Interest in university studies : Its role and relation to other motivational variables

This dissertation empirically explored interest as a motivational force in university studies, including the role it currently plays and possible ways of enhancing this role as a student motivator. The general research questions were as follows: 1) What role does interest play in university studies? 2) What explains academic success if studying is not based on interest? 3) How do different learning environments support or impede interest-based studying? Four empirical studies addressed these questions. Study 1 (n=536) compared first-year students explanations of their disciplinary choices in three fields: veterinary medicine, humanities and law. Study 2 (n=28) focused on the role of individual interest in the humanities and veterinary medicine, fields which are very different from each other as regards their nature of studying. Study 3 (n=52) explored veterinary students motivation and study practices in relation to their study success. Study 4 (n=16) explored veterinary students interest experience in individual lectures on a daily basis. By comparing different fields and focusing on one study field in more detail, it was possible to obtain a many-sided picture of the role of interest in different learning environments. Questionnaires and quantitative methods have often been used to measure interest in academic learning. The present work is based mostly on qualitative data, and qualitative methods were applied to add to the previous research. Study 1 explored students open-ended answers, and these provided a basis for the interviews in Study 2. Study 3 explored veterinary students portfolios in a longitudinal setting. For Study 4, a diary including both qualitative and quantitative measures was designed to capture veterinary students interest experience. Qualitative content analysis was applied in all four studies, but quantitative analyses were also added. The thesis showed that university students often explain their disciplinary choices in terms of interest. Because interest is related to high-quality learning, the students seemed to have a good foundation for successful studies. However, the learning environments did not always support interest-based studying; Time-management and coping skills were found to be more important than interest in terms of study success. The results also indicated that interest is not the only motivational variable behind university studies. For example, future goals are needed in order to complete a degree. Even so, the results clearly indicated that it would be worth supporting interest-based studying both in professionally and generally oriented study fields. This support is important not only to promote high-quality learning but also meaningful studying, student well-being, and life-long learning.

Model of sources: a proposal for the hierarchy, merging strategy and representation of the information sources in virtual models of historical buildings

Contributed to: Fusion of Cultures: XXXVIII Annual Conference on Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology – CAA2010 (Granada, Spain, Apr 6-9, 2010)

Methodological keys for the acquisition and long-term use of photographic collections representing elements of Heritage

Contributed to: Fusion of Cultures. XXXVIII Annual Conference on Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology – CAA2010 (Granada, Spain, Apr 6-9, 2010)

Scientific Data Application Profile Scoping Study

This study was undertaken by UKOLN on behalf of the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) in the period April to September 2008. Application profiles are metadata schemata which consist of data elements drawn from one or more namespaces, optimized for a particular local application. They offer a way for particular communities to base the interoperability specifications they create and use for their digital material on established open standards. This offers the potential for digital materials to be accessed, used and curated effectively both within and beyond the communities in which they were created. The JISC recognized the need to undertake a scoping study to investigate metadata application profile requirements for scientific data in relation to digital repositories, and specifically concerning descriptive metadata to support resource discovery and other functions such as preservation. This followed on from the development of the Scholarly Works Application Profile (SWAP) undertaken within the JISC Digital Repositories Programme and led by Andy Powell (Eduserv Foundation) and Julie Allinson (RRT UKOLN) on behalf of the JISC. Aims and Objectives 1.To assess whether a single metadata AP for research data, or a small number thereof, would improve resource discovery or discovery-to-delivery in any useful or significant way. 2.If so, then to:a.assess whether the development of such AP(s) is practical and if so, how much effort it would take; b.scope a community uptake strategy that is likely to be successful, identifying the main barriers and key stakeholders. 3.Otherwise, to investigate how best to improve cross-discipline, cross-community discovery-to-delivery for research data, and make recommendations to the JISC and others as appropriate. Approach The Study used a broad conception of what constitutes scientific data, namely data gathered, collated, structured and analysed using a recognizably scientific method, with a bias towards quantitative methods. The approach taken was to map out the landscape of existing data centres, repositories and associated projects, and conduct a survey of the discovery-to-delivery metadata they use or have defined, alongside any insights they have gained from working with this metadata. This was followed up by a series of unstructured interviews, discussing use cases for a Scientific Data Application Profile, and how widely a single profile might be applied. On the latter point, matters of granularity, the experimental/measurement contrast, the quantitative/qualitative contrast, the raw/derived data contrast, and the homogeneous/heterogeneous data collection contrast were discussed. The Study report was loosely structured according to the Singapore Framework for Dublin Core Application Profiles, and in turn considered: the possible use cases for a Scientific Data Application Profile; existing domain models that could either be used or adapted for use within such a profile; and a comparison existing metadata profiles and standards to identify candidate elements for inclusion in the description set profile for scientific data. The report also considered how the application profile might be implemented, its relationship to other application profiles, the alternatives to constructing a Scientific Data Application Profile, the development effort required, and what could be done to encourage uptake in the community. The conclusions of the Study were validated through a reference group of stakeholders.

Ecologia de Astyanax taeniatus na Bacia do Rio Mato Grosso, Saquarema - RJ: Dieta, uso do micro-hábitat e uma breve análise comportamental

Neste trabalho tivemos como objetivo caracterizar a dieta, uso do habitat e padrões comportamentais de Astyanax taeniatus da bacia do Rio Mato Grosso, que encontra-se na porção leste do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (22 52 S; 42 40 W e 22 53 S; 42 34 W). Para a análise da dieta, os exemplares foram coletados bimestralmente entre março de 2006 e janeiro de 2007 em três localidades que diferiram pelas variáveis físicas. As observações de uso dos recursos do habitat foram realizadas por observação subaquática, na posição focal dos exemplares avistados, enquanto a quantificação da disponibilidade foi realizada em 50 quadrats de 20x20cm (400cm2) ao longo dos mesmos 50m onde foi realizada a observação sub-aquática. A análise do conteúdo estomacal de 651 exemplares foi realizada sob microscópio estereoscópico de acordo com métodos qualitativos e quantitativos (Freqüência de Ocorrência e Volumétrica). A participação relativa de cada item registrado nos estômagos em relação à totalidade da dieta foi analisada através do Índice Alimentar (IAi). Para verificar possíveis diferenças entre as proporções dos itens de origem animal e vegetal, autóctone e alóctone, os valores proporcionais foram testados pelo 2 de contingência. A partir dos dados de comprimento padrão e comprimento do intestino, foi calculado o valor do quociente intestinal. Os itens de origem vegetal tiveram maior contribuição na dieta da espécie para as localidades com maior altitude, enquanto os itens animais tiveram maior contribuição na localidade baixa. A diferença na contribuição dos itens de origem autóctone e alóctone também foi significativa. Na dieta de jovens e adultos, houve diferença significativa na contribuição de itens de origem vegetal e animal somente na localidade mais alta, onde os adultos consumiram maior quantidade de matéria vegetal. Os valores médios de quociente intestinal em jovens e adultos foram significativamente diferentes nas localidades de maior altitude, com valores maiores para indivíduos adultos. Observamos 52% dos indivíduos em profundidades entre 30 e 45 cm, 72% em áreas de rápido, 72% em velocidades entre 0 e 0,5km/h, 66% encontravam-se distantes da margem entre 40 e 120 cm, 37,6% em substrato do tipo areia e 34,4% em substrato do tipo pedra. De todos os padrões comportamentais observados, aquele que mais se destacou foi o forrageamento, onde 70,91% dos indivíduos estavam forrageando no meio da coluna dágua. Os resultados da dieta reforçam a idéia de as espécies de Astyanax têm hábito alimentar onívoro e oportunista, onde a espécie alimentou-se dos recursos disponíveis no ambiente evidenciando sua alta plasticidade alimentar ao longo do riacho. Espécies do gênero Astyanax são consideradas generalistas em relação ao uso do habitat e altamente ativas, corroborando com os resultados do presente estudo.

Efeitos da castração e reposição hormonal tardia no tecido erétil do pênis de ratos Sprague-Dawley

Estudos em animais e humanos sugerem que níveis adequados de testosterona são necessários para preservar a integridade do tecido eretor peniano. Nenhum estudo prévio confirmou se as mudanças estruturais são reversíveis após longo período de deprivação hormonal. Foi proposto a avaliação, através de métodos quantitativos, as alterações estruturais no corpo cavernoso de ratos submetidos à castração cirúrgica; bem como o papel da reposição hormonal tardia na reversão das possíveis alterações estruturais. Foram usados 25 ratos Sprague-Dawley machos com aproximadamente 12 semanas de idade. Os animais foram divididos em 5 grupos compostos por 5 animais em cada grupo e tratados da seguinte forma: ORQ1 = Grupo submetido à orquiectomia e sacrificado após 1 mês. C1- Grupo controle morto após 1 mês. ORQ2 - Grupo orquiectomizado e morto após 2 meses. C2 - Grupo controle morto após 2 meses. T Grupo orquiectomizado que recebeu, após 1 mês, suplementação com undecanoato de testosterona na dose de 100mg/ Kg subcutâneo. Após 1 mês de reposição hormonal os animais foram mortos.No Resultado Houve uma redução significativa no valor absoluto do colágeno, músculo liso, espaço sinusoidal e área total do corpo cavernoso após 2 meses no grupo castrado, quando comparado ao controle. Em termos gerais a densidade não apresentou nenhuma diferença significativa entre os grupos. A reposição hormonal com testosterona foi capaz de reverter as alterações observadas, demonstrando um aumento dos elementos estudados. A metodologia utilizada permitiu mostrar que valores absolutos demonstram melhor o que de fato ocorre com os elementos observados, eliminando um víeis de análise, quando se consideram os valores relativos. Esses resultados sugerem que a reposição, mesmo quando realizada tardiamente, foi eficaz na reversibilidade das alterações geradas pela castração

A campanha presidencial de 2006 e as estratégias utilizadas por eleitores para o processamento das informações políticas

Esta é uma tese centrada nas estratégias empregadas pelos eleitores para o processamento das informações sobre a política, no contexto da campanha presidencial brasileira de 2006. Propusemos, neste trabalho, um modelo estatístico para o processamento da informação sobre a política, construído a partir da contribuição de estudos realizados nos campos de conhecimento das ciências sociais, da economia, da psicologia cognitiva e da comunicação, e, sobretudo, a partir das evidências extraídas de nosso desenho de pesquisa. Este combinou métodos qualitativo, quantitativo e a análise das estratégias retóricas empregadas por candidatos e partidos políticos no Horário Gratuito de Propaganda Eleitoral (HGPE), elemento dinâmico de nosso estudo, por sintetizar os fluxos de informação no ambiente das campanhas políticas. Esse conjunto de abordagens metodológicas, foi empregado para o estudo de caso do eleitor belo-horizontino, inserido no complexo ambiente informacional das campanhas presidenciais. Com informações incompletas, o eleitor precisou escolher em quem acreditar, lidando com a incerteza dos resultados do pleito e com a incerteza em relação ao comportamento futuro dos atores, cioso de que as retóricas da campanha estavam orientadas para a persuasão. O nosso trabalho procurou mapear as estratégias empregadas pelos eleitores na seleção de temas do debate para a atenção e para o processamento das novas informações sobre a política, adquiridas em interações múltiplas ao longo da campanha. Essa complexa tarefa foi destinada à escolha de por quem ser persuadido. Procuramos responder, neste trabalho, a partir das evidências empíricas, várias preocupações deste campo de conhecimento, entre elas: 1) Em meio a tantos temas abordados na disputa entre partidos e candidatos, quais deles e por que o indivíduo escolhe para prestar atenção e acreditar? 2) Que variáveis intermedeiam e qual o seu peso nesse processo de interação com as novas informações para explicar a tomada de decisão? 3) As prioridades da agenda política do eleitor se alteram ao longo da campanha? 4) Os eleitores ampliam o repertório mais geral de informação sobre a política? 5) As percepções sobre avaliação de governo e em relação aos temas prioritários da agenda do eleitor se alteram ao longo da campanha?

Expressão da leptina e seu receptor no câncer de próstata

O câncer de próstata é o tumor não cutâneo mais comum entre homens e responsável pela segunda maior mortalidade entre os tumores neste sexo. Diferentes métodos são utilizados com o objetivo de determinar o prognóstico do paciente portador de câncer de próstata, contudo existe grande heterogeneidade quando estes são usados individualmente. A leptina é um hormônio peptídico envolvido na regulação da ingestão alimentar, do metabolismo, do gasto energético, além de função neuroendócrina. Este hormônio parece estar envolvido na patogênese de alguns tipos de tumores, inclusive os adenocarcinomas de próstata. Até o presente não se tem certeza se a leptina e seu receptor possam ser utilizados como fatores prognósticos no cancer de próstata. O objetivo do trabalho foi correlacionar os perfis de imunomarcação da leptina e seu receptor em adenocarcinomas de próstata com diferentes fatores prognósticos e comparar as análises de imunomarcação da leptina e seu receptor em adenocarcinomas de próstata por métodos semiquantitativos e quantitativos (morfometria). Foram analisadas 532 peças cirúrgicas de prostatectomias radicais por câncer prostático. A partir destas amostras, após estudo histopatológico, foi montado um arranjo de matriz tecidual, contendo fragmentos de áreas tumorais e não tumorais (peritumorais) destas amostras. Estas foram imunomarcadas com anticorpos antileptina e antirreceptor de leptina. Análises subjetivas (feitas por dois observadores) e objetivas (através da contagem de pontos) foram realizadas em cada uma das imunomarcações. Estes resultados foram comparados e correlacionados com os seguintes fatores prognósticos: invasão perineural, embolização neoplásica vascular, comprometimento bilateral da próstata, invasão das vesículas seminais, comprometimento de margem vesical, de margem uretral e de margem cirúrgica de ressecção. Houve diferença significativa entre as análises subjetivas dos dois observadores e, portanto, estas não foram utilizadas para as demais comparações. Em relação às análises objetivas, foi verificado que a expressão do receptor de leptina estava diminuída nos tumores com comprometimento de margem cirúrgica, de margem uretral e de vesículas seminais. Ainda foi observado correlação entre a expressão desse receptor e o somátório dos fatores prognósticos analisados. Para as demais análises não foi verificada diferença significativa. Métodos semiquantitativos podem ter grande variação e devem ser preteridos em relação a métodos quantitativos para as análises realizadas neste estudo. Nem a leptina nem o seu receptor apresentaram alterações de sua expressão em amostras neoplásicas de próstata quando comparado àquelas não neoplásicas. O receptor de leptina apresentou uma diminuição da sua expressão em tumores com margem cirúrgica comprometida, margem uretral comprometida e com vesículas seminais comprometidas. Houve correlação negativa entre o percentual de área imunomarcada com o anticorpo antirreceptor de leptina e o somatório dos fatores prognósticos analisados.

A supply network configuration perspective on international supply chain development

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of configuration on supply network capability. It was believed that a configuration perspective might provide new insights on the capability and performance of supply networks, a gap in the literature, and provide a basis for the development of tools to aid their analysis and design. Design/methodology/ approach - The methodology involved the development of a configuration definition and mapping approach extending established strategic and firm level constructs to the network operational level. The resulting tools were tested and refined in a series of case studies across a range of sectors and value chain models. Supply network capability assessments, from the perspective of the focal firm, were then compared with their configuration profiles. Findings - The configuration mapping tools were found to give new insights into the structure of supply networks and allow comparisons to be made across sectors and business models through the use of consistent and quantitative methods and common presentation. They provide the foundations for linking configuration to capability and performance, and contribute to supply network design and development by highlighting the intrinsic capabilities associated with different configurations. Research limitations/implications - Although multiple case networks have been investigated, the configuration exemplars remain suggestive models. The research suggests that a re-evaluation of operational process excellence models is needed, where the link between process maturity and performance may require a configuration context. Practical implications - Advantages of particular configurations have been identified with implications for supply network development and industrial policy. Originality/value - The paper seeks to develop established strategic management configuration concepts to the analysis and design of supply networks by providing a robust operational definition of supply network configuration and novel tools for their mapping and assessment. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

油气运聚动力学的模拟分析——以准噶尔盆地为例

The petroleum migration, happening in the geologic past, is the very important and complex dynamic processes in the petroleum systems. It plays a linking role among all static factors in a system. The accumulation is in fact the result of the petroleum migration. For the petroleum geology, the dynamics research of the petroleum migration refers to the mechanism and process research, as well as the use of the quantitative methods. In this thesis, combining with the qualitative analysis and quantitative modeling, the author manages to discuss theoretically some key problems dealing with migration processes, which have not been solved yet, and to apply the studied results in petroleum system analysis in actual basins. The basin analysis offers the base of the numerical modeling for geological phenomena occurring in sedimentary basins, that consists of the sedimentary facies analysis, the section reconstructing technique, eroded thickness estimating, etc. The methods to construct the geologic model, which is needed in the research of oil and gas migration and accumulation, are discussed. The basin analysis offers also the possibility for the latter modeling works to get and select the parameters, such as stratum's thickness, age, stratigraphy etc. Modeling works were done by using two basin modeling softwares: Basin_Mod and TPC_Mod. The role of compaction during the secondary migration and the heterogeneity of migrating paths within the clastic carrier are modeled. And the conclusions were applied in the migration studies in the Jungaer Basin, lying on the Northwest part of the China. To construct a reliable migration model, the author studied the characteristics of the sedimentation, the pore fluid pressure evolution, as well as the distribution and the evolution of fluid potential, following the tectonic evolution of the Jungaer Basin. The geochemical prospecting results were used to evidence and to calibrate the migration processes: the oil-source correlation, the distribution of the properties of oil, gas and water. Finally, two important petroleum systems, Permian one and Jurassic one were studied and identified, according, principally, to the studies on the petroleum migration within the Jungaer Basin. Since the oil, as well as the gas, moves mainly in separate phase during the secondary migration, their migrating behaviors would be determined by the dynamics conditions of migration, including the driving forces and pathways. Based on such a consideration, the further understandings may be acquired: the roles played by permeable carriers and low-permeable source rock would be very different in compaction, overpressure generation, petroleum migration, and so on. With the numerical method, the effect of the compaction on the secondary migration was analyzed and the results show that the pressure gradient and the flux resulted from compaction are so small that could be neglected by comparing to the buoyancy of oil. The main secondary migration driving forces are therefore buoyancy and capillary within a hydrostatic system. Modeling with the commercial software-Basin_Mod, the migration pathways of petroleum in clastic carriers seem to be inhomogeneous, controlled by heterogeneity of the driving force, which in turn resulted from the topography of seals, the fabrics and the capillary pressure of the clastic carriers. Furthermore, the direct and indirect methods to study fault-sealing properties in the course of migration were systemically summarized. They may be characterized directly by lithological juxtaposition, clay smear and diagenesis, and indirectly the comparing the pressures and fluid properties in the walls at two apartments of a fault. In Jungaer Basin, the abnormal pressures are found in the formations beneath Badaowan or Baijantan Formation. The occurrence of the overpressure seems controlled by the stratigraphy. The rapid sedimentation, tectonic pressuring, clay sealing, chemical diagensis were considered as the principal pressuring mechanisms. The evolution of fluid pressure is influenced differently at different parts of the basin by the tectonic stresses. So the basin appears different pressure evolution cycles from each part to another during the geological history. By coupling the results of thermal evolution, pressure evolution and organic matter maturation, the area and the period of primary migration were acquired and used to determine the secondary migration time and range. The primary migration in Fengcheng Formation happened from latter Triassic to early Jurassic in the main depressions. The main period of lower-Wuerhe Formation was at latter Jurassic in Changji, Shawan and Pen-1-jing-xi Depression, and at the end of early Cretaceous in Mahu Depression. The primary migration in Badaowan and Sangonghe Formation is at the end of early-Cretaceous in Changji Depression. After then, the fluid potential of oil is calculated at the key time determined from area and time of the primary migration. Generally, fluid potential of oil is high in the depressions and low at the uplifts. Synthetically, it is recognized that the petroleum migration in the Jungaer Basin is very complex, that leads us to classify the evolution of petroleum systems in Northwestern China as a primary stage and a reformed one. The remigration of accumulated petroleum, caused by the reformation of the basin, results in the generation of multiple petroleum systems. The faults and unconformities are usually the linkers among the original petroleum systems. The Permian petroleum system in Jungaer Basin is such a multiple petroleum system. However, the Jurassic petroleum system stays still in its primary stage, thought the strong influences of the new tectonic activities.

领导行为的复杂性、角色结构及其有效性研究

As the social and organizational environment become more and more complex, the topic of leadership complexity is gaining more and more attention. So far, some critical issues in this field need further exploration, such as clarifying the theoretical framework, developing and validating the measurments and exploring the mechanism of the its effectiveness. Using BEI(Behavioral Event Interview), content analysis and EFA/CFA, ANOVA, regression analysis and other qualitative/quantitative methods, this research explored the leadership structure of Chinese enterprise managers, developed a new leadership questionnaire, investigated the differences of the leadership roles among various managerial areas and on different hirachical levels, and examined the impacts of the leadership roles and leadership complexity on different indicators of leadership effectiveness in various organizational contexts. 1,020 managers were surveyed. The followings are the main findings： First，the structure of leadership behaviors of Chinese enterprise managers included ethical model, authoritarian, producer, director, monitor, mentor, strategist, enterpriser, among which ethical model and authoritarian are the new findings in Chinese cultural context. Ethical model was characterized by presenting honesty, setting an example to others, being just and diligent. Authoritarian was characterized by showing power and arbitrariness. In addition, mentor, strategist and enterpriser incarnated some cultural features of present China. The new developed leadership questionnaire’s reliability and validity reached the criterion of standardized measurement. Second, there were significant differences of frequency of leadership behaviors among the managers at different managerial postions and hirachical levels, while the impacts of different leadership roles on different leadership effectiveness indicators were also singnificantly different. Ethical model had positive impacts on the whole performance and three indicators across task and context performance, and authoritarian’s impacts on the whole performance and department performance were negatively significant. Third, the impact of leadership complexity on the whole leadership effectiveness was positively significant, while the moderating effects of organization level and position function was not significant.

Il Sistema di Revenue Management strumento per lo sviluppo turistico sostenibile delle destinazioni

Businesses interact constantly with the environment, realizing several and heterogeneous exchanges. Organizations can be considered a system of different interests, frequently conflicting and the satisfaction of different stakeholders is a condition of success and survival. National and international literature attempts to explain the complex connection between companies and environment. In particular, the Stakeholder Theory considers crucial for businesses the identification of different stakeholders and their involvement in decision-making process. In this context, profit can not be considered the only purpose of companies existence and business aims become more numerous and different. The Stakeholder Theory is often utilized as framework for tourism studies, in particular in Sustainable Tourism Development research. In fact, authors consider sustainable the tourism development able to satisfy interests of different stakeholders, traditionally identified as local community and government, businesses, tourists and natural environment. Tourism businesses have to guarantee the optimal use of natural resources, the respect of socio-cultural tradition of local community and the creation of socio-economic benefits for all stakeholders in destinations. An obstacle to sustainable tourism development that characterizes a number of destinations worldwide is tourism demand seasonality. In fact, its negative impact on the environment, economy and communities may be highly significant. Pollution, difficulties in the use of public services, stress for residents, seasonal incomes, are all examples of the negative effects of seasonality. According to the World Tourism Organization (2004) the limitation of seasonality can favour the sustainability of tourism. Literature suggests private and public strategies to minimize the negative effects of tourism seasonality, as diversification of tourism products, identification of new market segments, launching events, application of public instruments like eco-taxes and use of differential pricing policies. Revenue Management is a managerial system based on differential pricing and able to affect price sensitive tourists. This research attempts to verify if Revenue Management, created to maximize profits in tourism companies, can also mitigate the seasonality of tourism demand, producing benefits for different stakeholders of destinations and contributing to Sustainable Tourism Development. In particular, the study attempts to answer the following research questions: 1) Can Revenue Management control the flow of tourist demand? 2) Can Revenue Management limit seasonality, producing benefits for different stakeholders of a destination? 3) Can Revenue Management favor the development of Sustainable Tourism? The literature review on Stakeholder Theory, Sustainable Tourism Development, tourism seasonality and Revenue Management forms the foundation of the research, based on a case study approach looking at a significant destination located in the Southern coast of Sardinia, Italy. A deductive methodology was applied and qualitative and quantitative methods were utilized. This study shows that Revenue Management has the potential to limit tourism seasonality, to mitigate negative impacts occurring from tourism activities, producing benefits for local community and to contribute to Sustainable Tourism Development.

Ziołolecznictwo w medycynie komplementarnej Polonii argentyńskiej z prowincji Misiones. Studium z zakresu etnobotaniki medycznej

Wydział Historyczny: Instytut Etnologii i Antropologii Kulturowej

Hearing family carers: report on research undertaken with family carers in Cork

This report details the findings of research undertaken with family carers in Cork during 2007 – 2008. The research was undertaken to elicit the views and experiences of family carers, and in so doing, to gain insight into their perspectives on family caring and on associated support mechanisms. It is hoped that, thereafter, policy can draw on these observations. Three key themes emerged from the research itself. These are (i) the role and position of the family carer in society, (ii) the process of family caring itself and (iii) access to and knowledge of key support services. This report, then, draws attention to the extent and dynamics of family caring, as seen through the opinions and experiences of carers located in and nearby Cork city. It has the following format. In the first instance we turn our attention to a discussion of family caring in Ireland, and associated supports more generally. This includes a discussion on key issues arising in the general discourse around family caring in Ireland and internationally, in order to provide a context from which to locate the experiences of carers involved in this research study. Thereafter, we detail the methodology employed in this research study, which followed a method of research enquiry that values the input of participants from the early stages of research focus and design, and which incorporates qualitative and quantitative methods of enquiry. The research was conceptualised and developed in conjunction with The Carers Association, Cork in keeping with an approach to social research that attempts to link academic and activist/advocacy interests. Its aims were to identify issues that family carers in the locality considered important, with a view to contributing to local knowledge, providing a forum for ongoing research, and to informing policy developments on carers. The focus of the report then turns to profiling carers who participated in the research, examining the care they provide, and discussing support they receive from family, friends and neighbours – from informal sources. We then look to the access carers have to formal and public, community-based support services. We examine their experiences of, and concerns with regard to some of these key services, and look at ways that such issues might be addressed. The next section concentrates on financial supports, a range of which are available to carers, for instance, to supplement income and to assist with home renovations. We look at their uptake and issues arising, again with a view to understanding and addressing them from the perspectives of the service users. Finally, the report turns its attention to aspirations that carers have for themselves; in terms of their own personal, training, and employment options. The report concludes by drawing attention to key issues discussed throughout and makes a number of key recommendations, aimed at addressing the voiced opinions and experiences of carers that have emerged through the research.

Investment incentives and valuation of power sector infrastructure assets with increasing interconnection, intermittency and decarbonisation

This dissertation applies a variety of quantitative methods to electricity and carbon market data, utility company accounts data, capital and operating costs to analyse some of the challenges associated with investment in energy assets. In particular, three distinct research topics are analysed within this general theme: the efficiency of interconnector trading, the optimal sizing of intermittent wind facilities and the impact of carbon pricing on the cost of capital for investors are researched in successive sections.