Good practices and inclusive Art at the University: the image of the Artist/Teacher and Innovative Pedagogies

The aim of art, as transformer of the individual, has numerous sides which give the human beings a sense of enhancement and growth. It is considered by university the need for our students to take part of this process of social transformation in which they feel the need of helping the community when its members are at risk of social exclusion. Art is considered to be a means, a tool and a purpose for an artis-pedagogue to be used as a guide for the renewal. And the university is also considered as a focus of commitment by means of the development of good practices as well as adopting an open and innovative attitude to any changes aimed at living harmoniously within a more just society.

Between "uxor", "mater" and "concubina". Profile and identity of the Emperor Constantine in Late Roman legislation

We aspire to shape the Constantine’s personality in particular by analyzing his loving relationship, first with Minervina and then with Fausta, and not forgetting the bond with his mother Helena, hence the reference to uxor, mater and concubina in our title. We will analyze if these women exercised any influence on the composition of his production rules and, if so, to what extent they were able to determine the historical development of the following decades. From this point of view we must consider in general the emperor had to combine their political claims and government with these relationships, showing great skill in handling times and ways, always putting the first to the second.

Can the European Union build a bridge over troubled waters? An analysis of the politicised and depoliticised legal approach between the European Union and Cyprus

The Cyprus dispute accurately portrays the evolution of the conflict from ‘warfare to lawfare’ enriched in politics; this research has proven that the Cyprus problem has been and will continue to be one of the most judicialised disputes across the globe. Notwithstanding the ‘normalisation’ of affairs between the two ethno-religious groups on the island since the division in 1974, the Republic of Cyprus’ (RoC) European Union (EU) membership in 2004 failed to catalyse reunification and terminate the legal, political and economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community. So the question is; why is it that the powerful legal order of the EU continuously fails to tame the tiny troublesome island of Cyprus? This is a thesis on the interrelationship of the EU legal order and the Cyprus problem. A literal and depoliticised interpretation of EU law has been maintained throughout the EU’s dealings with Cyprus, hence, pre-accession and post-accession. The research has brought to light that this literal interpretation of EU law vis-à-vis Cyprus has in actual fact deepened the division on the island. Pessimists outnumber optimists so far as resolving this problem is concerned, and rightly so if you look back over the last forty years of failed attempts to do just that, a diplomatic combat zone scattered with the bones of numerous mediators. This thesis will discuss how the decisions of the EU institutions, its Member States and specifically of the European Court of Justice, despite conforming to the EU legal order, have managed to disregard the principle of equality on the divided island and thus prevent the promised upgrade of the status of the Turkish Cypriot community since 2004. Indeed, whether a positive or negative reading of the Union’s position towards the Cyprus problem is adopted, the case remains valid for an organisation based on the rule of law to maintain legitimacy, democracy, clarity and equality to the decisions of its institutions. Overall, the aim of this research is to establish a link between the lack of success of the Union to build a bridge over troubled waters and the right of self-determination of the Turkish Cypriot community. The only way left for the EU to help resolve the Cyprus problem is to aim to broker a deal between the two Cypriot communities which will permit the recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) or at least the ‘Taiwanisation’ of Northern Cyprus. Albeit, there are many studies that address the impact of the EU on the conflict or the RoC, which represents the government that has monopolised EU accession, the argument advanced in this thesis is that despite the alleged Europeanisation of the Turkish Cypriot community, they are habitually disregarded because of the EU’s current legal framework and the Union’s lack of conflict transformation strategy vis-à-vis the island. Since the self-declared TRNC is not recognised and EU law is suspended in northern Cyprus in accordance with Protocol No 10 on Cyprus of the Act of Accession 2003, the Turkish-Cypriots represent an idiomatic partner of Brussels but the relations between the two resemble the experience of EU enlargement: the EU’s relevance to the community has been based on the prospects for EU accession (via reunification) and assistance towards preparation for potential EU integration through financial and technical aid. Undeniably, the pre-accession and postaccession strategy of Brussels in Cyprus has worsened the Cyprus problem and hindered the peace process. The time has come for the international community to formally acknowledge the existence of the TRNC.

House of Flora (illustrations)

McLean builds strong connections between the cultural capital of the Jerwood prizewinning craft maker and the world of business and trade. It is crucial that higher education research can consider its relationship to the creative industries. London is a fashion capital, known for its style experimentation and playful creativity. The wit and anarchic play of the art school is a leading force in fashion innovation and Mclean's work articulates this clearly. Designing hats that reference the stylised coiffures of Hollywood icons, in the soft medium of felted wool, is a sophisticated play on the relations between nature and culture that, according to Levi Straus, are at the heart of all culture. The Fifty Hats that Changed the World makes direct allusion to the way that fashion is often regarded with mild disdain as insignificant or trivial, and the Design Museum London, an international leader in disseminating design discourse has, recently, included fashion design within its agenda for exhibition. McLean's work is a leading component of this transformation of design culture.

From "Rational Utopia" to "Will-to-Utopia". On the "Post-modern" Turn in the Recent Work of Agnes Heller

Agnes Heller recently described her position as 'postmodernist', suggesting a move from a political radical to a politically liberal or 'neoconservative' position. The aim of this paper is to assess the degree to which Heller can still be regarded as a radical political thinker through an evaluation of her work on autonomy, democracy and contingency all of which remain key concepts in her thinking about the political. We find in each case that whilst many of the motifs of her critical Marxist period recur in her recent work, they are losing their oppositional or 'negative' character in the sense that making these motifs operational would require changes to the structure or functioning of liberal-capitalism. Whils remaining in some sense a radical thinker Heller has moved from the advocacy of a 'rational utopia' to a form of theorising which I describe as 'will-to-utopia': radical at the surface yet conservative at the core.

Multi-residue analysis of 39 pesticides in surface waters of Ria de Aveiro

A multi-residue gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method was developed in order to evaluate the presence of 39 pesticides of different chemical families (organophosphorus, triazines, imidazole, organochlorine), as well as some of their transformation products, in surface water samples from Ria de Aveiro. Ria de Aveiro is an estuarine coastal lagoon, located in the northern west region of Portugal, which receives inputs from agriculture, urban and industrial activities. The analytical method was developed and validated according international guidelines and showed good linearity, with correlation coefficients higher than 0.9949 for all compounds, adequate precision and accuracy, and high sensitivity. Pesticides were chosen from the priority pollutants list of the Directive 2008/105/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (on environmental quality standards in the field of water policy), or were selected due their common use in agricultural practices. Some of these 39 pesticides are, or are suspected to be, endocrine disruptor compounds (EDCs), being capable of altering the endocrine system of wildlife and humans, causing form malfunction and ultimately health problems. Even those pesticides which are not EDCs, are known to be awfully toxic and have a recognised impact in human health. The aquatic environment is particularly susceptible to pollution due to intentional and accidental release of chemicals to water [3]. Pesticide contamination of surface water is a national issue as it is often used as drinking water. This concern is especially important in rural agricultural areas where population uses small private water supplies, regularly without any laboratory surveillance. The study was performed in seven sampling points and the results showed a considerable concern pesticide contamination of all samples.

The challenge of sales competitions.

Universities in the United Kingdom do not make provision to deliver sales-ready graduates to the economy. One means of delivering sales education is participation in university sales competitions that bring together commercial sponsors, the higher education establishment and those students who may be interested in embarking upon a sales career. This paper explores the views of a sample of Edinburgh Napier University undergraduate students who completed a survey, with both multiple choice and open-ended questions, that detailed their experience in taking part in the Russ Berrie Institute (RBI) Sales Challenge competition between 2009-2014 at the Cotsakos Business Faculty of William Paterson University, New Jersey, in the United States. Ten categories of questions were asked relating to students' sales working experience, sales education, sales jobs, skills and knowledge, their preparation for the sales challenge competition process, observations during the event, post-competition reflection, and overall benefits of taking part in the sales competition process. The findings suggest that there are multiple benefits to students, business and universities from sales challenge competitions, which deliver an overall win-win-win outcome for all stakeholders.

Graphic satire and the rise and fall of the First British Empire: political prints from the Seven Years' War to the Treaty of Paris, c. 1756-1783

This thesis examines the early stages of the transformation of emblematic political prints into political caricature from the beginning of the Seven Years' War (1756) to the Treaty of Paris, which ended the American Revolutionary War (1783). Both contextual and iconographical issues are investigated in relation to the debates occasioned by Britain's imperial project, which marked a period of dramatic expansion during the Seven Years' War, and ended with the loss of the American colonies, consequently framing this thesis as a study of political prints during the rise and fall of the so-called 'First British Empire'. Previous studies of eighteenth-century political prints have largely ignored the complex and lengthy evolutionary process by which the emblematic mode amalgamated with caricatural representation, and have consequently concluded that political prints excluded emblems entirely by the end of the 1770s. However, this study emphasizes the significance of the Wilkite movement for the promotion and preservation of emblems, and investigates how pictorial political argument was perceived and received in eighteenth-century British society, arguing that wider tastes and opinions regarding the utilization of political prints gradually shifted to accept both modes of representation. Moreover, the marketplace, legal status, topicality, and manufacturing methods of political prints are analyzed in terms of understanding the precarious nature of their consumption and those that endeavoured to engage in political printmaking. The evolution, establishment, and subsequent appropriation of pictorial tropes is discussed from the early modern period to the beginning of the so-called Golden Age of caricature, while tracing the adaptation of representational models in American colonial prints that employed emblems already entrenched in British pictorial political debate. Political prints from the two largest print collections, the British Museum and the Lewis Walpole Library at Yale are consulted, along with a number of eighteenth-century newspapers and periodicals, to develop the earlier research by M. Dorothy George, Charles Press, Herbert Atherton, Diana Donald, Amelia Rauser, and Eirwen Nicholson.

Synthesis and structural stability of metal-organic frameworks

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted significant attention during the past decade due to their high porosity, tunable structures, and controllable surface functionalities. Therefore many applications have been proposed for MOFs. All of them however are still in their infancy stage and have not yet been brought into the market place. In this thesis, the background of the MOF area is first briefly introduced. The main components and the motifs of designing MOFs are summarized, followed by their synthesis and postsynthetic modification methods. Several promising application areas of MOFs including gas storage and separation, catalysis and sensing are reviewed. The current status of commercialization of MOFs as new chemical products is also summarized. Examples of the design and synthesis of two new MOF structures Eu(4,4′,4′′,4′′′-(porphine-5,10,15,20-tetrayl)tetrakis(benzoic acid))·2H2O∙xDMF and Zn4O(azobenzene-4,4’-dicarboxylic acid)3∙xNMP are described. The first one contains free-base porphyrin centers and the second one has azobenzene components. Although the structures were synthesized as designed, unfortunately they did not possess the expected properties. The research idea to use MOFs as template materials to synthesize porous polymers is introduced. Several methods are discussed to grow PMMA into IRMOF-1 (Zn4O(benzene-1,4-dicarboxylate)3, IR stands for isoreticular) structure. High concentration of the monomers resulted in PMMA shell after MOF digestion while with low concentration of monomers no PMMA was left after digestion due to the small iii molecular weight. During the study of this chapter, Kitagawa and co-workers published several papers on the same topic, so this part of the research was terminated thereafter. Many MOFs are reported to be unstable in air due to the water molecules in air which greatly limited their applications. By incorporating a number of water repelling functional groups such as trifluoromethoxy group and methyl groups in the frameworks, the water stability of MOFs are shown to be significantly enhanced. Several MOFs inculding Banasorb-22 (Zn4O(2-trifluoromethoxybenzene-1,4-dicarboxylate)3), Banasorb-24 (Zn4O(2, 5-dimethylbenzene-1,4-dicarboxylate)3) and Banasorb-30 (Zn4O(2-methylbenzene-1,4-dicarboxylate)3) were synthesized and proved to have isostructures with IRMOF-1. Banasorb-22 was stable in boiling water steam for one week and Banasorb-30’s shelf life was over 10 months under ambient condition. For comparison, IRMOF-1’s structure collapses in air after a few hours to several days. Although MOF is a very popular research area nowadays, only a few studies have been reported on the mechanical properties of MOFs. Many of MOF’s applications involve high pressure conditions, so it is important to understand the behavior of MOFs under elivated pressures. The mechanical properties of IRMOF-1 and a new MOF structure Eu2(C12N2O4H6)3(DEF)0.87(H2O)2.13 were studied using diamond anvil cells at Advanced Photon Source. IRMOF-1 experienced an irriversible phase transtion to a nonporous phase followed by amorphization under high pressure. Eu2(C12N2O4H6)3(DEF)0.87(H2O)2.13 showed reversible compression under pressure up to 9.08GPa.

Transforming transformation optics via generalised refraction

Generalised refraction is a topic which has, thus far, garnered far less attention than it deserves. The purpose of this thesis is to highlight the potential that generalised refraction has to offer with regards to imaging and its application to designing new passive optical devices. Specifically in this thesis we will explore two types of gener- alised refraction which takes place across a planar interface: refraction by generalised confocal lenslet arrays (gCLAs), and refraction by ray-rotation sheets. We will show that the corresponding laws of refraction for these interfaces produce, in general, light-ray fields with non-zero curl, and as such do not have a corresponding outgoing waveform. We will then show that gCLAs perform integral, geometrical imaging, and that this enables them to be considered as approximate realisations of metric tensor interfaces. The concept of piecewise transformation optics will be introduced and we will show that it is possible to use gCLAs along with other optical elements such as lenses to design simple piecewise transformation-optics devices such as invisibility cloaks and insulation windows. Finally, we shall show that ray-rotation sheets can be interpreted as performing geometrical imaging into complex space, and that as a consequence, ray-rotation sheets and gCLAs may in fact be more closely related than first realised. We conclude with a summary of potential future projects which lead naturally from the results of this thesis.

Transformation into Platform - How can an organisation move from a single-sided business to platforms? A case study at Lyyti

The research studies the transformation from a single-sided offering to a multi-sided platform. The study aims to define platforms and their benefits, creating a theoretical framework by applying change management models with the platform theory, and by finding critical change points of the transformation. The empirical research was done by utilizing action research. The researcher worked as project manager in the case company, and studied the transformation project by working actively and leading the project team. The result of the project was a study of how the company would be able to manage the transformation. The results clearly showed that the company didn’t have the capabilities to finish the transformation. As a conclusion, the study showed that the critical change points that led to the project failure were, that the project was managed with insufficient change managerial efforts, which later resulted as lack of commitment to re-allocating the resources to complete the transformation. Many of the critical change points were results of combined change managerial and platform-related issues.

Iron Transformation Pathways and Redox Micro-Environments in Seafloor Sulfide-Mineral Deposits: Spatially Resolved Fe XAS and delta Fe-57/54 Observations

Hydrothermal sulfide chimneys located along the global system of oceanic spreading centers are habitats for microbial life during active venting. Hydrothermally extinct, or inactive, sulfide deposits also host microbial communities at globally distributed sites. The main goal of this study is to describe Fe transformation pathways, through precipitation and oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions, and examine transformation products for signatures of biological activity using Fe mineralogy and stable isotope approaches. The study includes active and inactive sulfides from the East Pacific Rise 9 degrees 50'N vent field. First, the mineralogy of Fe(III)-bearing precipitates is investigated using microprobe X-ray absorption spectroscopy (RXAS) and X-ray diffraction (mu XRD). Second, laser-ablation (LA) and micro-drilling (MD) are used to obtain spatially-resolved Fe stable isotope analysis by multicollector-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). Eight Fe -bearing minerals representing three mineralogical classes are present in the samples: oxyhydroxides, secondary phyllosilicates, and sulfides. For Fe oxyhydroxides within chimney walls and layers of Si-rich material, enrichments in both heavy and light Fe isotopes relative to pyrite are observed, yielding a range of delta Fe-57 values up to 6 parts per thousand. Overall, several pathways for Fe transformation are observed. Pathway 1 is characterized by precipitation of primary sulfide minerals from Fe(II)aq-rich fluids in zones of mixing between vent fluids and seawater. Pathway 2 is also consistent with zones of mixing but involves precipitation of sulfide minerals from Fe(II)aq generated by Fe(III) reduction. Pathway 3 is direct oxidation of Fe(II) aq from hydrothermal fluids to form Fe(III) precipitates. Finally, Pathway 4 involves oxidative alteration of pre-existing sulfide minerals to form Fe(III). The Fe mineralogy and isotope data do not support or refute a unique biological role in sulfide alteration. The findings reveal a dynamic range of Fe transformation pathways consistent with a continuum of micro-environments having variable redox conditions. These micro-environments likely support redox cycling of Fe and S and are consistent with culture-dependent and -independent assessments of microbial physiology and genetic diversity of hydrothermal sulfide deposits.

Diversity in Catalytic Reactions of Propargylic Diazoesters

Abstract Title of Document: Diversity in Catalytic Reactions of Propargylic Diazoesters Huang Qiu, Doctor of Philosophy, 2016 Directed By: Professor Michael P. Doyle, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Propargylic aryldiazoesters, which possess multiple reactive functional groups in a single molecule, were expected to undergo divergent reaction pathways as a function of catalysts. A variety of transition metal complexes including rhodium(II), palladium(II), silver(I), mercury(II), copper(I and II), and cationic gold (I) complexes have been examined to be effective in the catalytic domino reactions of propargylic aryldiazoesters. An unexpected Lewis acid catalyzed pathway was also discovered by using FeCl3 as the catalyst. Under the catalysis of selected gold catalysts, propargylic aryldiazoesters exist in equilibrium with 1-aryl-1,2-dien-1-yl diazoacetate allenes that are rapidly formed at room temperature through 1,3-acyloxy migration. The newly formed allenes further undergo a metal-free rearrangement in which the terminal nitrogen of the diazo functional group adds to the central carbon of the allene initiating a sequence of bond forming reactions resulting in the production of 1,5-dihydro-4H-pyrazol-4-ones in good yields. These 1,5-dihydro-4H-pyrazol-4-ones undergo intramolecular 1,3-acyl migration to form an equilibrium mixture or quantitatively transfer the acyl group to an external nucleophile with formation of 4-hydroxypyrazoles. In the presence of a pyridine-N-oxide, both E- and Z-1,3-dienyl aryldiazoacetates are formed in high combined yields by Au(I)-catalyzed rearrangement of propargyl arylyldiazoacetates at short reaction times. Under thermal reactions the E-isomers form the products from intramolecular [4+2]-cycloaddition with H‡298 = 15.6 kcal/mol and S‡298= -27.3 cal/ (mol•degree). The Z-isomer is inert to [4+2]-cycloaddition under these conditions. The Hammett relationships from aryl-substituted diazo esters ( = +0.89) and aryl-substituted dienes ( = -1.65) are consistent with the dipolar nature of this transformation. An unexpected reaction for the synthesis of seven-membered conjugated 1,4-diketones from propargylic diazoesters with unsaturated imines was disclosed. To undergo this process vinyl gold carbene intermediates generated by 1,2-acyloxy migration of propargylic aryldiazoesters undergo a formal [4+3]-cycloaddition, and the resulting aryldiazoesters tethered dihydroazepines undergo an intricate metal-free process to form observed seven-membered conjugated 1,4-diketones with moderate to high yields.

Molecular biology of prolactin and prolactin receptor in a marine teleost: the sea bream(Sparus aurata)

Tese de dout. em Biologia, especialidade de Biologia Molecular, Unidade de Ciências e Tecnologias dos Recursos Aquáticos, Univ. do Algarve

DEVELOPMENT OF A 2-DIMENSIONAL FINITE VOLUME MODEL TO ASSESS HYDRODYNAMIC AND MICROBIAL CONTROLS ON DNAPL DISSOLUTION AND DETOXIFICATION

Tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) form dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs), which are persistent groundwater contaminants. DNAPL dissolution can be "bioenhanced" via dissolved contaminant biodegradation at the DNAPL-water interface. This research hypothesized that: (1) competitive interactions between different dehalorespiring strains can significantly impact the bioenhancement effect, and extent of PCE dechlorination; and (2) hydrodynamics will affect the outcome of competition and the potential for bioenhancement and detoxification. A two-dimensional coupled flowtransport model was developed, with a DNAPL pool source and multiple microbial species. In the scenario presented, Dehalococcoides mccartyi 195 competes with Desulfuromonas michiganensis for the electron acceptors PCE and TCE. Simulations under biostimulation and low velocity (vx) conditions suggest that the bioenhancement with Dsm. michiganensis alone was modestly increased by Dhc. mccartyi 195. However, the presence of Dhc. mccartyi 195 enhanced the extent of PCE transformation. Hydrodynamic conditions impacted the results by changing the dominant population under low and high vx conditions.