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Dealing with municipal solid waste has become a problematic issue in the United Kingdom (UK). With actions to mitigate the potentially adverse impacts of climate change debate and space for, and costs of, landfill becoming critical, a landfilldominated strategy is no longer acceptable. In this context, the attitudes and behaviour of young adults, particularly university students, who often have little experience of taking responsibility for waste management activities, have not been studied in great detail. Since the 1960s, the UK higher education system has expanded six fold to >2.4 million students. The overall production of waste at Higher Education institutions (HEIs) is therefore very large and presents significant challenges as the associated legislative, economic and environmental pressures can be difficult to control and manage. Therefore, a comprehensive research focusing on university students is urgently required. Changing the way HEIs deal with their waste is an important issue because of fast-changing legislation and increasing costs. The solution is a new approach to waste management: a revolutionary change in the way that HEIs think, the way HEIs act and the way HEIs handle their waste. This has massive implications for the Higher Education (HE) sector. It means developing extensive institution-wide infrastructure to provide greater flexibility and user-centric solutions to suit the need of students and staff. It also means that HEIs work together and potential collaboration between HEIs and Local Authorities (LAs) to maximise resource efficiency, meet future legislative requirements and achieve their corporate responsibilities and commitments. This thesis reports on a study of waste management practices at HEIs in the UK. The issue was approached from both a theoretical and a practical standpoint. The study used the University of Southampton (UoS) as a case study and examined how waste recycling projects can be developed effectively using infrastructure, service provision and behavioural change techniques as part of a wider research programme investigating waste management in medium- and high-density housing. The study clearly showed that there was potential for significantly improving reuse and recycling at university halls of residence (HoR) and that more convenient and higher quality infrastructure and service provision resulted in higher recycling rates. Furthermore, students have lifestyles that impact significantly on waste arisings and consequently on waste management operations at HoR (and probably at HEIs and student-dominated residential areas). For schemes to be successful at HEIs, they must be based on a thorough understanding of students’ recycling behaviour, and their perceptions of the barriers to recycling. The key to unlocking behaviour change lies in the provision of appropriate infrastructure and effective service provision alongside a targeted behaviour change programme. Mass media coverage especially the Internet has a rising influence on university students’ environmental knowledge while environmental education at school has become the secondary source of information. The results also revealed that university students possessed less knowledge than they believed which makes informative behavioural interventions a vital component of effective recycling schemes at HEIs

Computer Vision (CV) enables computers and systems to derive meaningful information from acquired visual inputs, such as images and videos, and make decisions based on the extracted information. Its goal is to acquire, process, analyze, and understand the information by developing a theoretical and algorithmic model. Biometrics are distinctive and measurable human characteristics used to label or describe individuals by combining computer vision with knowledge of human physiology (e.g., face, iris, fingerprint) and behavior (e.g., gait, gaze, voice). Face is one of the most informative biometric traits. Many studies have investigated the human face from the perspectives of various different disciplines, ranging from computer vision, deep learning, to neuroscience and biometrics. In this work, we analyze the face characteristics from digital images and videos in the areas of morphing attack and defense, and autism diagnosis. For face morphing attacks generation, we proposed a transformer based generative adversarial network to generate more visually realistic morphing attacks by combining different losses, such as face matching distance, facial landmark based loss, perceptual loss and pixel-wise mean square error. In face morphing attack detection study, we designed a fusion-based few-shot learning (FSL) method to learn discriminative features from face images for few-shot morphing attack detection (FS-MAD), and extend the current binary detection into multiclass classification, namely, few-shot morphing attack fingerprinting (FS-MAF). In the autism diagnosis study, we developed a discriminative few shot learning method to analyze hour-long video data and explored the fusion of facial dynamics for facial trait classification of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in three severity levels. The results show outstanding performance of the proposed fusion-based few-shot framework on the dataset. Besides, we further explored the possibility of performing face micro- expression spotting and feature analysis on autism video data to classify ASD and control groups. The results indicate the effectiveness of subtle facial expression changes on autism diagnosis.

The focus of this dissertation is on the dependent structure and limit theorems of high dimensional probability theory. In this dissertation, we investigate two related topics: the Central Limit Theorem (CLT) for stationary random fields (multi-indexed random variables) and for Fourier transform of stationary random fields. We show that the CLT for stationary random processes under a sharp projective condition introduced by Maxwell and Woodroofe in 2000 \cite{MW00} can be extended to random fields. To prove this result, new theorems are established herein for triangular arrays of martingale differences which have interest in themselves. Later on, to exploit the richness of martingale techniques, we establish the necessary and sufficient conditions for martingale approximation of random fields, which extend to random fields many corresponding results for random sequences (e.g. \cite{DMV07}). Besides, a stronger form of convergence, the quenched convergence, is investigated and a quenched CLT is obtained under some projective criteria. The discrete Fourier transform of random fields, $(X_{\bm{k}})_{\bm{k}\in\mathbb{Z}^d}$ $(d\geq 2)$, where $\mathbb{Z}$ is the set of integers, is defined as the rotated sum of the random fields. Being one of the important tools to prove the CLT for Fourier transform of random fields, the law of large numbers (LLN) is obtained for discrete Fourier transform of random sequences under a very mild regularity condition. Then the central limit theorem is studied for Fourier transform of random fields, where the dependence structure is general and no restriction is assumed on the rate of convergence to zero of the covariances.

With ever-increasing energy demands, tremendous efforts have been devoted to developing rechargeable batteries. Conventional lithium-ion batteries have been widely used for decades, but are approaching their theoretical limit and are unable to meet the rising energy demands. Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are being actively pursued owing to their high energy density and cost-effectiveness. However, the commercial implementation of Li–S batteries has been impeded by the challenges associated with the sulfur cathodes, including extremely low conductivity, large volumetric expansion and rapid capacity loss arising from the dissolution of the intermediates, and the Li anode, owing to the uncontrollable formation of Li dendrites. To fulfill the promise of Li–S batteries as high-energy devices, it is necessary to solve these issues. In this dissertation, effective materials as sulfur hosts have been studied and possible strategies to improve the performance of the sulfur cathode proposed. These involve designing the structure of the host material to efficiently accommodate sulfur and, at the same time, applying the strong adsorption properties between the active material and the host. As to the Li anode, approaches to suppress the growth of Li dendrites were demonstrated by coating the surface of the anode current collector. These strategies were successful in inhibiting Li dendrites and significantly improve the performance of Li anodes. These studies provide promising results for high-performance Li–S batteries for future large-scale applications.

The lives of about two million American children have been affected by the military deployment of a parent. A parent's deployment influences children's adjustment through compromised parenting. While an emerging body of literature suggests that effective parenting requires parental emotion regulation, few studies have focused on fathers. In addition, limited knowledge exists about whether or how fathers' emotion regulation might affect their responsivity to a parent training program. With a focus on military fathers who had been deployed since 2001, the current research consisted of two studies that investigated vagal flexibility as an index of physiological emotion regulation and social engagement in relation to observed parenting behaviors. The first study, entitled "Military fathers' nurturing parenting: Psychological and physiological flexibility both matter", demonstrated that vagal flexibility buffers against the negative effects of psychological inflexibility (i.e. self-reported experiential avoidance) on observed emotion-related parenting. The second study, entitled "Adapting to 'ADAPT': Vagal flexibility predicts military fathers' changes in parenting following a parent training program", tested the effect of vagal flexibility in predicting the degree of changes in observed parenting skills at 1-year follow-up in a randomized controlled trial of the After Deployment Adaptive Parenting Tools/ADAPT program. These two studies provided evidence for the role of cardiac vagal tone as a correlate of emotion-related parenting and a tailoring variable to inform precision-based parenting programming for military fathers.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is an important crop in the Solanaceae family. Fruit size is one of the most important agricultural traits controlled by quantitative trait loci (QTL). Therefore, identification of the underlying genes of the major fruit-size loci may benefit the breeding industry, as well as help us better understand the molecular mechanism underlying fruit development. In this study, one of the major fruit-size loci in tomato, fw3.2, was fine mapped by linkage analysis to a 51.4 kb interval corresponding to BAC HBa0051C24 in the tomato genome. The gene action suggested a gain-of-function mutation occurred in cultivar allele producing larger fruit during the domestication. The phenotypic characterization of near isogenic lines (NILs) showed that this locus also controls other traits such as branch number, leaf size and seed size. Yield per plant was similar and the larger fruited lines carried fewer fruit that ripened later than the smaller fruited lines. The changes in fruit weight were not due to an alteration in the sink-source relationship. Expression level analysis of the 7 candidate genes in the NILs did not identify which gene may underlie fw3.2 and numerous SNPs and Indels were found between the parents of the population. Based on function of the putative orthologs, one candidate gene is proposed to be FW3.2. Association mapping around this candidate gene yielded one quantitative trait nucleotide (QTN) in the promoter of the gene. Further genetic analysis of this QTN supported the finding that this SNP is the causative mutation at the fw3.2 locus.

Factor Inhibiting HIF-1[alpha] (FIH) is an asparaginyl hydroxylase. Hydroxylation of HIF-[alpha] proteins by FIH blocks association of HIFs with the transcriptional co- activators CBP/p300, thus inhibiting transcriptional activation. We have created mice with a null mutation in the FIH gene, and found that it has little or no discernable role in mice in altering classical aspects of HIF function, e.g., angiogenesis, erythropoiesis, or development. Rather, it is an essential regulator of metabolism: mice lacking FIH exhibit reduced body weight, elevated metabolic rate, hyperventilation, improved glucose and lipid homeostasis, and are resistant to high fat diet-induced weight gain and hepatic steatosis. Neuron -specific loss of FIH phenocopied some of the major metabolic phenotypes of the global null animals: those mice have reduced body weight, increased metabolic rate, enhanced insulin sensitivity, and are also protected against high fat diet-induced weight gain. These results demonstrate that FIH acts to a significant degree through the nervous system to regulate metabolism

Elemental speciation analysis is very important because the toxicity of the elements is dependent on their chemical structures. The coupling of Gas Chromatography (GC) with pulsed Glow Discharge Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (GDToFMS) provides real time speciation of volatile organic selenium compounds. The millisecond pulsed glow discharge is a versatile ion source for the determination of elemental composition, molecular structure, and molecular identification. The utility of this ion source to monitor a mixture of the selenium compounds dimethyl selenide (DMeSe) and dimethyl diselenide (DMeDSe) is illustrated in this work. Following the separation by GC, the compounds are readily characterized by pulsed GDToFMS. Time-gated acquisition provides unique information from three separate time regimes---elemental composition from the prepeak, structural fragments from the plateau, and intact molecular identification from the afterpeak.;Distinguishing and quantifying the specific oxidation states of elements are very hard to achieve for solid samples since specific extraction procedures tend to change the speciation. Therefore direct speciation in solid materials is highly desired. In the present work, a pulsed glow discharge time of flight mass spectrometry method is developed for the direct speciation of chromium in solid state samples. Careful tuning of the operating parameters yields the plasma chemistry that favors cluster ion formation. Unique mass spectral features permit differentiation between the trivalent and hexavalent forms of chromium, (CrIII) and (CrVI) respectively, in chromium oxide samples. Specifically, signals at 104 and 120 m/z corresponding to the Cr2 + and Cr2O+ cluster ions are indicative of the presence of Cr(III) in the sample, whereas signal at 100 m/z corresponding to the CrO3+ cluster ion is indicative of the presence of Cr(VI). The impact of glow discharge operating conditions on the appearance of these characteristic cluster ions is discussed.;Also, pulsed glow discharge Time-of-Flight mass spectrometry is used to differentiate between manganese (IV) dioxide and manganese (II) monoxide in solid sample directly. Under certain conditions, the specific cluster ions Mn2O3+ can be produced in the manganese (IV) dioxide glow discharge plasma. The spatial and temporal characteristics of glow discharge source are evaluated and optimized. The glow discharge operating parameters, such as the glow discharge gas pressure and the glow discharge operating power are studied and optimized. After optimizing all the related parameters, the two oxides can be differentiated easily and quantitative analysis was performed successfully.

This thesis investigates income inequality and poverty in urban China using survey data from 2002. It shows that in urban China, income in the coastal region is less equally distributed than in the interior region, although social welfare is higher. Developed cities have more inequality than less developed cities, but they also have a higher level of social welfare. Further decomposition analysis indicates that intragroup inequality accounts for the dominant part of overall inequality no matter how groups are categorized - by region, by city level, by gender, or by education. There is a significant difference in the incidence of poverty between interior regions and coastal regions, with the interior region having a higher headcount ratio and a greater poverty gap ratio. It is also found that developed cities have lower poverty than less developed cities.