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2012

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Biochemistry Of Antioxidants: Antioxidant Capacity Measurment Methods And Their Application To Develop Useful Indicators Of Stability And Functionality In Food Matrices, Kwestan Rafat Muhammad Jan 2012

Biochemistry Of Antioxidants: Antioxidant Capacity Measurment Methods And Their Application To Develop Useful Indicators Of Stability And Functionality In Food Matrices, Kwestan Rafat Muhammad

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

Abstract Antioxidant properties of green tea (GT) have been widely reported. The antioxidant capacity (AOC) of green tea was investigated to include the effect of infusion time over 24 hours. The AOC was measured by the FRAP, DPPH, TEAC, and CBA assays. It was proven according that after 2 hours of brewing, tea has higher AOC and Total phenolic content (TPC), these significantly decreases after 4 hours. GT has a high amount of polyphenols with potent AOC. However, interactions between polyphenols and food matrix may decrease their potential benefit. The objective of this experiment was to test the hypothesis that …

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Biochemical, Metabolic And Morphological Responses Of The Intertidal Gastropod Littorina Littorea To Ocean Acidification And Increase Temperature, Sedercor Melatunan Jan 2012

Biochemical, Metabolic And Morphological Responses Of The Intertidal Gastropod Littorina Littorea To Ocean Acidification And Increase Temperature, Sedercor Melatunan

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

Future changes to the pH and temperature of the oceans are predicted to impact the biodiversity of marine ecosystems, particularly those animals that rely on the process of calcification. The marine intertidal gastropod Littorina littorea can be used as a model of intertidal organism for investigating the effects of ocean acidification and high temperature, alone and in combination because its ability to be quickly adapt against environmental stressor. In the first study a single species population of L. littorea was used to test for physiological and biochemical effects underpinning organismal responses to climate change and ocean acidification. Compared with control …

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Sea Level Rise And Sustainability Of The Nigerian Coastal Zone, Olusola Olalekan Popoola Jan 2012

Sea Level Rise And Sustainability Of The Nigerian Coastal Zone, Olusola Olalekan Popoola

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

Globally, sea levels have risen in the last century, and various projections suggest substantial increases in sea level due to climate change in this century. In Nigeria, there are no up-to-date sea level rise (SLR) assessments for the coast. Much of the Nigerian coast is low lying with the consequence that a 1 to 3 metres rise in sea level, which may result from eustatic or climate change, will have a catastrophic effect on the human activities in these regions. This study examines the consequences of continued sea level rise with a focus on erosion and inundation for the Nigerian …

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The Effect Of Phytoestrogens On Bone And T Cells Differentiation And Activity, Sahar Saadi Karieb Jan 2012

The Effect Of Phytoestrogens On Bone And T Cells Differentiation And Activity, Sahar Saadi Karieb

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

The fall in circulating oestrogen (E2) after the menopause leads to an increased rate of bone remodelling, excessive osteoclast activity and a greater fracture risk. Until recently hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was prescribed to post-menopausal women to prevent bone loss, however HRT is associated with an elevated incidence of cardiovascular disease, stroke and cancer. These side-effects led to an interest in naturally occurring compounds with oestrogenic action such as phytoestrogens (PEs), which are non-steroidal-plant derived compounds. Human trials and animal studies suggest a beneficial effect of PEs on bone mass, although their ability to modify osteoclast formation in response to …

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Relations Between Impulsivity And Mindfulness In Adolescents With Behavioural, Emotional And Social Difficulties, Jessica Claire Bradford Jan 2012

Relations Between Impulsivity And Mindfulness In Adolescents With Behavioural, Emotional And Social Difficulties, Jessica Claire Bradford

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

Impulsivity and the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based intervention were explored in relation to improving behavioural self-regulation in adolescents with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD). A computerised choice task (CCT) was developed to measure delay discounting (a shift in choice from a larger reward to a smaller reward as the delay to the larger reward increases) in adolescents with BESD and compared it with several additional measures of impulsivity. The degree to which impulsivity and thoughts are related was explored using mindfulness measures. Effects of task type (computer versus sand-timer) and task context (school versus house) were also studied. Results …

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Human Optokinetic Nystagmus: A Stochastic Analysis, Jonathan Waddington Jan 2012

Human Optokinetic Nystagmus: A Stochastic Analysis, Jonathan Waddington

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

Optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) is a fundamental gaze-stabilising response in which eye movements attempt to compensate for the retinal slip caused by self-motion. The OKN response consists of a slow following movement made in the direction of stimulus motion interrupted by fast eye movements that are primarily made in the opposite direction. The timing and amplitude of these slow phases and quick phases are notably variable, but this variability is poorly understood. In this study I performed principal component analysis on OKN parameters in order to investigate how the eigenvectors and eigenvalues of the underlying components contribute to the correlation between …

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Applications Of Spice Extracts And Other Hurdles To Improve Microbial Safety And Shelf- Life Of Cooked, High Fat Meat Products (Doner Kebab), Sahar Al-Kutby Jan 2012

Applications Of Spice Extracts And Other Hurdles To Improve Microbial Safety And Shelf- Life Of Cooked, High Fat Meat Products (Doner Kebab), Sahar Al-Kutby

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

There is a growing demand for safe and convenient meat products. The effect of natural spice extracts incorporated with other hurdles for controlling pathogenic bacteria and extending the shelf life of RTE doner kebab were investigated. A comprehensive literature review was undertaken to establish the status of microbial risk, use of additives, knowledge on oxidative deterioration and HACCP associated with meat products. The in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial activities of spice extracts were screened and compared. Cinnamon, clove, and sumac alcoholic extracts demonstrated strong antimicrobial effect, however, rosemary proved effective as antioxidant in a lamb fat model. An accelerated shelf …

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Novel Particle Model For The Prediction Of Stability And Episodic Collapse Of Coastal Cliffs And Levees, Johan Richard Vandamme Jan 2012

Novel Particle Model For The Prediction Of Stability And Episodic Collapse Of Coastal Cliffs And Levees, Johan Richard Vandamme

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

This thesis investigates the WCSPH model by considering fluid entry and exit, and integrates the WCSPH method into a new, novel, particle-based Bluff Morphology Model (BMM). Using the BMM, this thesis investigates the stability, collapse and equilibrium position of soft coastal bluffs (cliffs). Fluid and floating object interaction using a novel adaptation of the WCSPH method is investigated by incorporating a floating object model. In particular, this thesis examines the water impact, hydrodynamic forces, fluid motions, and movement of objects in the conventional case studies of object entry and exit from still water. A two-dimensional wedge drop analysis was examined, …

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Species Distribution Modelling To Support Marine Conservation Planning, Charlotte Emily Marshall Jan 2012

Species Distribution Modelling To Support Marine Conservation Planning, Charlotte Emily Marshall

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

This thesis explores some important practical considerations concerning the use of species distribution models in marine conservation planning. Using geo-referenced gorgonian distribution data, together with explanatory environmental variables, predictive models have been used to map the spatial distribution of suitable gorgonian (sea fan) habitat in two study sites; Hatton Bank, in the Northeast Atlantic, and Lyme Bay on the south coast of Devon. Generalized Linear Models (GLMs), Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) and a Maximum Entropy (Maxent) model have been used to support critical investigation into important model considerations that have received inadequate attention in the marine environment. The influence of …

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Chromo-Stereoscopic Visualisation For Dynamic Marine Operations, Iman Abdel Hamid Jan 2012

Chromo-Stereoscopic Visualisation For Dynamic Marine Operations, Iman Abdel Hamid

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

Chromo stereoscopy (CS) is a simple and cost effective 3D system that can easily deliver geospatial information. CS has been used in several scientific data presentations, including remote sensing, physical modelling and hydrographic applications. In some of these applications the 3D effect was solely CS-related, while others integrated CS with other methods of implementing 3D. CS was mainly used in static visualisation, but no dynamic applications were found. Also, the restricted use of colour was acknowledged as a limitation for CS suggesting its unsuitability for applications where colour conventions are significant. This research focuses on CS for the marine applications …

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Molecular Characterisation Of The Interaction Of Microbes With The Insulin Pathway, Raid Bahr Nisr Jan 2012

Molecular Characterisation Of The Interaction Of Microbes With The Insulin Pathway, Raid Bahr Nisr

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

Exposure to microorganisms is considered an environmental factor which can contribute to diabetes mellitus via cytotoxicity or autoimmune responses against pancreatic cells. Firstly, the effects on rat insulinoma pancreatic β-cell line of secondary metabolites pyrrolnitrin (Burkholderia spp), phenazine compounds (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia spp) were investigated. Both compounds separately showed significant cytotoxicity after 24 h and at concentrations of 10 & 100 ng/ml potentiated insulin gene transcription, Ca2+ content and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). Furthermore, the outward membrane current was inhibited by phenazine (100 ng/ml) or pyrrolnitrin (10 or 100 ng/ml). Secondly, the capacity of 45 microbial species to bind …

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Computational Modelling Of Combined Storm Surge And Wave Overtopping Of Embankments, David K Jones Jan 2012

Computational Modelling Of Combined Storm Surge And Wave Overtopping Of Embankments, David K Jones

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

The primary function of seawalls and embankments is to protect against damage and injury caused by flooding. Coastal flooding is caused by combinations of high tides, waves, wind set-up and storm surges driven by low-pressure systems. However with global warming causing sea levels to rise and with increased storminess causing more extreme waves and storm surges, the likelihood of overtopping of seawalls with zero or negative freeboard may well be expected to increase. Researchers using physical and numerical models to develop design formulae have widely investigated wave overtopping of seawalls with positive freeboard. However the design of seawalls with zero …

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Mapping Deep-Sea Features In Uk Waters For Use In Marine Protected Area Network Design, Jaime Selina Davies Jan 2012

Mapping Deep-Sea Features In Uk Waters For Use In Marine Protected Area Network Design, Jaime Selina Davies

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

With an increase in demand on deep-sea resources comes a need for appropriate and effective management of this ecosystem. The establishment of a representative network of deep-sea Marine Protected Areas offers one tool with which to address the conservation needs of the deep sea. While a number of deep-sea habitats have been identified as vulnerable to anthropogenic activities (e.g. cold-water coral reefs and sponge aggregations), poor knowledge of the distribution of these habitats hinders conservation efforts and network planning, and thus we need habitat maps. With improvements in acoustic data resolution acquired from the deep sea, and the ability to …

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Behaviour Profiling For Mobile Devices, Fudong Li Jan 2012

Behaviour Profiling For Mobile Devices, Fudong Li

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

With more than 5 billion users globally, mobile devices have become ubiquitous in our daily life. The modern mobile handheld device is capable of providing many multimedia services through a wide range of applications over multiple networks as well as on the handheld device itself. These services are predominantly driven by data, which is increasingly associated with sensitive information. Such a trend raises the security requirement for reliable and robust verification techniques of users.This thesis explores the end-user verification requirements of mobile devices and proposes a novel Behaviour Profiling security framework for mobile devices. The research starts with a critical …

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Dietary Intake And Factors Affecting Vitamin D Status Of Middle Eastern People In The Uk, Wassan Abdel-Jaleel Ahmed Jan 2012

Dietary Intake And Factors Affecting Vitamin D Status Of Middle Eastern People In The Uk, Wassan Abdel-Jaleel Ahmed

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

Vitamin D is derived through the action of solar ultraviolet B radiation on skin and from a limited number of natural food sources, fortified foods and supplements. It is well known that vitamin D plays an active role for calcium and phosphorus absorption but there is also growing evidence of an association between vitamin D insufficiency and various chronic diseases. Middle Eastern populations are known to be at risk of vitamin D deficiency due to a diet low in vitamin D and low sunshine exposure. Obesity is also a risk factor since vitamin D is sequestered in body fat. This …

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An Integrated Approach To Assess Impact Of Environmental Stress In Carp, Cyprinus Carpio L.: Biochemical, Genotoxic, Histopathological And Individual Level Effects, Sanaa A. Mustafa Jan 2012

An Integrated Approach To Assess Impact Of Environmental Stress In Carp, Cyprinus Carpio L.: Biochemical, Genotoxic, Histopathological And Individual Level Effects, Sanaa A. Mustafa

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

Studies were undertaken to determine toxicological effects in a model species, Cyprinus carpio L. following hypoxic exposure either alone or in combination with representative heavy metal (i.e. copper; Cu) via a dietary route, at different levels of biological organisation (viz. biochemical, histological and individual level effects). Initially, the validation study of biological responses using a range of concentrations of dietary Cu as a relevant environmental contaminant was carried out (Chapter 3). The results showed a range of biological responses in exposed fish including significant genotoxic response as determined by induction of DNA strand breaks (i.e. the Comet assay) with bacterial …

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Towards The Affect Of Intimacy, Juergen Moritz Jan 2012

Towards The Affect Of Intimacy, Juergen Moritz

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

Abstract This thesis explores the trajectory that the developing technological fields of Ambient Intelligence and Persuasive Technologies introduce new intricate relationships beyond fundamental use and availability because they change our abilities to act. Since its classic articulation by Hegel (1927) philosophical explication of the relationship between people and technology states that technology is a mediating factor between people and the world. Associated with this view, which has characterized the resulting phenomenology and philosophy of technology for nearly two decades, is an understanding of technology as a form of alienation. In this dissertation the author shows how this old interpretation of …

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Hidden Histories And Multiple Meanings: The Richard Dennett Collection At The Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter., Sara Craig Ayres Jan 2012

Hidden Histories And Multiple Meanings: The Richard Dennett Collection At The Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter., Sara Craig Ayres

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

Ethnographic collections in western museums such as the Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM) carry many meanings, but by definition, they represent an intercultural encounter. This history of this encounter is often lost, overlooked, or obscured, and yet it has bearing on how the objects in the collection have been interpreted and understood. This thesis uncovers the hidden history of one particular collection in the RAMM and examines the multiple meanings that have been attributed to the objects in the collection over time. The Richard Dennett Collection was made in Africa in the years when European powers began to colonise the …

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Life Expansion: Toward An Artistic, Design-Based Theory Of The Transhuman / Posthuman, Natasha Vita-More Jan 2012

Life Expansion: Toward An Artistic, Design-Based Theory Of The Transhuman / Posthuman, Natasha Vita-More

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

The thesis’ study of life expansion proposes a framework for artistic, design-based approaches concerned with prolonging human life and sustaining personal identity. To delineate the topic: life expansion means increasing the length of time a person is alive and diversifying the matter in which a person exists. For human life, the length of time is bounded by a single century and its matter is tied to biology. Life expansion is located in the domain of human enhancement, distinctly linked to technological interfaces with biology. The thesis identifies human-computer interaction and the potential of emerging and speculative technologies as seeding the …

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Away, A Novel, And A Critical Essay On Narrative Space With Reference Of Paul Auster's Fiction, Maria Jose De Brito Capelo Jan 2012

Away, A Novel, And A Critical Essay On Narrative Space With Reference Of Paul Auster's Fiction, Maria Jose De Brito Capelo

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

ABSTRACT Name of Candidate: Maria José de Brito Capelo Title of thesis: Away, a novel, and a critical essay on narrative space with reference of Paul Auster’s fiction My novel, Away, is mainly the story of a woman travelling alone, leaving all friends and relatives behind. She seeks out remote, beautiful and difficult places where, firstly, she has travelled to before and, then, different locations that she hasn’t known in the past. We discover that, through trauma, she has lost her sense of identity – she is in the midst of a psychological crisis that becomes clear only after the …

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Emergent Rhythmic Structures As Cultural Phenomena Driven By Social Pressure In A Society Of Artificial Agents, Joao Pedro Magalhaes Martins Jan 2012

Emergent Rhythmic Structures As Cultural Phenomena Driven By Social Pressure In A Society Of Artificial Agents, Joao Pedro Magalhaes Martins

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

This thesis studies rhythm from an evolutionary computation perspective. Rhythm is the most fundamental dimension of music and can be used as a ground to describe the evolution of music. More specifically, the main goal of the thesis is to investigate how complex rhythmic structures evolve, subject to the cultural transmission between individuals in a society. The study is developed by means of computer modelling and simulations informed by evolutionary computation and artificial life (A-Life). In this process, self-organisation plays a fundamental role. The evolutionary process is steered by the evaluation of rhythmic complexity and by the exposure to rhythmic …

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Earhart County: The Making Of A World War Two Wondertale, Nicola Russell Johnson Jan 2012

Earhart County: The Making Of A World War Two Wondertale, Nicola Russell Johnson

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

The aim of Earhart County was to create a book which would bring the world of World War Two aviation to a mainstream audience, utilising the magic and durability of folklore to mythologize the incredible feats of Churchill’s finest generation. Whilst entertaining its audience, it aims at giving them a glimpse at the many lives and aircraft that flew during the war. Research was conducted mainly through the study of autobiographical and biographical accounts of both famous and unknown aircrew, as well as post-war and contemporary fiction, aircraft manuals and books detailing the various aeroplanes flown throughout the war. Research …

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Auschwitz: Art, Commemoration And Memorialisation: From 1940 To The Present, Stefan Ludwik Aloszko Jan 2012

Auschwitz: Art, Commemoration And Memorialisation: From 1940 To The Present, Stefan Ludwik Aloszko

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

STEFAN LUDWIK ALOSZKO AUSCHWITZ: ART, COMMEMORATION AND MEMORIALISATION: FROM 1940 TO THE PRESENT ABSTRACT This thesis explores chronologically the art, commemoration and memorialisation of the Nazi concentration and extermination camps at Auschwitz, from their establishment in 1940 to the present day. Following a review of the literature in Chapter 1, Chapter 2 examines the production of works of art by the inmates of the camp. That art should have been produced at all in Auschwitz may conflict with our expectations, given the conditions of life within the camp. Nevertheless, art was as necessary in Auschwitz as it is elsewhere. The …

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Ground: A Metaverse Learning Strategy For The Creative Fields, Elif Ayiter Jan 2012

Ground: A Metaverse Learning Strategy For The Creative Fields, Elif Ayiter

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

In this thesis I cover the theoretical framework and the practice based implications of bringing the fundamental principles of a cybernetic art educational strategy, the Groundcourse, which was developed and taught during the 1960’s in England by Roy Ascott, into the virtual, three dimensional builder’s world of the metaverse; to be implemented there as a non-institutional, voluntary, self-directed, adult oriented learning system for avatars – one which is expected to be taught by avatar instructors who will formulate the specifics of their curriculum and their methods based upon the cardinal tenets of the Groundcourse, which have been summarized by Roy …

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Off The Orbit: Works Of Art For Long-Term Space Travellers. Outline Of A Novel Artistic Practice, Kirsten Johannsen Jan 2012

Off The Orbit: Works Of Art For Long-Term Space Travellers. Outline Of A Novel Artistic Practice, Kirsten Johannsen

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

This research combines the arts with human spaceflight. The aim of the investigation is to identify the aesthetic parameters for display in works of art on extended crewed missions. The study claims that, within the research area of human spaceflight, novel working methods should be developed that can integrate the artist into the scientific process. The extraordinary challenges of extended space exploration not only concern technical and human-bodily aspects, they will also affect the enormous psychological and psychosocial restrictions the spacefarer will face. These limitations are due to the unusual distance and the long timeframes; the future explorers will live …

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Image And Evidence: The Study Of Attention Through The Combined Lenses Of Neuroscience And Art, Ellen K. Levy Jan 2012

Image And Evidence: The Study Of Attention Through The Combined Lenses Of Neuroscience And Art, Ellen K. Levy

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

This study proposed that new insights about attention, including its phenomenon and pathology, would be provided by combining perspectives of the neurobiological discourse about attention with analyses of artworks that exploit the constraints of the attentional system. To advance the central argument that art offers a training ground for the attentional system, a wide range of contemporary art was analysed in light of specific tasks invoked. The kinds of cognitive tasks these works initiate with respect to the attentional system have been particularly critical to this research. Attention was explored within the context of transdisciplinary art practices, varied circumstances of …

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Sound Synthesis With Cellular Automata, Jaime Serquera Jan 2012

Sound Synthesis With Cellular Automata, Jaime Serquera

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

This thesis reports on new music technology research which investigates the use of cellular automata (CA) for the digital synthesis of dynamic sounds. The research addresses the problem of the sound design limitations of synthesis techniques based on CA. These limitations fundamentally stem from the unpredictable and autonomous nature of these computational models. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to develop a sound synthesis technique based on CA capable of allowing a sound design process. A critical analysis of previous research in this area will be presented in order to justify that this problem has not been previously solved. …

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New Game Physics - Added Value For Transdisciplinary Teams, Andreas Schiffler Jan 2012

New Game Physics - Added Value For Transdisciplinary Teams, Andreas Schiffler

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

This study focused on game physics, an area of computer game design where physics is applied in interactive computer software. The purpose of the research was a fresh analysis of game physics in order to prove that its current usage is limited and requires advancement. The investigations presented in this dissertation establish constructive principles to advance game physics design. The main premise was that transdisciplinary approaches provide significant value. The resulting designs reflected combined goals of game developers, artists and physicists and provide novel ways to incorporate physics into games. The applicability and user impact of such new game physics …

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Eve And The Madonna In Victorian Art, Bebhinn Dungan Jan 2012

Eve And The Madonna In Victorian Art, Bebhinn Dungan

School of Art, Design and Architecture Theses

Abstract This study identifies and addresses representations of Eve and the Madonna exhibited at seven well-known London venues during the Victorian era (1838-1901). The subjects of Eve and the Madonna are here selected for detailed analysis from the broader context of Victorian religious subject pictures, a category of Victorian art that remains arguably under-researched. Nineteenth-century religious art was rooted in a Romantic sensibility and was invested with the purpose of providing a balm during a course, commercial industrial age, which, like the Enlightenment that preceded it, heralded the birth of modern life. Religious art of the nineteenth-century was promoted for …

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Development Of A Framework For Sustainable Repair Of Adobe Building In An Urban Area In Nigeria, Theophilus Adeyinka Shittu Jan 2012

Development Of A Framework For Sustainable Repair Of Adobe Building In An Urban Area In Nigeria, Theophilus Adeyinka Shittu

School of Art, Design and Architecture Theses

Building with earth is still a living practice in Nigeria most especially in the northern region. Pear shaped sun-dried earth brick (tubali) was used traditionally by the Hausa in northern Nigeria. However, the use of tubali has ceased to exist in favour of the adobe blocks in both the urban and rural settlements in Nigeria. Sabon Gari, the study area is one of the urban areas in this region with buildings constructed with adobe. However, these adobe buildings are in deplorable conditions and in dire need of repair. Sabon Gari in Kaduna was selected as the thesis’ study area because …

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