Digital Commons Network^™

Sense And Sensing: A Critical Enquiry Into Relations Between Hearing-Impaired Children, Vision And Photography, Kevin Robinson

School of Art, Design and Architecture Theses

This thesis explores and critiques attitudes and assumptions related to hearing-impaired, school-level students and their engagement with the educational discipline of photography. It is not uncommon to find that hearing-impaired children are described as visual learners. This thesis argues that the conceptualisation of children as visual learners merely reflects a wider discourse that aims to legitimise a certain practice of schooling as normative. In appearing as common-sense and value neutral, the discourse has the tendency to perpetuate the marginalisation of those senses deemed less noble and the pedagogical insistence on a premise that posits a link between looking, seeing and …

Place And Identity In Italian Photography Through A Study Of The Town Of Lugo, Luca Nostri

School of Art, Design and Architecture Theses

This research is framed by the specific context of Italian photography since the late 1970s, which has defined its own aesthetic and cultural identity in relation to the idea of place. The definitive reference point for this context is the group project Viaggio in Italia conceived and curated by photographer Luigi Ghirri and presented in 1984, when an exhibition of three hundred photographs was held in Bari and a catalogue for the project was published. Viaggio in Italia brought together a generation of photographers who were creating a new cultural atmosphere around photography in Italy: they shared a new and …

Prosthetic Realities, Prosthetic Futures: Challenging The Status Quo Of External Breast Prosthesis Design, Rosie Brave

School of Art, Design and Architecture Theses

This practice-based research identifies the need and opportunity to update the design approach used in the production of external breast prostheses (EBP) for women post mastectomy. Spurred by accounts of some women’s negative experiences with their EBP, this research took influence from colour psychology, emotional design and consumer psychology to explore the potential to create a satisfying and transformative product and user-experience. Drawing on grounded theory, design ethnography and human-centred design practices, an iterative, empathic and participant-centred design process and methodology emerged. Insights from interviews, cultural probes, co-design activities and solo practice were combined to inform the making of speculative …

Intuitive Interventions: Constructing Documentary Cinematic Narratives, Heidi Morstang

School of Art, Design and Architecture Theses

The argument in this summary concerns intuition as creative decision method in observational documentary film practice and is based upon three films produced, directed, edited and published by the author: In Transit [2011]; Prosperous Mountain [2013]; and Pseudotachylyte [2019]. The films are created with digital technologies employing state of the art High Definition Video cameras, and digital post-production software . This summary will use reflection and analysis to make explicit three aspects of the documentary cinematic process of creation: image, sound, and edit. It will highlight where a space is created to facilitate intuition. The summary will revisit some processes …

Deciphering The Silence: A Literary Journey To Alice E. Kober, Regina Dürig

School of Art, Design and Architecture Theses

On Thursday, 28 September 2017, I embarked upon my Journey to Alice Kober: 48 hours in trains taking me from New York City, where she had lived all her life, to Austin, Texas, where everything that she left behind is stored today. 48 hours of shades of green and mustardy yellow, 48 hours of train whistles, drip coffee and blunt panic attacks from being tucked away under the plastic roof of the compartment at night. 48 hours of hope and expectations regarding the archive material, of finding what has been lost. My journey to Alice Kober’s archive, to her still-existing …

A Relational Ecology Of Photographic Practices: Towards A Non-Anthropocentric Approach To Photography, Jacqueline Knight

School of Art, Design and Architecture Theses

This thesis argues that as photography’s technological basis has become more complex and increasingly detached from human vision, a thicker account of photographic practice that moves away from humanist discourse and single authorship can assist in demonstrating a continuity between film and new technological photographic practices. It revisits key concepts in documentary photography such as the ‘decisive moment’ through the filter of particular historical, technological and philosophical ideas that have informed the critical engagement with photography as a media of representation. It reconsiders some orthodox assumptions about photography including the idea that photography is fundamentally a human-centred practice and that …

The Liminal Event And Its Symbols: On The Intersection Of Human And Technology, Blanka Deroko

School of Art, Design and Architecture Theses

This thesis is an exploration of practical and theoretical modes of constituting hybrid subjectivities on the intersection of human and technology. Taking as a point of departure the posthuman and postphenomenological perspectives, I develop an approach to articulating hybrid subjectivities, where the distributed human and nonhuman entities come together in a relational way, expressing hybrid agencies. This thesis explores an emergent affective dimension in technological spaces, which provide a sensory stimulation to the human enabling a sense of presence in the distributed and virtual space. Further, I demonstrate a systematic manner, in which an integrated liminal event between the human …

How Progressive Was The Representation Of Physical Disability Within Mainstream Film In The 1990s, Given The Increased Awareness About Disability During The Decade?, Connor David Ruse

School of Art, Design and Architecture Theses

This dissertation will explore the representation of physical disability in mainstream films in the 1990s, determining that this onscreen representation was only slightly progressive in nature. It is based on a qualitative analysis of sixteen characters with disabilities in fifteen mainstream films released between 1987 and 1999. The observations from this analysis were compiled into a database examining: the type of impairment a character had, the character’s screen time, the disability terminology used within the film and common tropes used to tell the character’s narrative within the film. Using the database and supportive sources, like interviews with the films’ casts …

Social Sculpture: A Plastic Process Of Mutual Transformation, Veronica Marina Fazzio Welf

School of Art, Design and Architecture Theses

Joseph Beuys, the originator of the term ‘Social Sculpture’, stated that the objects he made were stimulators for the formation of thoughts, i.e. that they were intended to mold or to shape thoughts. Beuys believed that the essence of Social Sculpture was to shape and mold the world by working with invisible materials to make new thoughts. His aim was to develop an evolutionary process to share his ideas about the universal nature of plasticity, and thus the ability we all have to constantly transform. This practice as research Ph.D. explores Social Sculpture as a contemporary process of transformation. The …

Exploring And Understanding Patterns Of Emotions In The Overall Sound Energy Of The Human Voice In A Natural Environment With And Through An Interactive Installation And Vr Immersive Videos, Paola Lopreiato

School of Art, Design and Architecture Theses

In today’s era we can say that human reality is often reliant on or intersected with computers. The need of improved communication with devices in a natural way has arisen and led to development of interactive systems. The new channel for detecting emotions presented in this thesis is not so much important for humans as it is for computers that still don’t have human capabilities of recognising emotions. The vision that drives this research project is of an interactive kind of art through which it is possible to implement and enhance our knowledge of emotions in relation to sound, assisted …

Syncretic Practices Between Art And Architecture: Towards A Critical Epistemic Practice For Social Engagement., Alejandro Quinteros

School of Art, Design and Architecture Theses

This thesis proceeds from an analysis and a critical assessment of socially engaged spatial practices that have arisen from the convergence, intersections and conflicts between public, social art, and architecture’s spatial practices; specifically, those situated within informal settlements of marginalized communities in Latin America. Through a literature review, the thesis identifies the persistence of a number of overarching misconceptions informing the design thinking of art and architecture’s spatial practices. This research is geographically framed in Latin America. The thesis develops within the contextual arena of informality as a vernacular practice in the informal settlements of marginalized communities at the borderlands …

The Role Of Autophagy In Protecting Periodontium Integrity, And Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Osteoclast Differentiation, Portia Grayson

Other Faculty of Health Theses

The periodontium is a dynamic tissue that undergoes constant remodeling to maintain its structure and function. There is much evidence in the literature that autophagy can be activated by both mechanical stretching and inflammation, however the mechanisms involved are highly context dependent. Autophagy may also be important for bone remodeling in the oral cavity. Two scenarios where bone remodeling is key to the physiological outcome are orthodontic tooth movement and inflammatory-induced periodontal disease. This thesis aims to investigate the hypothesis that autophagy is involved in bone remodeling during orthodontic tooth movement and periodontal disease. While the stem cells concerned in …

Regulation Of The Expression And Lysine Acetylation Of Pro-Inflammatory Molecules By Lipid-Modifying Enzyme (Lpcat2) In Raw264.7 Cells, Victory Ibigo Poloamina

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Lysophosphatidylcholine Acyltransferases (LPCATs) are Lipid modifying enzymes that significantly regulate changes in the glycerophospholipid components of the macrophage membrane phospholipid bilayer. LPCAT2 is a subtype of LPCAT that regulates inflammatory responses to infection by lipopolysaccharides and lipopeptides. LPCAT2 co-localises with TLR4 and prevents its translocation to the signalling site (lipid rafts) of macrophage membranes. The first response to inflammation involves infiltration of macrophages to the infected site, where they fight infection by phagocytosing the microbial pathogen. Changes in the macrophage membrane phospholipid bilayer are essential for phagocytosis and receptor signalling. Regulation of protein acylation is also an integral mechanism for …

The Psychology Of Anxiety & Pain In Fibromyalgia, Anna Kharko

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Understanding pain is integral to understanding fibromyalgia, a chronic musculoskeletal pain condition of undetermined aetiology, and for which no single successful medical therapy exists. Most of what is known about fibromyalgia pain comes from psychophysical research of central sensitisation, a phenomenon of abnormally amplified pain following disruptions in the central nervous system. Anxiety has been long theorised to mediate this centralised pain, but its contribution is yet to be characterised. This thesis presents a multimodal investigation of pain perception under different manifestations of anxiety in both fibromyalgia-diagnosed and pain-free cohorts. Chapter 3 presented the findings from the first study in …

Because You’Re Worth The Risks: Acts Of Oppositional Courage As Symbolic Messages Of Relational Value To Transgender Employees, Christian Thoroughgood, Katina Sawyer, Jennica R. Webster

Management Faculty Research and Publications

Achieving greater social equity in organizations often depends on majority members taking risks to challenge the status quo on behalf of their colleagues with stigmatized identities. But, how do employees enact courageous behavior in this regard, and what are the social implications of these courageous acts on stigmatized group members who witness them at work? To begin examining these questions, we conducted 4 studies using qualitative and quantitative data collected from 428 transgender employees. Drawing on the core principles of sociometer theory, we argue that these acts of oppositional courage serve an important symbolic function in the eyes of transgender …

When Our Best Words Fail, Justin Bailey

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

No abstract provided.

An Investigation Into The Uses Of Machine Learning For Electronic Sound Synthesis, Laurence Metters

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

This thesis presents an investigation into the uses of machine learning and artificial intelligence for electronic sound synthesis, specifically the creation of new synthesised sounds for composition and research. Using the Magenta Labs Neural Synthesizer (NSynth), a synthesis tool that uses deep neural networks to generate new sounds based on data input from electronic synthesizers, this research project aimed to produce a system where bespoke synthesizers could be used to produce interesting sound combinations consisting of approaches to electronic sound synthesis that would not conventionally be used together. Combinations of different approaches to electronic sound synthesis produced interesting results when …

Future Nelsons: A Quantitative Social History Study Of British Naval Cadets, 1884-1894, Oliver J Moore

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

This dissertation is a quantitative study of naval cadets who joined the Royal Navy in the final two decades of the nineteenth century via the training institution H.M.S. Britannia (Training Ship). The focus of the study is on the backgrounds of cadets, geographical and social, and how they impacted career progression. The individuals of this study group would join the navy during a time of rapid change followed by a significant increase in recruitment of officers and men after the Naval Defence Act (1889). The importance of the navy and its future leaders was of significant interest to the navy, …

Gender And Materiality In Early Modern English Gloves, J Daybell, Svante Norrhem, Susan Broomhall, Jacqueline Van Gent, Nadine Akkerman

More Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Research

This article explores the complex interactions of gender with the materiality of the processes of becoming and being a glove in the early modern period. Through an investigation of gloves, glove parts, and their ephemeral presentation (through leather, embroidery, and perfume), we argue that gender and materiality act in dialogic ways to produce power relations, and that considerations of gender, power, and materiality are central to our understanding of how material things function in a given society, embedded in social practices and cultural processes of production, consumption, and exchange. Using the glove as an indicative point of exploration, the article …

Creating Utopia: Memories And Learning To Live Well, Caroline Mikhail

Plymouth Institute of Education Theses

The focus of this research was how we might learn to live well. The research was conducted in collaboration with people living in an eco-community. The overarching questions framing this work are- What is their interpretation of living well and how is it realised in the day-to-day actions and dynamics of the community? How and what is learnt in these day-to-day situations? How did the collaborators (and researcher) learn to be who they are and how relevant is one’s subjectivity for living well? The methods used to answer these questions were immersion, observation, journal, and interviews. The researcher spent time …

Hospital Librarianship: What’S The New Normal?, Seema Bhakta

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.

Healthier Oregon Qualitative Study, Core (Center For Outcomes Research & Education)

Reports

No abstract provided.

Maternal Social Support, Depression And Emotional Availability In Early Mother-Infant Interaction: Findings From A Pregnancy Cohort, Kelli K. Macmillan, Andrew J. Lewis, Stuart J. Watson, Declan Bourke, Megan Galbally

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Social support theory suggests that parental social support may influence the nature of early parenting behaviours and specifically the mother-infant relationship. This study examines whether support from a partner, friends or family is associated with differences in quality of mother-infant interactions in the context of maternal depression.

Methods: 210 women were followed from early pregnancy to six months postpartum within Australian pregnancy cohort, the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study (MPEWS). Mother-infant interactions within a standardised observation at six months postpartum were measured by the Emotional Availability (EA) Scales using total scores of the parental scales. In early and …

Infant Removal From Birth Parents - How Does Health Information Impact Court Decisions? A Scoping Review, Rachel Gregory-Wilson, Liesel Spencer, Elizabeth Handsley, Toby Raeburn

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Problem: Courts make complex decisions daily regarding removal of infants from birth parents and placement in out-of-home care. Nurses and other health professionals often take part in such processes, either as court informants, witnesses, or via their role delivering healthcare to infants and/or birth parents involved. To date there has been very little research exploring how health information impacts upon decision-making about infant removal.

Aim: To explore how health information impacts court decisions about removing infants from birth parents.

Methods: Using Arksey and O’Malley’s five-stage method for scoping reviews as a guide, eight electronic databases were searched to identify relevant …

Georgia Municipal Financial Analysis- Establishing A Baseline For The Study Of The Impact Of Covid-19, Jacob Turner, Fernanda Camacho Hauser, Ansel Scott

Georgia Municipal Association Practicum (2013-2022)

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Covid-19 On Consumer Purchasing Activity In Georgia By County, Mekhia Freeman, Erykah Hoskins, Brett Kohler, Rylee Waldrep, Ben Cosby, Jean Vintilescu

Georgia Municipal Association Practicum (2013-2022)

No abstract provided.

State Financial Analysis - Impact Of Covid-19 On The States With A Comparison To The Impact Of The Great Recession, William Golden, Taylor Brown, Jennifer Morgan, Christian Shellman, Zakiya Daniel

Georgia Municipal Association Practicum (2013-2022)

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Covid-19 On Consumer Purchasing Activity By State, Pamela Goodman, Corbin Dantes-Perry, Chad Burch

Georgia Municipal Association Practicum (2013-2022)

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Spinal Anatomy Segmentation Methods Using Synthetic Computed Tomography Volumes, Austin Tapp, Michel Audette

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Severe adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is corrected by surgical procedures that necessitate ligament releases. To determine appropriate release allotments, soft tissues must be localized on a patient-specific basis, However, routine computer tomography (CT) imaging precludes traditional, voxel-based soft tissue localization. Fortunately, recent studies have proposed top-down segmentation methods, which elucidate soft tissues using pre-operative CT volumes. While the accuracy of vertebral segmentations obtained from these methods has not been determined, the accuracy of soft tissue segmentations has not. To ensure the soft tissue segmentation methods are clinically applicable, soft tissue validation must occur. This study presents an evaluation measure for …

An Examination Of Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms And Aggression Among Children With A History Of Adverse Childhood Experiences, Elizabeth M. Mcrae, Laura Stoppelbein, Sarah E. O'Kelley, Paula Fite, Shana B. Smith

Research, Publications & Creative Work

Childhood aggression is associated with many deleterious outcomes and is a common reason for psychiatric referral (Card and Little 2006; Gurnani, Ivanov, and Newcorn 2016). One factor associated with childhood aggression is Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs; Felitti et al. 1998). However, existing research remains equivocal on which characteristics of ACEs (e.g., cumulative impact, typology, etc.) are significantly elated to aggression, especially when considering differential effects of ACEs on proactive aggression (PA) and reactive aggression (RA; Dodge and Coie, 1987). Post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) are a common negative sequalae of ACEs and are characterized by disruptions in several cognitive, emotional, and …