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Can institutions adapt to new models of economic governance? : case studies in North East England and Tees Valley
No full textPhD ThesisThis thesis draws lessons for economic governance from two case studies of a model of
local development introduced by the UK government in 2010. Its temporal context is
the decision of the coalition government to abolish the regionalism introduced by the
Labour government in 1997/98 and replace it with a model of localism based on
functional economic areas (FEAs). Its spatial context is North East England, where the
two case studies have been conducted to illustrate how localism is working in practice
as a governance system. The thesis studies the governance of devolution in the North
East Combined Authority (NECA) and in Tees Valley as a political, economic and
institutional issue, analysing the responses of local leaderships to the new model and
its formal institutional arrangements. It finds that informal institutions in the shape of
identity, socio-cultural values and political traditions and practices can exert a
powerful influence on local leadership groups and hence the establishment and
operations of new formal institutions. The thesis discusses the different approaches
taken by the new formal institutions to development, and the resulting economic
outcomes. It concludes that governments intending to devolve powers for economic
purposes must take full account of regional and/or local circumstances, including the
political. Trying to impose an economic governance model on an unwilling locality does
not work, and a bottom-up approach should be adopted. Economically, it finds that at
this stage, and with so many spatially blind factors affecting the regional economy, it is
impossible to say whether the transition from regionalism to localism is having any
economic effect, though early signs are largely disappointing. The thesis also examines
the accountability and inclusiveness of the new governance and finds problematic
issues in relation to both. It concludes with recommendations for institutional reform.
In what is the quite recent and continuously evolving institutional landscape of
localism in England, the thesis makes a significant addition to a still under-researched
field
Social (in) security : exploring welfare reform, poverty and health in North East England
Get PDFPhD ThesisThis thesis explores the impacts of ‘welfare reform’ on working-age people
living in a disadvantaged part of Newcastle upon Tyne, North East England,
understanding how these impacts relate to health and wellbeing. A qualitative
longitudinal methodology was used, supplemented by participant-driven photo
elicitation. Nineteen people took part in up to three interviews between July
2016 and April 2018.
This thesis argues that the concept of ‘insecurity’ is central to understanding
how ‘welfare reform’ is experienced at the micro level. Standing in contrast to
the rhetoric of benefits providing a ‘safety net’, a central plank of ‘welfare reform’
policies has instead been to erode the security of benefits under the guise of
ending supposed benefit dependency and moving people back towards the
labour market. This research demonstrates that such positive outcomes are
unlikely to arise, for many reasons, and that these policies have been
implemented at the detriment of benefit recipients’ health and wellbeing.
Participants’ experiences were characterised by a pervasive sense of insecurity
that flowed not only from the poverty that benefits and low-paid work
engendered, but also from the threat of sanction for unemployment benefits,
the spectre of reassessments for sickness benefits, and pressure to move home
because of the ‘Bedroom Tax’. Participants attempted to ‘manage’ their security
through careful handling of their interactions with the state, prudent budget
control and borrowing, though none of these strategies were straightforward or
unproblematic. Those able to work expressed desires to do so, yet low skill
levels, structural barriers, ineffective support from the Jobcentre and minimal
financial gains from moving into work often meant that benefits offered greater
security in the short-term. Cuts to benefit levels, as a result of the four-year
freeze (2016-2020) in benefit uprating, the ‘Bedroom Tax’ and the Benefit Cap,
worsened financial security leading to debt, food insecurity, and social
exclusion. Cumulatively, the insecurity that participants experienced was
embodied through stress, worry and deteriorating mental health
Nursing Nuns: Visibility, Power, and Identity in the Historiography of Three Nineteenth-Century French Congregations
Get PDFPh. D. Thesis.This thesis tracks the contributions of the Petites Soeurs des Pauvres (1839-), the Auxiliatrices des Ames du Purgatoire (1856-), and the Soeurs de l’Espérance (1836-) to provisions of healthcare in France until 1905, considering the national picture alongside localised study in Paris and Brittany. Having challenged the widely recognised problem of historical silence surrounding the work of such women, I seek to reposition nuns as historical agents and gatekeepers rather than simply victims of a silence imposed from without. This entails a careful unpacking of the ways these groups construct a collective identity rooted in histories of a shared past, one which may shift based on institutional priorities and which exists in tension with the experiences of individuals. Analysing this process with a focus on nuns as a labour force reveals how power and narrative work to construct gendered models of work and serve to create and reinforce gendered hierarchies of labour value within healthcare and welfare. The language favoured by nuns and the Catholic Church further reinforced the invisibility of these women’s labour but also shaped the labour itself, creating working practices rooted in ideals of maternity, suffering, and sacrifice. If we move past the simple historical narratives of piety favoured by congregations, it is possible to reveal the complex power dynamics between nursing nuns and those they cared for. These women constructed holistic care practices which – for better or worse – had a profound impact on the lives of their patients. I explore the important role of nuns in shaping the language of sickness and providing meaning in the face of suffering, illness, and death. The different layers of visibility, power and identity in this thesis incite important and timely considerations regarding the ethics and authorship of historical narratives, particularly when dealing with marginalised groups.The Northern Bridge (AHRC
Geochemical processes associated with ‘marine band’ formation in the Lower Carboniferous Bowland Shale Formation, Northern England
Get PDFPh. D. thesis.Natural gas is needed and used by the global population to minimise our
reliance on coal powered electricity generation. Gas is also used to
manufacture hydrocarbon-based products such as fertilizers, fabrics and
pharmaceuticals. Gas can be extracted from low permeability
“unconventional” systems, where laterally extensive beds enriched in
hydrocarbons (“sweet spots”) are targeted for hydraulic fracturing.
Mudstone dominated formations require complex techniques such as
geochemistry to identify sweet spots. This study investigates the recent
unconventional target, the Bowland Shale Formation in the Bowland Basin,
Lancashire (UK), as a case study and as a promising target for gas
production. As a case study, we use the Bowland Shale Formation to
investigate the applicability of outcrop organic geochemistry to exploration
(Chapter 4). The Bowland Shale Formation is also used as a case study to
investigate key stratigraphic boundaries (e.g. highstands) that are globally
recognised hydrocarbon targets and are used for targeting directional
drilling (Chapter 5). As a target for natural gas, the palaeoceanography of
the Bowland Shale Formation in the Bowland Basin is investigated to
interpret organic matter burial, spatially across the basin (Chapter 6), and
to select a suitable analogue (Chapter 7). This requires a multi-disciplinary
approach using geochemistry (X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, RockEval pyrolysis, molecular analysis and organic carbon isotopic analysis);
sedimentology (logging and scanning electron microscopy);
biostratigraphy and computational statistical modelling. We find that
outcrop-derived total organic carbon and extractable organic matter
contents are not representative of subsurface exploration cores from the
same formation; X-ray fluorescence (redox sensitive Mo and U) and RockEval pyrolysis (oil saturation index) can be used to identify highstands;
the Upper Mississippian Bowland Basin was anoxic in the centre as well as
at the basin margin and that the Barnett Shale is a suitable
palaeoceanographic analogue to the Upper Mississippian Bowland Shale
Formation.(NERC Centre for Doctoral Training Oil and Gas
scheme), the British Geological Survey (British Geological Survey Funding
Initiative) and Newcastle Universit
A methodology for assessing flood risk from multiple sources
Get PDFPh. D. Thesis.Antecedent catchment conditions can affect the severity of flooding, and floods are typically
worse when multiple flood sources superimpose. Over one million properties in the UK are at risk
of flooding from multiple sources, however, groundwater, fluvial and pluvial flood sources are
usually considered separately due to their differing characteristics.
This PhD study was composed of two parts: (1) developing a methodology for assessing the
risk of flooding from multiple sources, including the creation of a groundwater-surface water
modelling system and (2) conducting a national assessment identifying catchments with potential
for flooding from multiple sources.
The modelling system used 1000 years of synthetic weather data to create realistic meteorological inputs for a physically-based, spatially-distributed hydrological catchment model
(SHETRAN-GB). The hydrological model then simulated 1/30, 1/100 and 1/1000 year catchment
conditions, which were used as inputs for a high resolution hydraulic model (HiPIMS). The
hydraulic model then routed rainfall, stream flow and groundwater emergence to generate a
detailed and comprehensive assessment of flood risk. Sensitivity tests compared the flood extents
and depths from different methods of integrating groundwater and surface water conditions from
the hydrological model into the hydraulic model to find the best method for linking the models.
The capability of a national automated hydrological model to simulate groundwater levels was
tested at five case study catchments using open source hydrogeological datasets. Automated model
configurations were unable to reproduce historical groundwater levels, however simple automated
improvements did increase performance. Improved parameterisation of a basic subsurface increased
model performance more than the introduction of more complex geology, although the latter
was found to be erroneous in places. Correlations between observed and simulated groundwater
levels ranged significantly but were as high as 0.9 at some locations. At one case study site, the
model domain was given subsurface boundary conditions and increased from its topographic
watershed to the estimated groundwater catchment. This dramatically increased the model’s
performance and its sensitivity to parameters. The automated setups provided a useful modelling
base, but local calibration, improved hydrogeological parameters, subsurface boundary conditions
and the use of groundwater domains are necessary for producing good simulations in catchments
containing groundwater.
New indexes were derived for classifying flow regimes to aid the identification of catchments
likely to benefit from the developed methodology, and an initial 29 multisource catchments were
identified out of a total of 435 analysed. Multisource catchments are distributed around the UK
but are typically confined to areas with permeable bedrock, thus are most commonly found in
the South of England.
This research demonstrated that the inclusion of groundwater in the flood risk assessment
increased the flood hazard by prolonging the flood duration from hours to days but did not
notably increase flood depths. Furthermore, the patterns of flood extent changed depending on
the proportion of the flood waters that were derived from the subsurface.
In summary, this study provides a methodology for the better quantification, mapping and
understanding of multisource flood risk, and identifies catchments that are likely to benefit from
the approach
Investor Sentiment and Asset Pricing : Empirical Evidence from an Enhanced Investor Sentiment Index
Get PDFPh. D. Thesis.This thesis covers three interconnected topics that investigate the impact of investor
sentiment on stock returns. Given that investor sentiment is the central theme of this thesis, an
accurate measure of investor sentiment is of great importance, and it is this theme which the
thesis starts by exploring. With a new investor sentiment index which is superior to others
currently available, the question of whether sentiment or fundamental factors play a more
important role in driving stock returns is then explored. Finally, the thesis explores in greater
depth channels through which investor sentiment drives stock returns as well as the pricing of
rational and irrational risk factors.
The first substantive chapter proposes an enhanced investor sentiment index, uniquely
accounting for time-varying components in its construction. The poor time-series forecasting
power of the often-used Baker and Wurgler (2006) investor sentiment index has long been a
puzzle, and this study demonstrates that it is largely due to its implicit assumption that
contributions of its individual index components to the aggregate sentiment index are timeinvariant. By capturing time-varying contributions of those components, the enhanced
investor sentiment index not only demonstrates the basic property of a good sentiment
measure (i.e. sentiment today predicts negatively the future aggregate stock returns), but also
represents a superior measure of investor sentiment as compared to other sentiment indexes
given that it is the only investor sentiment measure that has its sustained predictive power
across different forecast horizons. Cross-sectionally, the new index also predicts significantly
the time series of cross-sectional stock returns for portfolios sorted based on firm size, bookto-market ratio and momentum.
The relative importance of investor sentiment to stock market fluctuations is explored
in the second substantive chapter. Whilst most studies can be split into two distinct branches
of the forecasting literature – forecasting power of investor sentiment versus fundamental
return predictors – this chapter performs a battery of forecasting tests in evaluating the
forecasting power of the enhanced investor sentiment index against a host of widely applied
economic predictors in order to determine the main driver of stock market fluctuations. The
results show that investor sentiment exerts a stronger influence on stock market movements,
manifested by the superior forecasting power of the new index relative to the economic
predictors, in both the statistical and economic sense.
The third, and final, substantive chapter examines the channels through which investor
sentiment affects stock market returns, i.e. the cash flow or discount rate channel, in light of
the predictive ability of investor sentiment on stock market returns. This chapter constructs a
four-beta model that separates the cash flow beta and the discount rate beta of Campbell and
Vuolteenaho (2004) into rational and irrational components. The results show that the
irrational beta in the cash flow channel receives a relatively greater weight than that in the
discount rate channel, implying that the predictive power of investor sentiment is going
through the cash flow channel. The findings also do not support the assumptions made in
Campbell, Polk and Vuolteenaho (2010) that cash flow (discount rate) is mainly fundamental
(sentiment) driven. Comparing the asset pricing performance of the four-beta model against
alternative asset pricing models reveals that the four-beta model has a better model fit with a
lower pricing error. The documented negative (positive) risk premia of irrational (rational)
betas implies that investors are willing to pay a price (require a risk premium) for stocks that
are sensitive to the irrational risk factors (rational risk factors).Newcastle University Business Schoo
Printing cells and co-cultures for osteoarthritis models
Get PDFPhD ThesisOsteoarthritis is a multifactorial disease characterised by the degradation of cartilage and
bone tissue within the joint. Research into novel therapies is currently limited by the
throughput and replicative accuracy of early-stage in vitro disease models.
Biofabrication represents an emerging technology which allows for the selective deposition
of cells and material in order to create complex cell-laden structures. The aim of this
research was to characterise a combination of inkjet and valve-based drop-on-demand
printing processes for the construction of osteoarthritis tissue models.
An inkjet printing platform was characterised to deposit material at the picolitre-scale. Single
cell printing was achieved, with biological analysis confirming that the printing process does
not significantly affect cellular viability or function.
A valve printing process was applied for the production of cellular aggregates that could be
used for both in vitro osteoarthritis research and in vivo therapeutic applications. Reliable
jetting performance was demonstrated, enabling material deposition at the nanolitre-scale.
Cell printing was achieved across a concentration range of 1-20 million cells per mL, with
biological analysis of printed cells revealing no significant effects on viability or function. No
discernible impact on aggregate tissue structure was observed as a result of the printing
process, confirming its suitability for the manufacture of tissue aggregates.
A bioprinted co-culture tissue model comprised of mesenchymal stromal cell and
chondrocyte cell types was successfully generated using a 3D insert culture format. Cell
proliferation was maintained over a 14 day period, alongside an increase in tissue density
and cellular organisation.
In combination, this research has demonstrated the suitability of inkjet and valve printing
processes to selectively deposit cells. Bioprinted aggregate and insert-based 3D tissue
models were validated using the valve printing technique, providing an effective method to
scale up the manufacture of in vitro platforms for osteoarthritis research applications.Versus Arthritis, the Engineering and
Physical Sciences Research Council and the Centre for Doctoral Training in Additive
Manufacturing and 3D Printin
The role of the ascending retucular activating system in cognitive fluctuations in dementia wih lewybodies
Get PDFPh. D. ThesisBackground
Cognitive fluctuations occur in 80-90% of patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and
have a profound negative impact on the patient’s quality of life. However, cognitive
fluctuations are the least well characterised of the core clinical features. The ascending
reticular activating system (ARAS) has an important role in arousal and awareness,
therefore, has been implicated in the aetiology of cognitive fluctuations in DLB.
Methods
Post-mortem tissue from components of the ARAS, locus coeruleus, pedunculopontine
nucleus, raphe and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), was obtained from DLB cases with a
clinical history of cognitive fluctuations and compared to cognitively normal control, mixed
Alzheimer’s disease (AD)/DLB cases with cognitive fluctuations, and mixed AD/DLB and AD
without cognitive fluctuations. Pathological burden of protein aggregates and
neurotransmitter markers were quantified in individual cases. Immunoblots were performed
on isolated synaptosomes from mPFC tissue to examine ARAS projection integrity. Influence
of pathological and biochemical markers on the presence and severity of cognitive
fluctuations were determined
Key findings
Neurodegenerative pathology was observed in all regions examined, with no specific pattern
or level of pathological burden associated with the presence or absence of cognitive
fluctuations. Alterations to the serotonergic system in DLB may relate to the severity of
cognitive fluctuations. Synaptosomal isolation may preferentially select for intact, functional,
synapses as neurotransmitter marker levels analysed did not differ from controls
Conclusions
This study identified that the severity of protein aggregates in the ARAS was not associated
with the presence or absence of cognitive fluctuations. The results may indicate that DLB
patients have a pathologically compromised arousal system, but that this likely acts in
concert with other mechanisms to elicit cognitive fluctuations. As cognitive fluctuations are
transient, one may speculate that static protein aggregates are unlikely to underlie a clinical
feature defined by variable clinical presence.Alzheimer’s Societ
Investigating a personalised nutrition approach for modulating epigenetic profiles using over-expressed DNMTs in cell lines
Get PDFPh. D. Thesis.DNA methylation is an epigenetic mechanism that enables heritable changes in gene
expression without changes in DNA sequence. Methyl groups are transferred from the methyl
donor S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) to the 5-carbon of cytosine by DNA methyltransferases
(DNMTs).
The DNMT family comprises a set of DNA-modifying enzymes and uses a similar
catalytic mechanism to form a covalent reaction intermediate between the substrate base and
the enzyme. Food-derived bioactive compounds are among the exogenous factors that can
modulate the DNA methylation patterns, either via generating SAM through one-carbon
metabolism or by inhibiting the activity of DNMTs.
In this study, cell lines with stable over-expression of each of 13 DNMTs isoform
(DNMT3A1, DNMT3A2, DNMT3B1, DNMT3B2, DNMT3B3, DNMT3B4, DNMT3B5,
DNMTΔ3B1, DNMTΔ3B2, DNMTΔ3B3, DNMTΔ3B4, DNMT3L, and DNMT1) were
generated by lentiviral transduction of human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293T). DNA
methylation patterns in these 13 cell lines were analysed by Illumina Infinium Methylation
EPIC BeadChip, which interrogates more than 850,000 CpG sites across the genome. The
sensitivity and specificity of each DNMT isoform to selected food constituents (caffeic acid
(CA), (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), curcumin, vitamin C, and theaflavin) were
investigated by quantification of DNA methylation at specific CpG sites targeted by the
DNMTs, using pyrosequencing. DNA methylation patterns for each DNMT isoform were
obtained and the potential underlying biological mechanisms for DNMT-target CpGs were
explored.
At the selected CpG sites, DNA methylation was decreased with CA and vitamin C in
DNMT∆3B4 and DNMT3A2 cells, respectively. In addition, the enzymatic activity of
DNMT∆3B4 decreased after CA treatment. In summary, despite similarity of their protein
structures, DNMT isoforms show regional specificity in the maintenance of DNA methylation
patterns. This study also revealed that the activity of DNMT∆3B4 and DNMT3A2 can be
specifically modulated by CA and vitamin C, respectively, in a dose-response manner.
These observations further understanding of nutrition-epigenetic mechanisms, especially
interactions with enzymatic activity, could be applied to modulate DNA methylation profiles
using food-derived bioactive compounds in personalised nutrition
Investigating parental attitudes to randomised controlled trials in primary dental care : The IMPACT Study
Get PDFPh. D. ThesisBACKGROUND: Evidence-based practice is of increasing significance within
dentistry, with randomised controlled trials (RCTs) regarded as the gold standard.
There is however, uncertainty regarding parental understanding of RCTs, and the
emotional effects of their child’s participation.
AIMS: To quantify whether their child’s participation in a RCT impacted on parents’
dental anxiety (MDAS), oral health related quality-of-life (OHIP-14) and attitudes
(dental health beliefs (DHB) and sense of coherence (SOC-13)) to their own dental
care and that of their children, and whether these constructs were associated with
socio-demographic characteristics. To investigate parents’ views, knowledge and
experience around their child participating in dental research.
METHODS: A mixed methods approach was adopted. A longitudinal survey
(questionnaires at baseline and 18 months) was conducted of parents whose
children were FiCTION RCT participants or had been screened for FiCTION but did
not participate. Semi-structured face-to-face qualitative interviews were completed
with a subsample of these parents.
RESULTS: 261 parents completed a baseline questionnaire; of these, 55 were
parents of FiCTION RCT participants. 192 parents also completed a follow-up
questionnaire and were included in an analysis of change over time. Quantitative
analysis showed no difference at baseline in MDAS, OHIP-14, DHB or SOC-13,
between FiCTION participant parents (Mean (SD) score 11.8 (6.3), 6.7 (6.1), 9.2
(1.6), and 63.7 (7.8) respectively) and FiCTION non-participant parents (10.9 (4.8),
6.7 (6.5), 9.4 (1.9), and 62.9 (7.0) respectively). Nor was there a difference between
groups for the very limited change in scores over 18 months. Socio-demographic
variables were not significant predictors of change over time for any outcomes. The
18 parents who participated in qualitative interviews indicated positive attitudes
towards research in primary dental care, but there was no noticeable differences in
their definitions of good dental health or perception of the facilitators and barriers
thereof.
CONCLUSION: There was no difference at baseline or over time between FiCTION
participant parents and non-participant parents for dental health outcomes. Parents
valued dental research in primary care, but perceived it as complex and challenging.
Further research should explore the effect of parental education on the perceived
importance of primary dental care research.The Centre for Oral Health Research and
NHS Education for Scotland (through the Scottish Dental Practice Based Research
Network