Digitized by Kansas State University Libraries

Typescript, etc. / Digitized by Kansas State University Libraries

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1934 R61

This research has aimed to establish and then explore, the relationship between fashion and the body. Both involve aspects of psychological and social awareness that apparently impact on the individual's understanding of the self, and any relationship between them seems to involve this self-awareness While such a relationship has generally been accepted it has not previously been formally established and it was for this reason that the research was undertaken The research was interdisciplinary involving the application of psychological concepts and knowledge to the experience of fashion and the body. Tbus, it combined fashion theory with that of the social pychology of the body. A qualitative approach utilising in-depth interviews and clothing diaries, was adopted. This involved female participants aged from 40 to 58. Research findings were analysed using the approach of interpretive revealed relationship that is ( innovate and the functional) that seemed to correspond with two aspects of the body( the ideal and the ought), and suggested two fashion processes The innovative process of fashion appears to relate to the ideal body( the body we aspire to), and is responsible for fashion change. The functional process of fashion appears to be primarily related to the ought body( the body we think we should have),and is responsible for the maintenance of fashion trends. In both cases the relationship between fashion and body seems to be mediated by clothing at the interface between clothing and the body, The driving force of both processes seems to be the psychological experience of self-discrepancy. Research resulted in the development of a conceptual model of the relationship that accounted for the processes involved in fashion change. ii

Despite the wide acceptance that errors incurred in numerical solutions to N-body systems grow exponentially, most research assumes that the statistical results of these systems are reliable. However, if one is to accept that the statistical results of N-body solutions are reliable, it is important to determine if there are any systematic statistical errors resulting from the incurred growth of errors in individual solutions. In this thesis we consider numerical solutions to the 3-body problem in which one of the bodies escapes the system. It is shown for a particular 3-body con guration, known as the Sitnikov problem, that the mean lifetime of the system is dependent on the accuracy of the numerical integration. To provide a theoretical explanation of the phenomenon, an approximate Poincar´e map is developed whose dynamics on a particular surface of section is shown to be similar to the dynamics of the Sitnikov Problem. In fact there is a set on which the approximate Poincar´e map is topologically equivalent, like the Sitnikov Problem, to the shift map on the set of bi-in nite sequences. The structure of the escape regions on the surface of section form a cantor set-like structure whose boundary can more easily be delineated using the approximate Poincar´e map than for the Sitnikov problem. Further it is shown that numerical errors destroy escape regions and can cause orbits to migrate to a region in which escape is faster. Finally, a relationship between the Lyapunov time, tl, and the lifetime, td, of the 3-body problem is discussed. Firstly, the Sitnikov problem and the approximate Poincar´e map of the Sitnikov problem both exhibit a two-part power law relationship beween tl and td like that for a particular case of the general 3-body problem. Further, it is demonstrated that large perturbations to the energy of the escaping body in uences the relationship between tl and td for small tl. Finally, it is shown that the approximate Poincar´e map yields a theoretical explanation of the phenomenon based on the structure of the escape regions the orbits traverse before escape.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United Kingdom. Recent studies suggest that obesity is associated with prostate cancer aggressiveness and higher recurrence rates after treatment. Prognosis may therefore be improved by maintaining healthy weight but research on weight management is relatively scarce. Therefore a weight management programme was designed for prostate cancer patients and a pilot feasibility trial conducted with the aim to evaluate the compliance and effectiveness. Three preliminary studies; a systematic review, a questionnaire survey and qualitative research among patients and their partners, were carried out to inform the optimal design and delivery of the intervention. To identify effective components of the intervention, 778 titles and abstracts were screened in a systematic review. Twenty randomised controlled trials were included in the final review which consisted of six diet interventions, eight exercise interventions and six combined diet and exercise interventions. 256 men completed a mailed questionnaire survey and 48 participants (34 men and 14 partners) participated in six focus group discussions. This mixed-methods research informed the choice of the components, setting and mode of delivery of the intervention. A pilot feasibility study using a two arm randomised controlled trial design compared change in weight and quality of life (QoL) between a 12 week package of a group session, consultant's encouragement letter, monthly individual telephone-based dietitian-led consultations, web-based self-help resources, and pedometer in the intervention group and no intervention in a wait-list control group. 286 men with localized and locally advanced prostate cancer from UCAN (Urology CANcer Charity) Care Centre database were invited to participate of whom 95 responded. Sixty-two eligible men were randomly assigned to intervention (n=31) or wait-list control group (n=31) using minimisation on age, BMI and time since diagnosis. One man in the intervention group and three in the control group withdrew before baseline data collection. Another four men in the intervention group cannot be accommodated into the group schedule. The mean age of the remaining 54 participants at enrolment was 65.5 years (SD 5.6), mean weight 88.9 kg (SD 11.7), BMI 29.6 kgm-2 (SD 2.9) and QoL score 76.6 points (SD 19.0), with no significant difference between the two groups. At 12 weeks, the weight change in the intervention group was greater than in the wait-list control group with a significant group difference of −2.13 kg (95% CI −3.50 to −0.76 kg); p=0.003. The general QoL score change in the intervention group was also greater than in the wait-list control group with a significant group difference of +11.9 points (95% CI 4.6 to 19.2); p=0.002, after adjustment for baseline age, BMI and time since diagnosis. Over weeks 13-24, the intervention group continued to lose weight with a median (IQR) weight change of −1.25 (−3.45, 0.38) kg, which contributed to the overall weight change of −3.40 kg (95% CI −5.27 to −1.53 kg); p=0.001, from week 0-24. The wait-list control was offered a lower-cost mini-intervention of a consultant's encouragement letter, pedometer and the access to the same self-help resources of the weight management programme, but no group meeting or dietetic consultation, from week 13-24. Over this period, the mini-intervention group had a significant weight loss with a weight change of −2.37 kg (95% CI −3.24 to −1.50 kg); p=<0.001. There was no significant change in general QoL or any individual functional or symptom scales in either the intervention or wait-list control group from 12 to 24 weeks. This study can contribute to the future work in this new area which could help to improve clinical outcome in men treated for prostate cancer and inform clinical practice.

No description available.

published_or_final_version / Biochemistry / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Literary and Cultural Studies / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / Comparative Literature / Master / Master of Philosophy