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Bridging the gaps : the journey of blank spaces in medieval manuscripts from scribe to screen
No full textThis thesis examines examples of blank spaces in two medieval literary manuscripts: Glasgow University Library, MS Hunter 7, one of forty-nine witnesses to Gower’s Confessio Amantis; and Glasgow University Library MS Hunter 409, the only extant multi-folio manuscript of the Middle English Romaunt of the Rose. Through their different manuscript contexts and bibliographical history, these ostensibly similar literary manuscripts offer multiple forms of blank spaces which have been examined and tracked through their subsequent editions. Chapter One outlines the categories of blank space created from the examination of the key manuscripts and how the terminology currently used to describe gaps biases the reader against blank space. Chapters Two and Three analyse these manuscripts and examine the evidence of the manuscripts’ usage provided by the blank spaces. These chapters also contain identifications of the potential sources of any inserted material along with their impacts on the manuscripts as they now appear. Chapters Four, Five, and Six trace the history of these gaps, filled or otherwise, in every printed edition of Romaunt of the Rose and Confessio Amantis to ascertain editors’ reactions to blank space. Chapter Seven does likewise for the digital editions of these texts. These chapters contain print stemmas of both texts showing the interrelations of editions and editors and map fashions of print and digital editions categorised by time period and exemplar. This thesis shows that blank spaces provide evidence of the manuscripts’ usage during and after construction and that tracking the changes in appearance of blank spaces in editions can create a pattern of data that can be used for stemmatic analysis. The silences speak
Let there be light : development and modelling of a novel illumination system to improve light availability, biomass production and pigment yield in photobioreactors
No full textAbstract redacte
Advancing prevention and screening in younger adults living with low income : development, piloting and acceptability/appropriateness evaluation of A BETTER Life
Get PDFFunding: This work was supported by the Canadian Cancer Society (grant 707229) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (grants 181045 and 170150). AL is supported as Chair in Implementation Science at the Peter Gilgan Centre for Women’s Cancers at Women’s College Hospital in partnership with the Canadian Cancer Society and as Clinician Scientist by the University of Toronto’s Department of Family and Community Medicine.Background In the original BETTER (Building on Existing Tools to Improve Chronic Disease Prevention and Screening in Primary Care) intervention, a “Prevention Practitioner” meets with a participant aged 40–65 years to improve their uptake of prevention activities (e.g. cancer screening, physical activity). The BETTER intervention was found to be effective in a randomised control trial. We adapted BETTER to focus on a younger age group (adults aged 18–39 years) living with low income, a group known to have a higher prevalence of preventable cancers and chronic diseases than their higher-income peers. Here, we describe the development, piloting, and qualitative evaluation of the acceptability of the adapted BETTER intervention (“BETTER Life”) to inform future large-scale implementation research. Methods To support adaptation of BETTER, we interviewed community residents from low-income areas in Durham Region, Ontario, Canada and healthcare program service providers across Canada who had knowledge about preventive care. We developed an adapted intervention, BETTER Life, and piloted it at the Durham Community Health Centre to understand acceptability and appropriateness. Pilot participants were contacted a minimum of 2 weeks afterward to complete a semi-structured interview and share their experiences with the intervention and preventive care. Results We conducted 22 adaptation interviews with 10 community residents and 12 healthcare service providers, 6 interviews with pilot participants (of 8), and a focus group with the two Prevention Practitioners. We found that participants felt that poverty contributes to poor health, including mental health; health education and interventions are often missing, unknown, or difficult to access in low-income communities; and that social networks are important for health. As a direct response to these issues, BETTER Life was seen as a unique, comprehensive program in the community that helps people set goals and reinforce healthy behaviours. However, many different strategies may be required to encourage engagement in the BETTER Life program. Conclusions We developed BETTER Life by adapting the original BETTER to focus on adults aged 18–39 years living with low income, piloted it, and evaluated its acceptability and appropriateness. Although BETTER Life was seen as an important program, recruitment for the larger-scale study will be challenging as young adults struggle with competing life priorities and the social determinants of health.Peer reviewe
Navigating interdisciplinary coastal research in the UK : challenges and solutions from an early career perspective
Get PDFFunding: This work was conducted within the “Resilient Coasts: Optimising Co-Benefit Solutions” (Co-Opt) research project funded through the NERC-ESRC Sustainable Management of Marine Resources Programme (NCR10332), NE/V015532/1 (University of Liverpool), NE/V016423/1 (National Oceanography Centre), NE/V016245/1 (University of St Andrews) and NE/V016490/1 (Cranfield University).Coastal areas are vital hubs for diverse ecosystems and socio-economic activities, but they face significant threats from climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. These challenges require urgent, cooperative actions and interdisciplinary approaches to develop sustainable solutions. However, interdisciplinarity requires blurring traditional academic disciplinary boundaries, and this can be a challenge. Increasingly, early-career researchers (ECRs) are undertaking interdisciplinary research while facing uncertainty about their career progression. In this research paper, we explore the challenges and opportunities faced by ECRs in the United Kingdom conducting Interdisciplinary Coastal Research (IDCR). We draw on findings from internal workshops, webinar discussions and an online survey, all conducted in 2024. The main barriers to IDCR are systemic in nature and include demanding workload, short-term contracts, ineffective supervisory and limited institutional support. Generally, ECRs felt positive about the benefits of interdisciplinarity to coastal research and their career development, but some ECRs expressed feelings of impostor syndrome. Enhanced flexibility in approaches, improved communication and open-mindedness are among the proposed solutions. This research highlights the mismatch between the ambition and the day-to-day reality of ECRs working in IDCR and provides recommendations for IDCR, which can both enhance the experience of ECRs and secure better outcomes for coastal areas.Peer reviewe
Automata theoretic methods for computation in semigroups
Get PDFIn this thesis we initiate the formal study of the word graph compatibility problem for semigroups, an analogue of the word problem for monoids that has previously been studied in a computational setting as a stepping stone to enumerating all finite index right
congruences of a finitely presented semigroup. We prove some undecidability results for finitely generated semigroups and at the same time extend the classes of semigroups to include finitely presented semigroups in finitely based varieties and finitely presented inverse semigroups.
This leads us naturally to algorithmic questions relating to recognizability of certain kinds of congruences. Many of the results were previously known in the context of finitely presented semigroups, but our study of the word graph compatibility problem on its
own allows us to significantly extend the collection of semigroups for which they are applicable. Motivated by our success with finitely presented semigroups in finitely based varieties, we give a short formalization of the Todd-Coxeter method for enumerating the equivalence classes of a finitely presented semigroup, and extend it to also cover finitely presented semigroups in finitely based varieties. The resulting congruence enumeration algorithm is novel, and the approach used has flexibility to be applied to other classes of semigroups.
We finish off the thesis by considering the questions of describing the maximal one-sided congruences of the full transformation monoid
Absolute calibration for cyclic voltammetry from the solution-phase ionisation of ferrocene
Get PDFFunding: The authors would like to acknowledge the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council for financial support from grants EP/M025330/1, EP/M506631/1, EP/P010482/1, EP/W007517/1, and EP/Z535291/1. T.K.B. would like to thank the St Andrews Undergraduate Research Programme, Centre for Doctoral Training in New and Sustainable Photovoltaics (grant no. EP/L01551X/2), UKRI, the NanoDTC (grant no. EP/L015978/1), and the Lindemann Trust Fellowship and Schmidt Science Fellowship for financial support.Accurate determination of the energy levels of materials is crucial to many fields of science and technology, including electronics, catalysis, and energy generation and storage. The frontier molecular orbital levels of molecules are commonly inferred from their oxidation and reduction potentials measured in solution using voltametric techniques, which are reported versus a standard, typically an internal one such as a ferrocenium/ferrocene (Fc+/Fc) redox couple. At present, however, multiple reference electrode scales are used across the literature, leading to discrepancies of up to 0.3 eV. Here, we report an absolute energy level measurement for (Fc+/Fc) in acetonitrile solution. Specifically, we determined the adiabatic ionisation energy of ferrocene in acetonitrile solution to be 4.94 ± 0.05 eV using ambient pressure photoemission spectroscopy. By comparing the energy-dependence of photoemission from different solution concentrations with a model for photoemission from solution, we confirm that we measure the adiabatic ionisation energy and that liquid surface barrier effects are minimal. This value is consistent with one of several conflicting reference values used in the literature. The result therefore provides a benchmark value for the Fc+/Fc internal reference, widely used for the conversion of voltammetry data to the absolute energy scale.Peer reviewe
A century of change in the California Current : upwelling system amplifies acidification
Get PDFFunding: This project was supported by a grant from the Washington Ocean Acidification Center to A.C.G. We would like to thank the University of Washington Program on Climate Change and the Northwest Straits Foundation Caroline Gibson Scholarship for additional support and funding. Cruises funded by the Washington Ocean Acidification Center and NOAA’s Ocean Acidification Program provided essential data for this study. The modeling work was funded by grants from the National Science Foundation (OCE-1419323), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (DOC-NOAA NA15NOS4780186), and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (GBMF #3775). Model simulations were carried out using the Yellowstone supercomputer supported by NCAR. S.R.A. thanks the NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory for salary support. H.J. acknowledges funding from the Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship (ECF-2023-199). Both J.W.B.R. and H.J. were supported by the European Research Council Horizon 2020 research and innovation program grant agreement number 805246.Predicting the pace of acidification in the California Current System (CCS), a productive upwelling system that borders the west coast of North America, is complex because the anthropogenic contribution is intertwined with other natural sources. A central question is whether acidification in the CCS will follow the pace of increasing atmospheric CO2, or if climate effects and other biogeochemical processes will either amplify or attenuate acidification. Here, we apply the boron isotope pH proxy to cold-water orange cup corals to establish a historic level of acidification in the CCS and the Salish Sea, an associated marginal sea. Through a combination of complementary modeling and geochemical approaches, we show that the CCS and Salish Sea have experienced amplified acidification over the industrial era, driven by the interaction between anthropogenic CO2 and a thermodynamic buffering effect. From this foundation, we project future acidification in the CCS under elevated CO2 emissions. The projected change in pCO2 over the 21st century will continue to outpace atmospheric CO2, posing challenges to marine ecosystems of biological, cultural, and economic importance.Peer reviewe
(Re-)setting the world stage : role theory and transitional orders
No full textThis article offers a role theoretical perspective on transitional orders, the liminal space between one order and the next. Role theory understands international order as an evolving role system, in which states seek and reject roles for themselves and others. We argue that established international orders can be destabilized by widespread role change dynamics, giving rise to transitional orders that are marked by deep uncertainty about available and appropriate roles in the role system. We identify the spread of order-related domestic role contestation and the weakening of international role socialization as the main mechanisms driving towards transitional orders. These two interlinked processes—domestic contestation and international socialization—are also entwined with particular role dynamics within transitional orders. Specifically, we propose that the uncertainty of order transitions results in three types of role dynamics: Transitional orders confront role holders with dilemmas that require them to interrogate existing role relationships; put order-related questions at the center of role-seeking behaviors; and elevate existential sovereignty concerns, both domestically and internationally. In these ways, role dynamics shape the major features of transitional orders, including their intentionality, fluidity and temporality.Peer reviewe
At-sea distribution of seals on the Northwest European Shelf : towards transboundary conservation and management
Get PDFFunding: Department of Energy Security and Net Zero; Scottish Government Marine Directorate; Natural Environment Research Council (grant numbers: NE/T010614/1, NE/Y006194/1, NE/R015007/1).1. Quantifying and mitigating transboundary effects of anthropogenic activity is a key challenge in environmental management, particularly for wide-ranging species such as large predators, fish and migratory birds, relying on habitats across multiple national jurisdictions. This challenge is especially complex in marine ecosystems, where the movement of species and impacts across borders is largely unobserved. Central-place foragers, such as pinnipeds and seabirds, exemplify this complexity: abundance is typically assessed on local (regional or national) scales on land, yet at-sea movements and drivers of abundance occur on broader transboundary scales. Resolving this mismatch is critical to effective conservation, especially in areas such as the Northwest European Shelf (NWES), which features globally important predator populations (including two pinniped species) alongside growing anthropogenic pressures and a mosaic of national maritime borders. 2. We model an unprecedented GPS dataset from 236 grey (Halichoerus grypus) and 606 harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) tracked in waters of seven countries across the NWES (United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and Denmark). Using regional habitat association models, we generate at-sea distribution estimates for both species at 5 km resolution, scaled to haulout counts, producing country-specific and NWES-wide density maps. 3. Analysis of the extent to which seals making foraging trips from one country occupy the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of other countries revealed substantial transboundary overlap, particularly for grey seals, and harbour seals in the southern North Sea. 4. A case study apportioning grey seal density within three adjacent offshore marine protected areas in different EEZs revealed that, where total density in a given area is required, overlooking transboundary distribution can underrepresent numbers by an order of magnitude. 5. Synthesis and applications. This study provides the first comprehensive, regionally scalable distribution estimates for pinnipeds across the NWES and its constituent countries. The modelling framework is adaptable to other central-place and migratory species, supporting transboundary biodiversity assessments and international conservation policy. We discuss common limitations and misconceptions of species distribution estimates, highlight priorities for future work and underscore the need for transboundary efforts to manage wide-ranging species, providing a foundation for future ecological modelling and decision-making across shared ecosystems.Peer reviewe
Mobile gaze tracking calibration and interaction on handheld device
No full textGaze-based interaction offers a promising avenue for natural, hands-free engagement with handheld mobile devices. However, its practical deployment is hindered by the challenge of maintaining accuracy and usability in dynamic, real-world contexts where user and device motion change constantly. This motion disrupts the critical eye-camera spatial relationship and impacts the quality of camera data, rendering static calibration methods ineffective.
This thesis addresses these challenges through a multi-faceted investigation into robust mobile gaze estimation and makes several key contributions. We first explore effective gaze-based interfaces for a mobile reading application. This involves a systematic evaluation of four distinct gaze interfaces including explicit dwell, smooth pursuit, gaze gesture (Eye-Swipe), and implicit gaze prediction under both sitting and walking conditions. User studies demonstrate that motion conditions can significantly impact the usability of gaze interfaces. Driven by the results, we conduct in-depth quantitative analysis, synchronizing IMU and vision data. This analysis empirically confirmed that head-to-screen distance, device orientation, and head movements are the primary drivers accounting for over 75% of gaze estimation error.
Building on these findings, this thesis introduces MAC-Gaze, a novel motion-aware continual calibration framework. MAC-Gaze leverages on-device IMU sensors to intelligently detect motion that requires recalibration and employs a replay-based continual learning strategy to adapt the gaze model to new motion contexts while mitigating catastrophic forgetting. This framework achieves significant error reductions compared to baseline methods, lowering error by up to 19.9% on the RGBDGaze dataset (from 1.76cm to 1.41cm) and 31.7% on the more dynamic MotionGaze dataset (from 2.81cm to 1.92cm).
Overall, this thesis advances the state-of-the-art by providing empirically validated interaction designs, a quantitative understanding of motion-caused errors, and a practical continual calibration solution, paving the way for more robust and reliable gaze-based interaction on mobile devices in everyday, dynamic environments
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