Digital Commons Network^™

Effect Of Vortex Hotspots On The Radio-Frequency Surface Resistance Of Superconductors, A. Gurevich, G. Ciovati

Physics Faculty Publications

We present detailed experimental and theoretical investigations of hotspots produced by trapped vortex bundles and their effect on the radio-frequency (rf) surface resistance Rs of superconductors at low temperatures. Our measurements of Rs, combined with the temperature mapping and laser scanning of a 2.36-mm-thick Nb plate incorporated into a 3.3-GHz Nb resonator cavity cooled by the superfluid He at 2 K, revealed spatial scales and temperature distributions of hotspots and showed that they can be moved or split by thermal gradients produced by the scanning laser beam. These results, along with the observed hysteretic field dependence of Rs which can …

Network Position: A Key Component In The Characterization Of Social Personality Types, Alexander D.M. Wilson, S Krause, Niels J. Dingemanse, J Krause

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Towards A Consensus View On Understanding Nanomaterials Hazards And Managing Exposure: Knowledge Gaps And Recommendations, G Hunt, I Lynch, F Cassee, Rd Handy, Tf Fernandes, M Berges, Taj Kuhlbusch, M Dusinska, M Riediker

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Aspiring To Become A Therapist: Personal Strengths And Challenges, Influences, Motivations, And Expectations Of Future Psychotherapists, Clara E. Hill, Andrea Lystrup, Kathryn Kline, Nioud M. Gebru, Jennifer Birchler, Geoffrey Palmer, Jennifer Robinson, Miji Um, Shauna Griffin, Elisabeth Lipsky, Sarah Knox, Kristen Pinto-Coelho

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

Ten female students who were considering therapy as a career path wrote self-reflection papers and were interviewed regarding their career choice. Consensual qualitative research was used to analyze the data. These participants all indicated a passion for helping others, believed in the importance of giving back, and had prior experiences in helping activities. They considered themselves to have personal helping-related strengths (e.g. empathy) as well as challenges (e.g. avoidance of interpersonal conflict), and worried about potential problems they would encounter as therapists (e.g. being too emotionally invested). Participants expressed both other-oriented (e.g. to help others who had similar painful experiences) …

Exploring The Importance Of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Of Hspa9 In Dna Of Sarcoma Patients, Christine M. Hebert

Honors Theses and Capstones

The aim of this project was to identify genetic variants that may influence the risk and progression of sarcoma through targeted genotyping of HSPA9 gene. It is important to look at genetic variants in DNA samples because if a variant is determined to be more likely than another, a screening for the particular variant can be done to identify a patient’s risk of sarcoma. The study population was sarcoma patients from the International Sarcoma Kindred Study. These patients had no mutations in p53 or MDM2. Genotyping data from the HapMap project (hapmap.org) for HSPA9 was used to identify the polymorphisms …

A Methodology To Consolidate Transit Stops For Enhancing Transit Users Travel Times, Mohammad Nurul Hassan

Theses

This study develops a methodology to consolidate transit stops. It develops a mathematical model and a program which takes stop consolidation decision(s) according to users travel time savings and desired accessibility. The model iterates until the users travels time savings are maximized. The study tests this mathematical model in different hypothetical scenarios. Six factors (distance between stops, passengers’ activity, average cruising speed, and maximum walkable distance, frequency of service and percentage of decreased passengers) with multiple levels were set to build the scenarios. Three responses (percentage of consolidated stops, percentage of travel time savings and percentage of operating …

Investigation Of The Mechanical Behavior Of I-Shaped Steel Beams Strengthened By Mechanically-Fastened Frp Laminates, Hothifa Nayef Rojob

Theses

Retrofitting and strengthening of steel structures have gained significant importance due to the highly increasing number of deteriorated steel structures in many places around the globe. The conventional method of retrofitting or strengthening of steel structures by replacing steel members or attaching additional external steel plates are usually time-consuming, corrodible, and a cumbersome task. Many of the drawbacks of the conventional retrofitting systems can be overcome through the use of Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP) due to their high strength-to-weight ratio. Furthermore, FRP materials are corrosion resistant, which makes them more durable especially when environmental deterioration is a concern. In recent …

Preparation, Characterization And Catalytic Activity Study Of Transition Metal Doped Porous Γ-Alumina, Seham Nasser Al Hadrami

Theses

Transition-metal ions -doped γ-alumina composites with various dopant concentrations (Cr³⁺, Fe³⁺, Ce³⁺, Zn²⁺, Mn²⁺, V²⁺ and Cu²⁺) were prepared by straightforward tempIate-free sol-gel method. They were characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM, NMR and N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherm technique. The presence of dopant metal ions, generally, enhanced the gel formation and their behavior was dependent on the nature of the metal ion and its concentration. Certain ions, especially Fe³⁺, resulted in rapid formation of a transparent gel upon hydro lysis. The presence of the acetylacetonate …

Depression And Hopelessness In Secondary And Higher Education Students, Ali Haydar Şar

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Depression and hopelessness are emotional problems which should be taken into consideration for secondary and higher education students in terms of development and education. In the research, it was tried to determine if depression and hopelessness vary according to education grades, gender and different departments. Beck Depression Scale and Beck Hopelessness Scale were applied to 1050 students in order to collect data in the research. According to obtained results, it was concluded that secondary level students have higher depression and hopelessness scale than higher education students; girls have higher depression levels than boys and boys have higher hopelessness levels than …

Students’ Crisis In Nigerian Tertiary Educational Institutions: A Review Of The Causes And Management Style, Ajibade David

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Students’ crisis is one of the challenges confronting Nigerian educational system in the recent past. The level of disruption and closures that has bedeviled Nigerian tertiary institutions is unprecedented in the History/ Archaeology of higher education in Nigeria. However, realizing the importance of tertiary education in national development, this paper is conceived to identify the factors responsible for the occurrence of students’ crisis and the management style adopted by the individuals and groups involved in tertiary education system. Secondary source of data collection was used in the study. Data were generated from textbooks, published and unpublished materials, including the internet. …

Investment Policies And Competitiveness Of Azerbaijani Economy, Fikrat M.Pashayev

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Azerbaijan has made remarkable achievements in economic growth due to rational investment policies and attraction of foreign investment in oil and gas sector that became engine for development. Country’s current economic policies and strategies aimed at lessening of dependence on mineral sector through diversification, growth of business and employment in non-oil sector. Sustainability of Azerbaijani economy will require shift towards technologically advanced and innovation friendly production with balanced approach to manufacturing, services and agriculture. It is advisable to pursue policy of attraction of FDI into these sectors in combination with various non-equity forms of cooperation, such as subcontracting, licensing and …

Valuers’ Liability In Mortgage Valuation, Gabriel K. Babawale

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Valuation is a profession; valuers’ clients are therefore justified in expecting valuations that meet the standards prescribed by relevant professional body(s).Failure to meet these standards constitute a source of breach of the duty that valuers owe their clients. The courts too have always looked up to the published standards of professional bodies for judgment guidelines in liability cases of contract, fraud and negligence. Drawing inferences from standards prescribed by valuers’ professional bodies and ensuing mortgage valuation case laws, this study sought to establish, among others, the nature and extent of the duty of care that valuers owe their clients; the …

Measuring The Impact Of Church Externalities On House Prices, Gabriel K. Babawale

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This study extends literature that empirically investigates the impact of the externalities generated by churches on prices of nearby residential properties with particular reference to selected areas in Lagos, Nigeria; but with some implications for economic studies in other parts of the world The study hypothesized that the proximity of a church has nosignificant effect (positive or negative) on house prices. The hypothesis is tested with a standard hedonic pricing model using the net rents of 450 apartments (flats) across the study area. The results confirmed the more common belief that neighborhood churches, particularly the larger ones, impact on the …

Reinforced Concrete Deterioration Of A 100 Year Old Structure In A Marine Environment, Ross O'Donovan

Theses

The current study investigates the deterioration of a 100 year old bridge located in a harsh marine environment. Constructed in 1908 - 1909 the Mizen Head Footbridge was one of the oldest reinforced concrete bridges in Ireland. The demolition of the bridge in 2009 provided a unique opportunity to examine its service life and to extract samples for analysis and investigation. A review of the construction of the bridge, and its maintenance history are presented, with a view to analysing their influence on the behaviour of the concrete.

Reinforcement corrosion due to chloride attack was identified. A focused study indicates …

An Investigation Into The Potential Of Increasing The Span Of Solid Slab Deck Bridges, Eamonn Kiernan

Theses

Solid slab deck bridges are a common type of structure employed for short to medium span bridges. They may be of rapid build nature if they are made up of prestressed precast sections with concrete infill deck.

The aim of this research was to investigate the potential to increase the span of solid slab deck bridges by the employment of high strength concrete (HSC), lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC) and the use of a voided deck.

The analysis undertaken in the research was based on a bridge, which was recently constructed in Cork; the bridge was constructed using MY beam sections, …

Structural Behaviour Of Semi-Continuous Steel End Plate Connections, Niall Scollard

Theses

This report focuses on determining the joint stiffness and moment capacity values for semi-continuous (semi-rigid) connections in steel framed structures. When designing a beam to column connection, the assumption that the Joint is either fully continuous or fully pinned may not be entirely valid; it may be more realistic to classify the connection as intermediate between fully pinned and fully continuous.

The development of “the component method”, which is utilised in IS EN 1993-1-8 (EC3) to determine design values of the joint properties is described. A software solution was created using Microsoft Excel to carry out calculations in accordance with …

The Potential For The Elimination Of Expansion Joints And Bridge Bearings From Existing Road Bridges In Ireland, Conor Keena

Theses

This research was focused on determining the feasibility of eliminating expansion joints and bridge bearings from existing short to medium span road bridges in Ireland. It is possible that this could provide a significant long-term economic benefit to bridge owners. A literature review was carried out as part of the research. This included investigations into research conducted in the areas of thermal movements of bridges, concrete creep and shrinkage, soil-structure interaction, lifetime costing, design standards and finite element analysis, and the elimination of bridge expansion joints in other countries.

Finite element analyses were carried out on two existing road bridges. …

An Investigation Of Transverse Load Distribution In Masonry Arch Bridges, Helen Dunne

Theses

Masonry arch bridges comprise a significant proportion of the bridge stock both nationally and internationally. They have proven to be enduring structures, far surpassing their design lives and with relatively low life-cycle costs, are environmentally friendly (Sustainable Bridges, 2007).

New masonry arch bridges are not generally constructed. However, their ageing materials paired with ever increasing traffic loads have led to the necessity for their periodic re-assessment. Masonry arch bridge design was predominantly by rule of thumb and their re-assessment has been subject to a number of simplified assumptions. One such simplification, the bridge “effective width” is studied in this thesis. …

Exploitation Of The Bacteriophage-Derived Peptidase Chapk, Pierre-Mehdi Hadbi

Theses

This project investigated an anti-staphylococcal bacteriophage-derived peptidoglycan hydrolase enzyme, namely a cysteine-histidine amydohydrolase/peptidase (CHAP_k). The study focused firstly on optimizing the production of recombinant CHAP_k, which was previously cloned in an E. coli expression system, and sets out the resulting optimal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for production, purification and determination of concentration and activity of the resulting protein stock. A typical yield resulting from the investigation was 300pg of CHAP_k from one litre of E.coli culture. The activity of the purified enzyme was typically in the region of 190U nmol ’. Secondly, the project investigated …

The Use Of Online And Offline Communication In Public Information Campaigns: A Case Study Of The Health Service Executive “Quit” Campaign, Rachel O'Sullivan

Theses

To understand the role of offline and online communication in public information campaigns, research of the Health Service Executive (HSE) “Quit” Campaign was conducted. Through document analysis of campaign materials and interviews, an in-depth examination of the campaign communication platform is presented. Discussion of these elements reveals the strengths of both communication tools in current public messaging. The research concludes with a set of recommendations for future public information campaigns and describes how this modem day campaign is an excellent model that other organisations can emulate.

Modeling Speech Imitation And Ecological Learning Of Auditory-Motor Maps, C Canevari, L Badino, A D'Ausilio, L Fadiga, G Metta

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Classical models of speech consider an antero-posterior distinction between perceptive and productive functions. However, the selective alteration of neural activity in speech motor centers, via transcranial magnetic stimulation, was shown to affect speech discrimination. On the automatic speech recognition (ASR) side, the recognition systems have classically relied solely on acoustic data, achieving rather good performance in optimal listening conditions. The main limitations of current ASR are mainly evident in the realistic use of such systems. These limitations can be partly reduced by using normalization strategies that minimize inter-speaker variability by either explicitly removing speakers' peculiarities or adapting different speakers to …

Impacts Of The Changing Nature Of The Vocational Education And Training (Vet) System On Educators Within The Vet System In Australia, Mairead Dempsey

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Australia has experienced an unprecedented rate of change in recent times dominated by economic discourses that point to the need for the VET system to contribute to economic development. This discourse includes increasing the competence of the present and future workforce to meet the emerging needs of the economy so Australia can compete in the global market. The VET sector in Australia operates within a National Training Framework that has been constantly changing over the past decade.

This study considered the impact of the changing nature VET policy on trainers of VET. The study …

Factors Influencing The Capacity Of Communities To Respond To Coastal Erosion In The Upper Gulf Of Thailand, Chatchai Intatha

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Local communities must have a capacity to ameliorate coastal erosion impacts. Since coastal erosion operates over long time frames, understanding this capacity, or the abilities of communities to respond to the impacts and recover to maintain community functions, requires analysis of the past and the present. This study explores factors which influence the capacity of communities to respond to coastal erosion and conversely how exposure to coastal erosion itself affects community capacity.

Mixed methods research was used to investigate the views of respondents in seven coastal villages in the upper Gulf of Thailand, three from an area that has experienced …

Metapopulation Theory Explains Black-Stripe Minnow (Pisces: Galaxiidae, Galaxiella Nigrostriata) Distribution In Seasonal Wetlands In South-West Western Australia, David M. Galeotti

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The objective of this project was to determine if Galaxiella nigrostriata populations could belong to a metapopulation. Metapopulation theory describes how multiple populations with occasional connectivity are a ‘population of populations’. Some populations’ habitats have optimal conditions (source habitats), others experience regular extinctions (sink habitats). Connectivity allows repopulation of extinct or uninhabited habitats. Galaxiella nigrostriata occurred randomly in 11 seasonal wetlands in the Kemerton wetland complex in south-west Western Australia over a 16 year period. The wetlands did not appear to be connected.

Around 70% of wetlands on the Swan Coastal Plain in south-west WA have been filled or degraded …

Magnetocardiography In Unshielded Environment Based On Optical Magnetometry And Adaptive Noise Cancellation, Valentina Tiporlini

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis proposes and demonstrates the concept of a magnetocardiographic system employing an array of optically-pumped quantum magnetometers and an adaptive noise cancellation for heart magnetic field measurement within a magnetically-unshielded environment.

Optically-pumped quantum magnetometers are based on the use of the atomic-spin-dependent optical properties of an atomic medium. An Mxconfiguration- based optically-pumped quantum magnetometer employing two sensing cells containing caesium vapour is theoretically described and experimentally developed, and the dependence of its sensitivity and frequency bandwidth upon the light power and the alkali vapour temperature is experimentally demonstrated. Furthermore, the capability of the developed magnetometer of measuring very weak …

Stakeholders Perspective On Sustainable Technology Selection To Achieve Zero Carbon Retail Buildings, Syeda Zainab, Wei Pan, Steve Goodhew, Alba Fuertes

School of Art, Design and Architecture

In the design and construction of sustainable retail buildings, there are various stakeholders involved with the overall aim of selecting appropriate sustainable technologies to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. Previous studies and literature review indicate there is no comprehensive selection process to assist stakeholders. This can be classified as a complex multi-criteria decision problem due to the high number of alternatives, potential solutions and variety of stakeholders (e.g. clients, professional advisors, end-users) with multiple, often conflicting, objectives leading in turn to the slow take-up of sustainable technologies. There is a demand for a systematic and effective evaluation tool for …

Financing Preferences And Capital Structure Among Successful Malaysian Smes, Shafie Mohamed Zabri

Plymouth Business School Theses

The increasing importance of economic contributions of small and medium-sized sized enterprises (SMEs) around the world, especially in developing countries, motivated a better understanding of financial practices among SMEs. Financial support is among the factors affecting the success of SMEs. However, studies on the financial practices among successful SMEs in Malaysia are still limited. An understanding of the financial practices of this particular group of SMEs is essential in developing a supportive financial framework to achieve national agenda for improving SMEs sustainability and increasing the overall SMEs’ contributions to the Malaysian economy. This research investigates the financial practices among successful …

The Mediating Role Of Entrepreneurial Leadership: An Investigation Of The Competitiveness Of Smes In The Uk South-West Food And Drink Manufacturing, Lise Hunter

Plymouth Business School Theses

ABSTRACT It has long been argued that Social Capital, a concept represented by the value embedded in the social relationships of individuals or collectives constitute strategic resources for individuals and organisations. Social networks are thus perceived by businesses, particularly small and medium enterprises, as a means to access those resources, for example gaining privileged access to strategic information that could secure financial resources. In reality, and because of the inherent characteristics of Social Capital, entrepreneurs or business owner/managers who effectively use resources available within social networks are driven by a clear and compelling vision and sustained by a set of …

Optimising Supply Chain Performance Via Information Sharing And Coordinated Management, Wei Xu

Plymouth Business School Theses

Supply chain management has attracted much attention in the last decade. There has been a noticeable shift from a traditional individual organisation-based management to an integrated management across the supply chain network since the end of the last century. The shift contributes to better decision making in the supply chain context, as it is necessary for a company to cooperate with other supply chain members by utilising relevant information such as inventory, demand and resource capacity. In other words, information sharing and coordinated management are essential mechanisms to improve supply chain performance. Supply chains may differ significantly in terms of …

Remembering The City: Memory-Images: Part Of The Portfolio Memory City, I Rae

School of Art, Design and Architecture

No abstract provided.