At the element level, we show that designing a narrowband beam w.r.t. a centre frequency of wideband operation is suboptimal,and suggest an optimisation technique that can yield sufficiently accurate gain over a frequency band of interest for an arbitrary look direction, which however comes at the cost of reduced aperture efficiency, as well as significantly increased sidelobes. We also suggest an adaptive method to enhance the frequency characteristic of a partial wideband array design, by utilising subarrays pointing in different directions in different frequency bands - resolved by means of a filter bank - to adaptively suppress undesired components in the beam patterns of the subarrays. Finally, the thesis proposes a novel array design approach obtained by rotational tiling of subarrays such that the overall array aperture is densely constructed from the same geometric subarray by rotation and translation only. Since the grating lobes of differently oriented subarrays do not necessarily align, an effective grating lobe attenuation w.r.t. the main beam is achieved. Based on a review of findings from geometry,a number of designs are highlight and transformed into numerical examples, and the theoretically expected grating lobe suppression is compared to uniformly spaced arrays.Supported by a number of models and simulations, the thesis thus suggests various numerical and hardware design techniques, mainly the addition of tap-delay-line per subarray and some added processing overhead, that can help to construct a large partial wideband array close in wideband performance to currently existing hardware
Modelling mobility disability in musculoskeletal disorders : a theory-driven evaluation of self-management and disability frameworks in chronic disease
Get PDFBackground: Chronic disease is associated with aging and the average age of many Western populations is steadily increasing. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) defines disability as behaviour, allowing for the application of behavioural models to the study of disability as well as interventions to affect behaviour change. Results of behavioural inerventions in chronic disease often produce heterogenous results and therefore, N-of-1 designs may be a useful way of testing such interventions in patients with chronic illness. Existing behavioural models must be tested on an individual level to allow for their application to intervention development on an individual level. The present thesis aimed to address these issues. Methods: Two studies were conducted. First, a systematic review and meta-analysis of self-management interventions for rheumatoid and osteoarthritis was carried out. Based on the findings that results from the reviewed group studies were heterogenous and that goal-setting and action planning were the most commonly applied self-management intervention techniques, the first study was a randomised, controlled series of N-of-1s testing the effect of a simple goal-setting and action planning intervention on physical activity (PA) within and between healthy individuals and those with chronic pain. The second study was a series of four N-of-1 trials testing a combined ICF/cognitions and a combined ICF/emotions model of disability in participants with arthritis. Results: Interventions employing self-management techniques positively affect outcomes in rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, but guidelines regarding core outcomes and measures are required along with clearer reporting of intervention content, potentially with the aid of taxonomies. A randomised, controlled series of N-of-1s was found to be a feasible method of testing a simple behavioural intervention. Goal-setting and action planning did not affect PA in healthy or chronic pain participants overall, but results varied between individuals. Longitudinal N-of-1s identified cognitions as the most effective predictors of PA behaviour in people with arthritis. Both combined models were feasibly and affectively applied at the individual level and were better at predicting behaviour than ICF constructs alone. Discussion: The findings of the present thesis have important implications for reporting methods and intervention design in health psychology and personalised behavioural medicine.Background: Chronic disease is associated with aging and the average age of many Western populations is steadily increasing. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) defines disability as behaviour, allowing for the application of behavioural models to the study of disability as well as interventions to affect behaviour change. Results of behavioural inerventions in chronic disease often produce heterogenous results and therefore, N-of-1 designs may be a useful way of testing such interventions in patients with chronic illness. Existing behavioural models must be tested on an individual level to allow for their application to intervention development on an individual level. The present thesis aimed to address these issues. Methods: Two studies were conducted. First, a systematic review and meta-analysis of self-management interventions for rheumatoid and osteoarthritis was carried out. Based on the findings that results from the reviewed group studies were heterogenous and that goal-setting and action planning were the most commonly applied self-management intervention techniques, the first study was a randomised, controlled series of N-of-1s testing the effect of a simple goal-setting and action planning intervention on physical activity (PA) within and between healthy individuals and those with chronic pain. The second study was a series of four N-of-1 trials testing a combined ICF/cognitions and a combined ICF/emotions model of disability in participants with arthritis. Results: Interventions employing self-management techniques positively affect outcomes in rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, but guidelines regarding core outcomes and measures are required along with clearer reporting of intervention content, potentially with the aid of taxonomies. A randomised, controlled series of N-of-1s was found to be a feasible method of testing a simple behavioural intervention. Goal-setting and action planning did not affect PA in healthy or chronic pain participants overall, but results varied between individuals. Longitudinal N-of-1s identified cognitions as the most effective predictors of PA behaviour in people with arthritis. Both combined models were feasibly and affectively applied at the individual level and were better at predicting behaviour than ICF constructs alone. Discussion: The findings of the present thesis have important implications for reporting methods and intervention design in health psychology and personalised behavioural medicine
How is user trust in cloud computing affected by legal problems relating to data protection in cloud computing? and how can user trust in cloud computing be built?
Get PDFOver the past few years, cloud computing has become an increasingly popular service,providing Information Technology (IT) resources over the Internet. Many types of cloud services, ranging from simply offering an outsourced storage to a full external provision of hardware infrastructure is the main factor attracting people to adopt cloud computing. Nevertheless, the distinctive features of cloud computing pose some privacy and data protection (DP) risks to cloud users, and these risks have become their major concerns.Especially after the revelations about the United States (US) government's mas ssurveillance programme in 2013, many surveys have shown that individuals and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been hesitate to entrust their data to cloud service providers (CSPs), especially to CSPs controlled from the US or which have servers located within the US, because their trust is affected by those risks.Accordingly, a range of CSPs, e.g. Google and Microsoft, have tried to build user trust in cloud computing by offering a variety of DP and privacy assurances.This situation may yet prove to be a tipping point in terms of showing how willing users are to place trust in cloud computing. As cloud computing has great potential to improve productivity and innovation, this lack of trust could affect the economic development not only of EU societies but also global societies as a whole, so that building user trust in cloud computing needs to be accomplished in order to increase the use of cloud computing;As legal problems relating to DP in cloud computing do pose risks and uncertainties for the privacy of EU cloud users, this thesis aims to explore how user trust in cloud computing is affected by these problems. However, this thesis focuses on just two main legal problems relating to DP: (1) legal problems regarding the application of the EU DP law to the processing of personal data in the cloud; and (2)legal problems regarding the EU and US legal frameworks governing access to personal data held in the cloud by law enforcement and national intelligence agencies.With regard to the theory of trust and a number of surveys showing the reasons why individuals and SMEs feel reluctant to place their trust in cloud computing, whether or not individuals and SMEs trust cloud computing seems to depend on three main factors: (1) transparency and control; (2) accountability; and (3) security. This research shows that the two legal problems identified do have an adverse impact on these three factors, as they (1) raise a number of uncertain issues, which then make it difficult for cloud users to exercise control over their data; (2) make it unclear whether CSPs will be held responsible and accountable for the personal data processing; and (3)pose security threats to personal data residing in the cloud. Finally, this thesis concludes that the two legal problems affect user trust in cloud computing, at least to some extent,and that this situation could potentially impede the use of cloud computing.;As a result, this thesis proposes both legal and non-legal approaches for building user trust in cloud computing. The legal solutions are mainly drawn from the new EU DP law (General Data Protection Regulation(GDPR)). Due to the fact that trust is a very subjective matter and it takes time for it to be built, legal approaches alone may not be powerful enough to build and/or rebuild trust in cloud computing. This thesis also proposes non-legal solutions (1) for enhancing transparency and ability to control over the data, i.e. icons and labels and transparency reports; (2) for improving accountability of CSPs, i.e. certification, trust marks and trust seals, internal codes of conduct or ethics; (3) for increasing security of data, i.e. technical approaches and localised cloud computing, as they are likely to help boost the possibility of individuals and SMEs placing their trust in cloud computing. All these approaches aim to fulfil three criteria for creating trust in cloud computing, as listed above, in order to enable users to be less concerned about their data residing in the cloud and let them be sufficiently confident to ignore any risks that might stem from those two legal problems and thus to be willing toplace their trust in cloud computing for the sake of benefiting from its advantages.Over the past few years, cloud computing has become an increasingly popular service,providing Information Technology (IT) resources over the Internet. Many types of cloud services, ranging from simply offering an outsourced storage to a full external provision of hardware infrastructure is the main factor attracting people to adopt cloud computing. Nevertheless, the distinctive features of cloud computing pose some privacy and data protection (DP) risks to cloud users, and these risks have become their major concerns.Especially after the revelations about the United States (US) government's mas ssurveillance programme in 2013, many surveys have shown that individuals and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been hesitate to entrust their data to cloud service providers (CSPs), especially to CSPs controlled from the US or which have servers located within the US, because their trust is affected by those risks.Accordingly, a range of CSPs, e.g. Google and Microsoft, have tried to build user trust in cloud computing by offering a variety of DP and privacy assurances.This situation may yet prove to be a tipping point in terms of showing how willing users are to place trust in cloud computing. As cloud computing has great potential to improve productivity and innovation, this lack of trust could affect the economic development not only of EU societies but also global societies as a whole, so that building user trust in cloud computing needs to be accomplished in order to increase the use of cloud computing;As legal problems relating to DP in cloud computing do pose risks and uncertainties for the privacy of EU cloud users, this thesis aims to explore how user trust in cloud computing is affected by these problems. However, this thesis focuses on just two main legal problems relating to DP: (1) legal problems regarding the application of the EU DP law to the processing of personal data in the cloud; and (2)legal problems regarding the EU and US legal frameworks governing access to personal data held in the cloud by law enforcement and national intelligence agencies.With regard to the theory of trust and a number of surveys showing the reasons why individuals and SMEs feel reluctant to place their trust in cloud computing, whether or not individuals and SMEs trust cloud computing seems to depend on three main factors: (1) transparency and control; (2) accountability; and (3) security. This research shows that the two legal problems identified do have an adverse impact on these three factors, as they (1) raise a number of uncertain issues, which then make it difficult for cloud users to exercise control over their data; (2) make it unclear whether CSPs will be held responsible and accountable for the personal data processing; and (3)pose security threats to personal data residing in the cloud. Finally, this thesis concludes that the two legal problems affect user trust in cloud computing, at least to some extent,and that this situation could potentially impede the use of cloud computing.;As a result, this thesis proposes both legal and non-legal approaches for building user trust in cloud computing. The legal solutions are mainly drawn from the new EU DP law (General Data Protection Regulation(GDPR)). Due to the fact that trust is a very subjective matter and it takes time for it to be built, legal approaches alone may not be powerful enough to build and/or rebuild trust in cloud computing. This thesis also proposes non-legal solutions (1) for enhancing transparency and ability to control over the data, i.e. icons and labels and transparency reports; (2) for improving accountability of CSPs, i.e. certification, trust marks and trust seals, internal codes of conduct or ethics; (3) for increasing security of data, i.e. technical approaches and localised cloud computing, as they are likely to help boost the possibility of individuals and SMEs placing their trust in cloud computing. All these approaches aim to fulfil three criteria for creating trust in cloud computing, as listed above, in order to enable users to be less concerned about their data residing in the cloud and let them be sufficiently confident to ignore any risks that might stem from those two legal problems and thus to be willing toplace their trust in cloud computing for the sake of benefiting from its advantages
Development of magnesium aluminate and gallate chemistry incentivised by potential in rechargeable battery technology
Get PDFThe cationic magnesium moiety of charged-separated magnesium organohaloaluminate complexes, relevant to rechargeable Mg battery electrolytes, typically takes the thermodynamically favourable dinuclear [Mg2Cl3]+ form in the solid-state. This thesis reports that judicious choice of Lewis donor allows the deliberate synthesis and isolation of the previously putative mononuclear [MgCl]+ and trinuclear [Mg3Cl5]+ modifications, hitherto only postulated as existing within electrolytic solutions, forming a comparable series with a common aluminate anion [(Dipp)(Me3Si)NAlCl3]−.;Battery prototypes using these magnesium aluminates possessing different cationic aggregation as electrolytes were built in order to study the effect of the aggregation state on their performances. Despite early decomposition hindrance of some of the studied electrolytes, surprising behaviour was observed with the stability of the mononuclear species, which is highly enhanced compared to the higher aggregates. Rationally, this increased stability was attributed to the presence of the tetradentate Lewis donor, Me6TREN, used to control the aggregation of the mononuclear complex.;Rechargeable batteries using magnesium organohaloaluminate electrolytes suffer from unwanted corrosion of the components of the battery cell (e.g., stainless steel parts), which is attributed to the presence of chloride ions. We devised a procedure to prepare sought-after magnesium compounds possessing the 'naked magnesium' dication [Mg*6THF]2+, by simply transmetallating the organic moieties from a magnesium reagent MgR2 to an aluminium reagent AlR3 (R = Ph or pyrrolyl).;Irrespective of how successful the method is, these types of compound were revealed to be insoluble in ethereal solvents, presumably due to the strong opposite charge attraction emanating for the dication. By using a β-diketiminate ligand, the magnesium cation [(DippNacnac)Mg*2THF]+ was created, reducing the opposite charge attraction to give a soluble complex. These synthetic advances, alongside preliminary battery tests, give an insight into where the problems lie in the applicability of chloro-free compounds as electrolytes.;Finally, as a potential alternative to aluminate complexes reported in the literature, the synthesis and characterization of analogous group 13 gallate complexes was successfully carried out.The cationic magnesium moiety of charged-separated magnesium organohaloaluminate complexes, relevant to rechargeable Mg battery electrolytes, typically takes the thermodynamically favourable dinuclear [Mg2Cl3]+ form in the solid-state. This thesis reports that judicious choice of Lewis donor allows the deliberate synthesis and isolation of the previously putative mononuclear [MgCl]+ and trinuclear [Mg3Cl5]+ modifications, hitherto only postulated as existing within electrolytic solutions, forming a comparable series with a common aluminate anion [(Dipp)(Me3Si)NAlCl3]−.;Battery prototypes using these magnesium aluminates possessing different cationic aggregation as electrolytes were built in order to study the effect of the aggregation state on their performances. Despite early decomposition hindrance of some of the studied electrolytes, surprising behaviour was observed with the stability of the mononuclear species, which is highly enhanced compared to the higher aggregates. Rationally, this increased stability was attributed to the presence of the tetradentate Lewis donor, Me6TREN, used to control the aggregation of the mononuclear complex.;Rechargeable batteries using magnesium organohaloaluminate electrolytes suffer from unwanted corrosion of the components of the battery cell (e.g., stainless steel parts), which is attributed to the presence of chloride ions. We devised a procedure to prepare sought-after magnesium compounds possessing the 'naked magnesium' dication [Mg*6THF]2+, by simply transmetallating the organic moieties from a magnesium reagent MgR2 to an aluminium reagent AlR3 (R = Ph or pyrrolyl).;Irrespective of how successful the method is, these types of compound were revealed to be insoluble in ethereal solvents, presumably due to the strong opposite charge attraction emanating for the dication. By using a β-diketiminate ligand, the magnesium cation [(DippNacnac)Mg*2THF]+ was created, reducing the opposite charge attraction to give a soluble complex. These synthetic advances, alongside preliminary battery tests, give an insight into where the problems lie in the applicability of chloro-free compounds as electrolytes.;Finally, as a potential alternative to aluminate complexes reported in the literature, the synthesis and characterization of analogous group 13 gallate complexes was successfully carried out
New methods for the construction of selectively difluorinated carbocycles
Get PDFThis thesis was previously restricted to Strathclyde users only until 30th September 2023.The design and synthesis of geminal difluoromethylated compounds is extremely important owing to their unique biological properties, such as enzyme inhibition, pKa modulation and improving metabolic stability. However, efficient methods, starting from sustainable low cost starting materials, for the introduction of the gem-difluoromethylene group into cyclic molecules are still scarce. Work towards developing the de novo synthesis of difluorinated sugar analogues by using trifluoroethanol as an inexpensive building block is presented.;The Saegusa-Ito cyclisation was utilised for the construction of selectively fluorinated carbocycles. Difluorinated silyl enol ether precursors were prepared in two synthetic steps from commercially available trifluoroethanol. Protection with diethylcarbamoyl chloride was followed by dehydrofluorination/lithiation, under cryogenic conditions, and the metalated enol carbamate generated in situ trapped with either a ketone or aldehyde electrophile.;Following transacylation, the enolate species could be trapped with chlorotriethylsilane to afford silyl enol ethers in good yield. Cyclisations ensued smoothly under mild conditions. A combination of copper(I) chloride and Pd(OAc)2 in acetonitrile at 70 °C proved the most effective catalytic system. α,α-Difluoroketones were often isolated as mixtures of ketone and the corresponding hydrate; however, these mixtures could be efficiently dried in a vacuum oven to deliver pure ketones.;The cyclisation of difluorinated enol acetals as alternative cyclisation mediators was investigated. These precursors were also synthesised in two steps from trifluoroethanol using cryogenic lithium based chemistry. Using a catalytic 1:1 mixture of 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl-imidazol-2-ylidene)gold(I) chloride and silver hexafluoroantimonate(V), the intramolecular carbocyclisation of difluorinated enol acetals has been achieved.;Difluorinated enol acetals bearing a pendant alkene group can be cyclised and reduced in situ using tetrabutylammonium borohydride in one pot to form fluorinated diol motifs. Alternatively, the cyclisation of terminal alkynes allows for the concise synthesis of fluorinated pyran scaffolds. Both cyclisation processes can be performed under mild conditions allowing for the construction of complex difluorinated cyclic systems.The design and synthesis of geminal difluoromethylated compounds is extremely important owing to their unique biological properties, such as enzyme inhibition, pKa modulation and improving metabolic stability. However, efficient methods, starting from sustainable low cost starting materials, for the introduction of the gem-difluoromethylene group into cyclic molecules are still scarce. Work towards developing the de novo synthesis of difluorinated sugar analogues by using trifluoroethanol as an inexpensive building block is presented.;The Saegusa-Ito cyclisation was utilised for the construction of selectively fluorinated carbocycles. Difluorinated silyl enol ether precursors were prepared in two synthetic steps from commercially available trifluoroethanol. Protection with diethylcarbamoyl chloride was followed by dehydrofluorination/lithiation, under cryogenic conditions, and the metalated enol carbamate generated in situ trapped with either a ketone or aldehyde electrophile.;Following transacylation, the enolate species could be trapped with chlorotriethylsilane to afford silyl enol ethers in good yield. Cyclisations ensued smoothly under mild conditions. A combination of copper(I) chloride and Pd(OAc)2 in acetonitrile at 70 °C proved the most effective catalytic system. α,α-Difluoroketones were often isolated as mixtures of ketone and the corresponding hydrate; however, these mixtures could be efficiently dried in a vacuum oven to deliver pure ketones.;The cyclisation of difluorinated enol acetals as alternative cyclisation mediators was investigated. These precursors were also synthesised in two steps from trifluoroethanol using cryogenic lithium based chemistry. Using a catalytic 1:1 mixture of 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl-imidazol-2-ylidene)gold(I) chloride and silver hexafluoroantimonate(V), the intramolecular carbocyclisation of difluorinated enol acetals has been achieved.;Difluorinated enol acetals bearing a pendant alkene group can be cyclised and reduced in situ using tetrabutylammonium borohydride in one pot to form fluorinated diol motifs. Alternatively, the cyclisation of terminal alkynes allows for the concise synthesis of fluorinated pyran scaffolds. Both cyclisation processes can be performed under mild conditions allowing for the construction of complex difluorinated cyclic systems
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