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Particulate matter (PM) is a toxic pollutant formed during the combustion of fossil fuels inside the engine of our cars. PM is composed by a carbonaceous core, known as soot onto which different hydrocarbon species can be adsorbed. The detrimental effects of PM on humans are varied; it can exacerba...
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Particulate matter (PM) is a toxic pollutant formed during the combustion of fossil fuels inside the engine of our cars. PM is composed by a carbonaceous core, known as soot onto which different hydrocarbon species can be adsorbed. The detrimental effects of PM on humans are varied; it can exacerbate allergies and provoke respiratory-related illnesses. In addition, PM is linked with cardiovascular problems and the increased rate of cancer on account of the mutagenic behaviour of the majority of PM components. Also, PM is not innocuous to the environment. Soot can absorb sunlight warming the low atmosphere and PM is one of the main causes of historical building damage and soiling. Traditionally, PM emissions have been associated to diesel vehicles, however, with the introduction of Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines, petrol powertrains are also in the spotlight for current legislation. In Europe, the Euro 6c, which will come into force in September 2017, imposes a level of 6x1011 particulates emitted per kilometre. PM can be reduced and controlled from different points of view i) engine calibration ii) fuel reformulation and iii) efficient aftertreatment systems (i.e. gasoline particulate filters). Thus, the aim of my thesis is to study the intrinsic properties of PM under different engine conditions and alternative fuels in order to aid in the design of efficient pathways to reduce PM in GDI engines.

The increase in the elderly population is impacting the social and economic aspects of the modern world as increasing longevity is not matched by an increasing healthy lifespan. Increased infections are a major component of ill health in old age. The aged immune system fails to respond properly to m...
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The increase in the elderly population is impacting the social and economic aspects of the modern world as increasing longevity is not matched by an increasing healthy lifespan. Increased infections are a major component of ill health in old age. The aged immune system fails to respond properly to many infections such as pneumonia, caused mainly by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae, which is responsible for high rates of death among the elderly. Here we studied the impact of age on the function of neutrophils, immune cells crucial for immunity to S. pneumoniae. Blood from healthy young (n=3, <30 years) and elderly (n=3, >65 years) volunteers was stimulated by antibody or complement-bound live or dead S. pneumoniae serotype 4 (TIGR4 strain). The amount of bacteria taken up by neutrophils and their production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), used to kill bacteria, was measured by flow-cytometry. The ability of neutrophils to trap S. pneumoniae extracellularly using a web made of extruded DNA (neutrophil extracellular traps, NETs) was also analysed by counting the remaining viable bacteria after incubation with neutrophils. We found that elderly neutrophils phagocytosed and produced ROS less well in response to S. pneumoniae, but this could be overcome if complement was bound to the bacteria. Although only n=1, preliminary data showed that NETs trapping of S. pneumoniae was lower (40%) in the elderly compared to young neutrophils (57%). Our data indicate that neutrophils from the elderly can produce ROS and phagocytose S. pneumoniae but may have impaired NET trapping ability.

Background: The Home Office recently conducted a survey in which they explored whether domestic abuse (DA) victims were satisfied with the services they received. The survey demonstrated that DA victims are dissatisfied. A consortium of the Police and their domestic violence support organisations de...
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Background: The Home Office recently conducted a survey in which they explored whether domestic abuse (DA) victims were satisfied with the services they received. The survey demonstrated that DA victims are dissatisfied. A consortium of the Police and their domestic violence support organisations decided to conduct this study to explore satisfaction with their services in greater detail and to use these findings to improve services. Objective: To investigate how services can be improved for people who experienced DA. Method: The study will be conducted in three phases: (1) the study will evaluate experiences of current services. We will include participants from three stakeholder groups: DA survivors, DA support staff, and criminal justice staff. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with representatives from each group. (2) The co-design process involves firstly discussing the Phase 1 findings with each of the three stakeholder groups, in order to identify priorities for change. The group representatives then come together for a collaborative co-design event, in order to plan improvements. (3) We will study the process and outcome of the Experience-Based Co-Design (EBCD) intervention. Implications: The study will increase our understanding of the psychosocial needs of DA survivors in the UK through using the EBCD process. This is important because the design of services is primarily based on expert views; service-users are rarely involved. Furthermore, EBCD has not been used in policing before and therefore this study will comprise internationally ground-breaking work.

This study addresses Richard Rorty's concept of "the ironist" and their place in Education. The ironist has anxieties towards language and believes our society is governed by metaphysics that use semantic arguments to validate their finality. Rorty's ironist further believes that we need to constan...
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This study addresses Richard Rorty's concept of "the ironist" and their place in Education. The ironist has anxieties towards language and believes our society is governed by metaphysics that use semantic arguments to validate their finality. Rorty's ironist further believes that we need to constantly redescribe all elements of our postmodern society to eventually instigate change. My research uses this ironist perspective to examine Education as a metaphysical being and its genealogy. The research comprises of three overall areas: The place of ironism in Education; schools currently justify their place as a "Truth" of our society through research and assessment, but these systems are a final vocabulary to be deconstructed. The history of Education; through the challenging of language, it becomes quickly clear that the history of the words and concepts becomes essential in understanding their origins, and thus reasons why we hold them in such high regard. Deconstructing these terms may reveal ideas about governance or religion that lie at the heart of Education. A redescription of Education; Rorty places great weight on the place of literature and fictions as methods of redescription, so to implement the grounds for change. This form of fictional redescription will be used to make a fresh start with Education, rather than simply redefine it within the vocabularies that currently exist.

The aim of the project is to analyse the legitimacy of justifications for the continued use of the death penalty which are grounded in Islamic law. The context for the study is the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The UPR is a mechanism of the Human Rights Council and was created through the UN G...
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The aim of the project is to analyse the legitimacy of justifications for the continued use of the death penalty which are grounded in Islamic law. The context for the study is the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The UPR is a mechanism of the Human Rights Council and was created through the UN General Assembly on 15 March 2006. It is a unique process that reviews the human rights records of all UN member states. Each UPR cycle runs for a period of four and a half years. Under the UPR, countries that apply the death penalty justify its application by claiming that the punishment does not violate ICCPR Articles 6, 7 and 14. These arguments are generally aimed at demonstrating either that the punishment is a legitimate expression of state sovereignty, and/or that it is an effective administration of penology. Article 6 states that “in countries which have not abolished the death penalty, sentence of death may be imposed only for the most serious crimes.” It is within this framework that the use of the punishment specifically by Islamic states will be studied. Ultimately, the research will engage and contribute to the exegesis of punishment under Islamic Law, based on human rights principles. It will aim to influence government policy of Islamic states and result in a reduction of the death penalty.

A growing amount of soluble materials (granules, tablets or pellets) are commonly used in the daily life. The dissolution process* of these materials is a complex sequence of physical and chemical transformations, however they sometimes happen simultaneously. This fact increases the difficulty of st...
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A growing amount of soluble materials (granules, tablets or pellets) are commonly used in the daily life. The dissolution process* of these materials is a complex sequence of physical and chemical transformations, however they sometimes happen simultaneously. This fact increases the difficulty of studying this phenomenon. Procter and Gamble, P&G, (sponsor of this project) is well-known for producing the best quality soluble materials such as washing powder. The main aim of this work is studying the role of granule structure in the dissolution behaviour of washing powder. This knowledge would allow us to predict how today’s particles dissolve and to design detergents with defined release components. The evolution of imagining technics like X-ray tomography lets researchers visualise and characterise (pore size, fraction of each component, location of these components, etc.). Combining X-ray tomography and dissolution kinetics technics (the study of chemical and physical reaction rates), we have analysed the dissolution performance of intermediate products of detergent granules. The effect of pores size and location as well as components size and location has been correlated with dissolution kinetics.

Can you tell the difference between a crocodile and an alligator? It is a tricky task for most people. Although they come in different sizes and have other slight differences, most modern crocodylians look pretty much the same to a non-specialist eye. However, the picture is very different when we c...
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Can you tell the difference between a crocodile and an alligator? It is a tricky task for most people. Although they come in different sizes and have other slight differences, most modern crocodylians look pretty much the same to a non-specialist eye. However, the picture is very different when we consider the 200-million-year evolution of the crocodylian lineage. Many fossil species of Crocodyliformes, the group that includes crocodylians and their relatives, are completely different from the semi-aquatic forms we have today. These extinct crocodyliform species include fully sea-going forms with flippers, giant dinosaur-eating terrestrial predators, greyhound-like fast-running small omnivores, bizarre filter-feeders, and even plant-eaters with complex mammal-like dentitions. Accordingly, my PhD research project aims to investigate and understand which environmental and biological factors drove the evolution of this huge diversity, as well as its decline towards the low ecological diversity seen today. To do this I am collecting anatomical data and information on body size and mass from hundreds of fossil specimens worldwide. I will use this data to quantify changes in ecological diversity through time, and will compare the results with environmental (climate and geographical) data and major evolutionary changes (e.g. origins of major lineages).

Aging is associated with an increased incidence of disease, such as cardiovascular disease. This occurs via several mechanisms including oxidative stress and chronic inflammation, which can cause a reduction in vascular compliance via impairment in endothelium dependant dilation and arterial stiffne...
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Aging is associated with an increased incidence of disease, such as cardiovascular disease. This occurs via several mechanisms including oxidative stress and chronic inflammation, which can cause a reduction in vascular compliance via impairment in endothelium dependant dilation and arterial stiffness. Many of these adverse effects can be reduced or overcome by exercise however, not all exercise is perceived as suitable for an older age population. This study will investigate 2 types of exercise undertaken at different intensity: a low/moderate intensity (Tai Chi) versus moderate/high intensity (Zumba Gold). The study will assess the effect of 12 weeks of Tai Chi or aerobic dance, on markers of oxidative stress, inflammation and vascular function. Participants aged between 65 and 75 years old, with no history of cardiovascular diseases will be recruited to the study. Following screening and baseline measures they will be randomised into 3 groups of control (social-interaction), Tai Chi and aerobic dance (Zumba Gold). All participants will take part in 12 weeks of intervention and will be assessed for vascular function (FMD), biochemical parameters of inflammation and oxidative, physical fitness, psychological effects (depression, pain, fatigue, loneliness) and other health parameters (BMI, lipid profile, blood pressure). Measurements will be taken at baseline, 6 weeks (mid-intervention) and 12 weeks (end-intervention). This study aims to provide a better understanding of the effects of two different forms of exercise on markers of health in older age, and to assess these two different types of exercise for acceptability in this population.

The recent quick urbanisation process has led to a situation where metro systems are no longer able to offer the necessary speeds to cover the ever increasing distances travelled. This reinforces the vicious circle that promotes private mobility and threatens the sustainability of cities. Even thoug...
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The recent quick urbanisation process has led to a situation where metro systems are no longer able to offer the necessary speeds to cover the ever increasing distances travelled. This reinforces the vicious circle that promotes private mobility and threatens the sustainability of cities. Even though metro systems can achieve higher top speeds than permitted on roads, their main disadvantage lies in the coverage paradox: when stations are close together, the time to walk to stations is short but the speed in the metro is also reduced for stopping more times. Conversely, if stations are far apart for higher speeds on the line, the time to access stations is also increased. Consequently, a journey using the metro always takes more time than it would on private modes. Using a systems engineering process, this research proposes a novel operational model where autonomous vehicles stop in different patterns at stations along a line. These vehicles travel in convoys instead of trains and are controlled by vehicle-to-vehicle communication similarly to those developed for automated highways. Simulations show that this strategy can simultaneously reduce by half the time to access stations and increase by 130% the average speed on the line, thus shortening journey times by up to 45% compared to conventional operations. Moreover, capacity is also increased by 30% compared to the busiest lines in operation. In conclusion, the model can meet the speed requirements of megacities, while increasing the capacity of systems to cope with the demographic trends of the twenty-first century.

Evaluative language may be defined as the linguistic means by which a speaker or writer expresses an attitude towards a particular proposition or entity. ‘Signaling nouns’ are abstract nouns, like fact, idea, and result, where specific meaning in a text depends on the context they are used in. Some ...
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Evaluative language may be defined as the linguistic means by which a speaker or writer expresses an attitude towards a particular proposition or entity. ‘Signaling nouns’ are abstract nouns, like fact, idea, and result, where specific meaning in a text depends on the context they are used in. Some such nouns also carry inherently evaluative weight; to characterize a situation as a crisis rather than, say, a concern is to make an evaluative judgment. The potential for nouns to carry evaluative meaning has been noted in studies of evaluation and the evaluative force of some signaling nouns has been noted in studies seeking to define this potential sub-class of nouns, but no comprehensive study has yet been undertaken of what may be termed ‘Evaluative Signaling Nouns.’ Given that, in the field of Automated Sentiment Analysis, it has also been suggested that that nouns are particularly significant in the expression of sentiment in political discourse, this represents a significant gap in current literature which my study seeks to address. Contested British membership of the EU offers an ideal and timely context in which to base this study. Furthermore, given that ideological bias in media representations has been considered significant in influencing public acceptance of EU membership, a comparative study of Evaluative Signaling Nouns used in the European Parliament, by the British Government and in British Newspapers will be undertaken.