1,721,142 research outputs found
The proteome of Emiliania Huxleyi and its responses to CO2 induced ocean acidification
No full textEThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo
The impact of nurture groups: a systematic review of studies examining effectiveness and a study exploring the perceptions of nurture group practitioners
No full textIn this thesis, my aim was to gain a deeper understanding of the impact of Nurture Group provision, for autistic pupils specifically, and for children and young people more broadly. Chapter 1 provides an account of my rationale, how this fits with the current context, and my personal reflexivity. Chapter 2 presents a systematic review of the literature examining the effectiveness of Nurture Group provision. A narrative synthesis of 14 studies that met the inclusion criteria was conducted. Findings suggest that Nurture Group provision is, overall, effective at improving children’s social and emotional outcomes, however, improvements were not found consistently across both sections of the Boxall Profile, the primary tool used to measure progress within Nurture Groups. Differential effects were also found in relation to some pupil-level characteristics, namely age; baseline score; and gender. The findings highlighted the need to conduct further research to examine such factors, as well as to explore the possible mechanism for change underlying Nurture Group provision. Quantitative analysis suggested that the perceived impact of Nurture Group provision was significantly less positive when children had returned to their mainstream class compared to when they were in the Nurture Group setting. Qualitative data was analysed using abductive thematic analysis, and three overarching themes were developed: ‘Safe space’; ‘Skill development’; and ‘Person-centred’. From these findings, a number of practical implications were discussed
The effectiveness of Nurture Groups at supporting social and emotional outcomes: a systematic review
No full textBackground: Nurture Groups are a school-based attachment-focused intervention for young people with social and emotional, or mental health needs who may have experienced adversity. The aim of the current review was to systematically evaluate the evidence for Nurture group provision to improve social and emotional outcomes in children and young people across primary and secondary school settings.Methods: studies were included if they had been published in a peer-reviewed journal, participants were children and young people of school age, the study design was quantitative, evaluating the effectiveness of a Nurture group intervention and had at least one outcome measure related to social and emotional outcomes. Screening was conducted by the first author and a voluntary research assistant. Conflicts were resolved via discussion. A systematic search across six databases identified 14 studies for inclusion. Results: findings suggest that Nurture Group provision is, overall, effective at improving pupils’ social and emotional outcomes. However, improvements were not found consistently across both sections of the Boxall Profile, the primary tool used to measure progress within Nurture Groups. Differential effects were also found in relation to some pupil-level characteristics, namely age, baseline score, and gender. Discussion: the findings highlighted the need to conduct further research to examine such factors, as well as to explore the possible mechanisms for change underlying Nurture Group provision.<br/
“They said they felt normal”: Nurture Group practitioners’ views on the impact of Nurture Group provision on autistic pupils
No full textNurture Groups are school-based, attachment-focused interventions for children and young people with social, emotional, or mental health (SEMH) needs who may have experienced adversity. Autistic children often present with SEMH needs and experience adversity; therefore, Nurture Groups may be an effective intervention for them, though research in this area is limited. Accordingly, this mixed-method study explored Nurture Group practitioners’ perceptions of their impact on autistic children. Twenty-seven practitioners completed a questionnaire comprising a mix of closed, Likert scale, and open-ended questions. Qualitative data were analysed using abductive thematic analysis, leading to the development of three overarching themes: ‘Safe space’, ‘Skill development’, and ‘Person-centred’. Nurture Group practitioners generally perceived the impact of Nurture Group provision on autistic pupils to be positive, though quantitative analysis suggested that the impact was significantly less positive once children returned to their mainstream class. These findings informed several implications, such as the importance of practitioners considering how nurture principles can be implemented within the classroom
Temporal temperature gradient electrophoresis for detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms
No full textThe presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) can be detected using a range of electrophoretic techniques, of which temporal temperature gradient electrophoresis (TTGE) is often the most user-friendly and reproducible. The technique operates on the same principle as denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, but does not require a chemical gradient in the gel. Instead, TTGE relies on a steady and gradual increase in temperature during electrophoresis to denature and separate DNA sequences that differ by as little as one base pair. TTGE can be easily accomplished using DNA of high quality and it is a rapid-throughput method for SNP screening once conditions have been optimized. Detection of SNPs is, for example, important for the diagnosis of mitochondrial disorders such as heteroplasmy, the presence of more than one type of mitochondria within a cell or tissue. Here we describe the basic steps for TTGE and illustrate its utility for the detection of heteroplasmy in mtDNA control region sequences.<br/
The immigrant experience: multiculturalism, religious identity, Thatcherism and the clash of generations in selected works by Hanif Kureishi.
Full text linkThis thesis, focusing on a wide range of texts by Hanif Kureishi, discusses postcolonial aspects of multiculturalism, racism, evolving religious identity, and the ways in which Thatcherism led to class rifts as well as entrepreneurial opportunities. It also examines how the social milieu of British society and the ancestral values of its immigrants resulted in clashes of cultures and generations. Within the theoretical framework of Homi K. Bhabha, the characters’ behaviour and their psychological reactions to the changing dynamics of British society are scrutinized through reference the key concepts of hybridity, liminality, ambivalence, and third space of enunciation. The thesis examines five primary works of Kureishi which are The Buddha of Suburbia (1990), The Black Album (1995), My Beautiful Laundrette (1986), My Son the Fanatic (1997), and Sammy and Rosie Get Laid (1992). Monica Ali’s Brick Lane (2003) and Ed Husain’s The Islamist (2007) are used as supporting texts in this research. The arguments in this thesis are further substantiated by some of Kureishi’s essays, interviews, documentaries, and newspaper articles in addition to the literary works indicated above. The uniqueness of this thesis lies partly in my argument that Kureishi - as a Westernised, atheistic creative author - inadequately and at some points sarcastically projects Islam; my emphasis on the way multiculturalism, despite celebrating diversity can trigger racism and violence, raising questions about the integration and assimilation into British society; and my discussion of the paradox of Thatcher’s economic policies which were detrimental to the working-class people. The thesis also explores how Kureishi, being a second-generation author of Asian heritage, presents a broader spectrum of the disparities and differences between the first-generation and second-generation immigrants in his works
The immigrant experience: multiculturalism, religious identity, Thatcherism and the clash of generations in selected works by Hanif Kureishi.
Full text linkThis thesis, focusing on a wide range of texts by Hanif Kureishi, discusses postcolonial aspects of multiculturalism, racism, evolving religious identity, and the ways in which Thatcherism led to class rifts as well as entrepreneurial opportunities. It also examines how the social milieu of British society and the ancestral values of its immigrants resulted in clashes of cultures and generations. Within the theoretical framework of Homi K. Bhabha, the characters’ behaviour and their psychological reactions to the changing dynamics of British society are scrutinized through reference the key concepts of hybridity, liminality, ambivalence, and third space of enunciation. The thesis examines five primary works of Kureishi which are The Buddha of Suburbia (1990), The Black Album (1995), My Beautiful Laundrette (1986), My Son the Fanatic (1997), and Sammy and Rosie Get Laid (1992). Monica Ali’s Brick Lane (2003) and Ed Husain’s The Islamist (2007) are used as supporting texts in this research. The arguments in this thesis are further substantiated by some of Kureishi’s essays, interviews, documentaries, and newspaper articles in addition to the literary works indicated above. The uniqueness of this thesis lies partly in my argument that Kureishi - as a Westernised, atheistic creative author - inadequately and at some points sarcastically projects Islam; my emphasis on the way multiculturalism, despite celebrating diversity can trigger racism and violence, raising questions about the integration and assimilation into British society; and my discussion of the paradox of Thatcher’s economic policies which were detrimental to the working-class people. The thesis also explores how Kureishi, being a second-generation author of Asian heritage, presents a broader spectrum of the disparities and differences between the first-generation and second-generation immigrants in his works
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
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