Digital Commons Network^™

A Systematic Review Of Cyber Risk Analysis Approaches For Wind Power Plants, Muhammad Arsal, Tamer Kamel, Hafizul Asad, Asiya Khan

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Wind power plants (WPPs), as large-scale cyber–physical systems (CPSs), have become essential to renewable energy generation but are increasingly exposed to cyber threats. Attacks on supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) networks can cause cascading physical and economic impacts. The systematic synthesis of cyber risk analysis methods specific to WPPs and cyber–physical energy systems (CPESs) is a need of the hour to identify research gaps and guide the development of resilient protection frameworks. This study employs a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol to review the state of the art in this area. Peer-reviewed studies published …

In What Ways Do Political Factors And Relations Of Power Interfere With The Legal Protection Of Human Rights In Cameroon?, Nelson Agbor

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences Theses

ABSTRACTTitle: In what ways do political factors and relations of power interfere with the legal protection of human rights in Cameroon?In November 2016, a socio-political crisis erupted in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon, mainly due to the marginalisation of English-speaking populations in these two regions. This crisis has since metamorphosed into an armed conflict between government forces and armed separatist groups operating in these warring regions. The conflict has resulted in severe human rights abuses committed both by the government forces and armed separatist groups operating in these regions. The conflict, also known as the Anglophone crisis, began …

Developing A Novel Typology Of Unprofessional Behaviours Between Healthcare Staff: A Best Fit Framework Synthesis, Justin Aunger, Ruth Abrams, Russell Mannion, Aled Jones, Judy M. Wright, Johanna I. Westbrook, Mark Pearson, Jill Maben

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Background: Unprofessional behaviours such as bullying, harassment, and microaggressions negatively affect patient safety and staff psychological wellbeing in healthcare systems globally. These behaviours do so by: (i) inhibiting health care professionals’ abilities to speak up to raise safety concerns; (ii) impairing team communication and individuals’ concentration; and (iii) promoting tolerance of bad practice. Unfortunately, there is little consensus in practice or academia about how these behaviours are defined. This can lead to an underestimation of the prevalence of these behaviours, inhibition of speaking up by victims and bystanders, and reduced accountability by those who enact these behaviours. We aimed to …

A Universal Of Human Social Cognition: Children From 17 Communities Process Gaze In Similar Ways, Manuel Bohn, Julia Christin Prein, Agnes Ayikoru, Florian M. Bednarski, Ardain Dzabatou, Michael C. Frank, Annette M.E. Henderson, Joan Isabella, Josefine Kalbitz, Patricia Kanngiesser, Dilara Keşşafoğlu, Bahar Köymen, Maira V. Manrique-Hernandez, Shirley Magazi, Lizbeth Mújica-Manrique, Julia Ohlendorf, Damilola Olaoba, Wesley R. Pieters, Sarah Pope-Caldwell, Katie Slocombe, Robert Z. Sparks, Jahnavi Sunderarajan, Wilson Vieira, Zhen Zhang, Yufei Zong, Roman Stengelin, Daniel B.M. Haun

School of Psychology

Theoretical accounts typically assume that key features of human socio-cognitive development are universal. This paper reports a large-scale cross-cultural study (17 communities, diverse ethnicities, N = 1,377, 709 female, mean = 5.50 years, -collected March 2022 to January 2024) on gaze following in early childhood. To test for universality, cognitive processing signatures were derived from a computational model treating gaze following as social vector estimation. Results showed substantial variation between communities and individuals. Yet, the processing signature was found in all communities. Individual differences in performance were related to children's familiarity with the data-collection device but not opportunities for social …

Transforming Dental Education Through Lived Experiences, Casper Jonker, Alex Cresswell-Boyes, Wendy Smith

Peninsula Dental School

No abstract provided.

From Detection To Protection: Online Risks, Privacy And Security In The Lives Of Disabilities, Cansu Bolat Dinc, Elizabeth J. Done

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

This paper emphasises the need to address onlinerisks, privacy and security in the everyday digital livesof individuals with intellectual disabilities. It proposesa study that will explore their online experiencesalongside parental concerns, expectations andpractices, as well as the forms of support teachersprovide to both parents and students. The project willadopt a mixed-methods design, bringing togetherfocus groups with young people with intellectualdisabilities, online surveys with parents and semistructured interviews with teachers. By integratingthese perspectives, the paper aims to build an evidencebase that can inform future research and guide thedevelopment of more context-sensitive policies,educational practices and curricula. Ultimately, thestudy seeks to contribute to …

Exploring Patient, Parent And Clinician Views Of Outcomes For Family-Centered Care In Neonatal Settings: A Qualitative Study, Cousin Study Group, Cansel Kocakabak, Agnes Van Den Hoogen, Jos M. Latour

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Highlights: What are the main findings? Qualitative analysis of family-centered care experiences, drawn from perspectives of parents, a former neonatal patient, and healthcare professionals, identified 42 distinct outcomes which were categorized into five domains. The five domains, with distinct outcomes, highlight the multidimensional family-centered care including: emotional functioning, role functioning, delivery of care, physiological health, and hospital resources. What are the implications of the main findings? These findings show the importance of involving parents, former neonatal patients and healthcare professionals in the development of a robust core outcome set for family-centered care interventions in neonatal settings. The findings provide evidence …

I Wasn’T Prepared For That”: Uk Social Worker Experiences Of Training In And Knowledge Of Acquired Brain Injury, Alyson Norman, Mark Holloway

School of Psychology

Summary: Acquired brain injury is a major cause of death and disability. Due to the impact of acquired brain injury on an individual's and a family's functioning, social workers are likely to encounter individuals and families affected by the condition. This study aimed to (1) identify the existing level of knowledge and skills of social workers in working with individuals with acquired brain injury and their families and (2) examine the training needs of social workers to improve their knowledge and skills in working with those with acquired brain injury. A series of semi-structured interviews with newly qualified social workers …

Exploring The Experience Of Co-Designing Mental Health Services In The National Health Service As An Expert By Experience, Annabelle Mccall, Peta Temple, River Rose, Pete Keohane, Lealah Hewitt-Johns

School of Psychology

PurposeThe number of Experts by Experience (EbE) working in mental health services has grown in recent years. The National Health Service (NHS) five-year plan states EbE should be used across different levels, including service delivery, design and commissioning. While current research explores the role of EbE in service delivery, little is known about their experiences of co-designing services. This study aims to explore EbE experiences of co-designing NHS mental health services.Design/methodology/approachThis research used qualitative semi-structured interviews with ten participants who had worked on projects focused on co-designing NHS mental health services as an EbE. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic …

Attitudes Toward Patients' Safety Among Healthcare Professionals In The United Arab Emirates: A Cross-Sectional Study, Moien Khan, Amiri Sohrab, Iffat Elbarazi, Mohammed Salaheldin Elsayed, Reem Al Falasi, Debasish Kar

Peninsula Medical School

This research aims to investigate healthcare professionals’ (HCPs) attitudes towards patient safety and to explore the role ofvarious work-related factors that could be the barriers to safety-events reporting to modify these attitudes. A cross-sectionalsurvey was conducted, involving 629 HCPs who are working across health care sectors in the United Arab Emirates. HCPs in theUnited Arab Emirates, comprising 71.5% women and 27.8% men, displayed a generally positive attitude towards patient safety(mean score = 3.91). Sub-comparisons indicated high scores for team functioning (4.58 ± 0.62) and low scores for professionalincompetence as an error cause (2.86 ± 0.50). Common barriers to reporting safety …

Supporting Young Carers In Early Childhood: Mapping Power, Threat, Meaning, And Strengths: A Ptmf-Informed Qualitative Study, Carly Ellicott, Ali Bidaran, Felicity Dewsbery, Alyson Norman, Helen Lloyd

School of Psychology

Background/Objectives: This qualitative study examines strengths and strains faced by professionals working with young carers throughout the United Kingdom (UK) in the context of society’s youngest carers; young carers in early childhood (YCEC) (0–8 years). Methods: The Power Threat Meaning Framework (PTMF) was utilised to map key findings of three focus groups. This conceptual lens offers a narrative-based understanding of ways in which power operates in society. Increasingly applied to explore experiences of individuals, communities, and groups, the PTMF proposes that concepts of distress are founded in broader contexts of injustice and social inequalities. Twenty-four participants were recruited from throughout …

The Impact Of Skin Tone On Performance Of Pulse Oximeters Used By Nhs England Covid Oximetry @Home Scheme: Measurement And Diagnostic Accuracy Study, Exakt Study Investigators, Daniel S Martin, James C Doidge, Doug Gould, Tasnin Shahid, Alex Cowden, Walton N Charles, Amelia Francis Johnson, Roger Garrett, Catherine Mbema, Olusegun Olusanya, Eugene Healy, Kathryn Rowan, Paul Mouncey, David A Harrison

Peninsula Medical School

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of skin tone on the measurement and diagnostic accuracy of five fingertip pulse oximeters used by patients in the NHS (National Health Service) England COVID Oximetry @home scheme.

DESIGN: Measurement and diagnostic accuracy study (exploring pulse oximeter accuracy across skin tones-EXAKT).

SETTING: Twenty four intensive care units in England between June 2022 and August 2024.

PARTICIPANTS: 903 critically ill adults admitted to intensive care units screened for or enrolled into a trial evaluating different approaches to oxygen therapy.

INTERVENTIONS: Pulse oximetry derived peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) measurements were compared with paired arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) …

Unravelling Impact Of Comorbidities On Mortality Risks In Ckd Patients During The Covid-19 Pandemic: An Explainable Ai-Driven Study, Zeinab Abdollahi, Lin Huo, Donald Fraser, Shang-Ming Zhou

School of Nursing and Midwifery

ObjectivesThe chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients were at high risk for severe clinical complications during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our objectives were to evaluate comorbidity prevalence; predict mortality risks for CKD patients during the pandemic; assess how various health factors interact to influence mortality; and provide insights for targeted prevention strategies.MethodWe analysed data from 186,396 CKD patients in Mexico during the entire pandemic (Jan 2020- May 2023). Explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) methods with extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) models and Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) were developed to predict mortality for CKD patients with model interpretations. Different metrics were used to comprehensively evaluate …

Landworks Evaluation 1 April 2024 To 31 March 2025: Generating A Harm Reduction And Desistance Community, Patricia Gray, Julie Parsons

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

This year, LandWorks has experienced both highs and profound challenges. In July 2024, LandWorks won the Overall Award for Excellence at the Charity Awards — the most prestigious awards scheme in the charity sector. The judges highlighted LandWorks’ greatest achievement as “the way it built trust with its trainees and helped them rebuild their lives by understanding the experiences that led to their criminal behaviour in the first place.” Staff, trainees, and graduates were deeply proud of this recognition, which serves as a national endorsement of LandWorks’ accomplishments since its establishment in 2013. Alongside this success, the past twelve months …

Lung Epithelial And Alveolar Macrophage-Like Cell Interactions Significantly Modify Innate Responses To Bacterial Endotoxin With The Involvement Of Direct Cellular Contacts, Tnf-Α, Icam1 And Mcp-1, Connor Wood, Shagun Khera, Minjeong Woo, Vikram Sharma, Justyna Lopatecka, Frederic Coulon, Zaheer Nasir, Vincent Delorme, Simon K. Jackson, György Fejer

School of Biomedical Sciences

Introduction: Lung alveolar macrophages (AMs) and epithelial cells form the first line of defense against inhaled pathogens. Their interactions strongly influence innate immune responses in the lung, yet the mechanisms underlying this cross-talk remain incompletely understood. Methods: In this study, we established a co-culture system using a primary model of AMs (MPI alveolar macrophage-like cells) and MLE-12 alveolar epithelial cells to investigate innate responses and cellular interactions during bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced TLR4 activation. Results: Cytokine and chemokine profiling revealed that co-cultures exhibited significantly enhanced proinflammatory responses to both LPS and TLR2 ligands—including IL-6, TNF-a, and MCP-1 secretion—compared with mono-cultures. Strikingly, …

Collaborating With ‘Blue Food’ System Stakeholders To Achieve Optimal Nutritional Health And Wellbeing In Less Affluent Communities, Clare Pettinger, Louise Hunt, Carol Wagstaff

School of Health Professions

UK food system transformation is urgently needed, but to date, minimal research has investigated ‘blue foods’ probably because they are ethically nuanced. There exists a paradox whereby materially deprived communities should be eating more fish to meet nutritional requirements, yet there is a global ‘red flag’ around global overfishing. New collaborative and creative solutions are, therefore, needed to tackle such food system inequities. By working together, all voices can be equally heard when decisions are being made to improve the system. Similarly, innovation and disruption of established supply chains will enable better access to healthy, affordable and tasty food that …

Understanding Recruitment To A Randomised Controlled Trial (Rct) During Liver Transplantation: An Observational Mixed-Methods Study Within A Trial (Swat), Katherine Elizabeth Sarah Coppack, Ilya Kantsedikas, Edgar Brodkin, Ee Neng Loh, Gareth Ambler, Suneetha Ramani Moonesinghe, Jeremy Fabes, Vivienne Hannon, Michael Spiro, Duncan Wagstaff

Peninsula Medical School

Objectives Perioperative randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in liver transplantation are relatively infrequent. RCTs performed in this complex patient population need to be robustly conducted to maximise patient benefit and graft utility given the scarcity of donor organs. Recruitment challenges can compromise RCTs and studies in this population face unique challenges due to recipient illness severity, their comorbidities, demographics and the geographical constraints of specialist transplant centres. Emergency presentation and after-hours admission may further limit patients’ capacity or readiness to consider trial participation. This Study Within a Trial (SWAT) specifically explored motivators and barriers to recruitment in patients awaiting liver transplantation.Design …

Single‐Use Versus Multiple‐Use Endotracheal Suction Catheters In Mechanically Ventilated Patients: A Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial, Mohamed H. Eid, Kevin Hambridge, Patricia Schofield, Jos M. Latour

School of Nursing and Midwifery

BackgroundIn resource-limited settings, single-use open endotracheal suction catheters are commonly used multiple times. The current evidence of this practice on ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) among mechanically ventilated patients remains unclear.AimThe aim of this study was to test the feasibility of single-use and multiple-use endotracheal suction catheters flushed with chlorhexidine versus standard care (multiple-use endotracheal suction catheters flushed with normal saline) to reduce VAP in resource-limited intensive care units (ICUs) and evaluate study methods for designing a future definitive randomised controlled trial (RCT).Study DesignA three-armed feasibility RCT was conducted in three ICUs at a university hospital in Egypt.ResultsSixty mechanically ventilated patients were …

Light Is Not Always Right: Peri-Iridial Lightness Reduces Attractiveness Via Perceived Sex-Typicality Across Human Populations, Vojtěch Fiala, Juan Olvido Perea-García, Petr Tureček, Sławomir Wacewicz, Juan David Leongómez, Šimon Pokorný, Ondřej Pavlovič, S. Adil Saribay, Farid Pazhoohi, Robert Mbe Akoko, Karel Kleisner

School of Psychology

Abstract: Evolutionary psychology views the human eye as special. In particular, it claims that the light peri-iridial tissues surrounding a relatively darker iris form a combination that sets us apart from other primates. From this perspective, much less attention has been paid to how eye colouration varies between humans, although evidence indicates that variations in peri-iridial and iridial colouration influence both perceived facial attractiveness and sex-typicality. To determine what aspects of eye colouration influence the perception of faces, we have measured the colour of peri-iridial eye tissues (‘the white of the eye’) and the iris in nine samples from seven …

Laboratory Evaluation Of Armie, A Portable Sps30-Based Low-Cost Sensor Node For Pm 2.5 Monitoring., Asbjørn Kloppenborg, Louise B Frederickson, Rasmus Ø Nielsen, Clive E Sabel, Tue Skallgaard, Jakob Löndahl, Jose G C Laurent, Torben Sigsgaard

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

BACKGROUND: Low-cost particulate matter sensors have enabled new opportunities for exposure monitoring but require evaluation before application in epidemiological studies. This study assessed the performance of the SPS30 sensor integrated into the ARMIE portable monitoring sensor-node under controlled laboratory conditions.

METHODS: Sensors were co-located with two comparison instruments-the optical DustTrak photometer and the combined Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) and Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (APS)-across multiple aerosol sources, including candle burning, cooking, cigarette smoke, and clean air, under both regular and high-humidity conditions. Calibration performance was evaluated using leave-one-sensor-out and leave-one-source-out approaches.

RESULTS: The ARMIE node demonstrated strong agreement with the …

Removing Of Erroneous Penicillin Allergy Labels (Repeal), Neil Powell

School of Biomedical Sciences Theses

BackgroundPenicillin allergy records are common; 15% of hospital inpatients report a penicillin allergy record, but the majority, estimated to be >95%, can take penicillin after formal testing. Penicillin allergy records are associated with several patient, healthcare-system and wider societal harms thought to be due to the avoidance of non-penicillin antibiotics, which are often first line for common infections. Testing patients with penicillin allergy records and removing them if they test negative is called penicillin allergy de-labelling and is traditionally the role of allergists. More recently, non-allergy healthcare workers have been shown to be able to safely remove low risk penicillin …

Quantifying The Lower Limits Of Plastic Detection With Absorption Features And Mesma Spectral Unmixing Over Sentinel-2 Satellite Imagery, James Delaney

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

Plastic pollution is a widespread environmental issue, with larger macroplastic objects resulting in harm to the environment, economies, and human health. Satellite remote sensing can detect plastic over widespread areas, but quantifying plastic on the spatial scale within sensor pixels (sub-pixel) in imagery poses challenges to medium-resolution sensors. Determining the factors affecting the ability of plastic to be detected at small scales within satellite imagery and testing little-explored spectral unmixing sub-pixel plastic quantification on these open-source satellite images can increase the value extracted from this data source. Spectral measurements of plastic packaging at changing abundances were measured using a hyperspectral …

Assessing Past Storm And Tsunami Events With Coastal Boulder Deposits: Implications For Offshore And Coastal Renewable Energy Infrastructure, Storm Roberts

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

Coastal boulder deposits are found on coastlines worldwide, transported inland by extreme storm or tsunami events. These deposits are understudied, yet hold unique information about the magnitude of the waves which emplaced them, enabling the addition of new events to the storm and tsunami record. However, boulder transport by storm waves is commonly misidentified as tsunami events, traditional methods for calculating boulder size are outdated, the influence of boulder shape on transport is understudied, there are difficulties making comparisons between physical experiments and field data, and commonly used equations for estimating wave flow velocities from boulders have been shown to …

Investigating The Determinants Of Fight Dynamics In The Minotaur Beetle Typhaeus Typhoeus, Amy Bromley

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

It is widely accepted that the main determinants of contest outcome are resource value, residency status, and resource holding potential, with each of these playing an important role in determining contest behaviour. Examples of resource holding potential are morphological traits such as body size and weaponry. Animals that possess weaponry can exhibit different morphotypes, such as size difference in horns, which can lead to differences in contest behaviour, with larger morphotypes engaging in head-to-head combat, while smaller morphotypes can avoid combat altogether. One such species that possess weapons in the form of horns and engages in physical combat, is the …

Exploring The Views Of Children With Cerebral Palsy, Their Parents And Physiotherapists On Participating In A Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial Testing An Exergaming Device: A Qualitative Study, Rachel Rapson, Jos M. Latour, Jonathan Marsden, Bernie Carter

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Background: This study aimed to understand the experiences and views of children with cerebral palsy, their parents and physiotherapists participating in the ACCEPT feasibility randomised controlled trial, which explored a 10-week physiotherapy intervention using an interactive gaming training device. Design: Qualitative methods included semi-structured interviews, e-diary and photographs. Nine parent–child dyads and three physiotherapists participated. Children were aged between 7 and 16 years; four had co-existing additional needs. Interviews were transcribed. Reflexive thematic analysis was used. Results: Five themes covered the breadth of participants’ experiences: (1) Fitting in therapy; (2) Motivation; (3) New opportunities; (4) Physiotherapists out of their comfort …

An Empirical Investigation Of The Influence Of Organisational Culture On Individual Readiness For Change In The Kuwaiti Banking Sector, Fahad Alkahlawi

Plymouth Business School Theses

This study investigates the influence of organisational culture on individual readiness for change (IRFC) within the Kuwaiti banking sector. In a rapidly evolving economic landscape, where technological transformation, regulatory shifts, and heightened competition demand organisational adaptability, employee readiness becomes a critical success factor for implementing change initiatives. Drawing on Cameron and Quinn’s Competing Values Framework (CVF), this research examines the impact of four cultural typologies—Clan, Adhocracy, Market, and Hierarchy—on employees’ psychological and behavioural willingness to embrace organisational change.A quantitative, correlational design was adopted to assess how different organisational culture types affect IRFC. Survey data were collected from a sample of …

Plastic Pollution: Investigating Environmental Pathways And Critically Evaluating Interventions, Florence Parker-Jurd

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

Plastics are lightweight, versatile, and durable materials used in the manufacture of a wide range of products. Innovation in the early 1950’s facilitated a dramatic reduction in production costs with the potential to mass produce inexpensive convenience items intended for single use applications. As a consequence, plastic production has grown exponentially over the last 75 years, and a throw away culture of single use has become deeply engrained in modern society. Plastic production exceeds 450 million tonne/yr, substantially exceeding our capacity to manage associated waste resulting in pollution accumulating in every compartment of the natural environment. While plastic pollution has …

Influence Of Ecological Transitions On The Evolution Of Circadian And Light Detection Genes In Squamates, Isobel Sleep

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

Circadian rhythms are self-sustaining, endogenous processes that align behaviour and physiology with daily environmental cycles. Rhythms are regulated by conserved genes forming transcriptional feedback loops and are entrained by environmental cues (e.g., light). Circadian systems are well studied in model organisms, their molecular evolution in squamates (lizards and snakes) remains less understood. Squamates represent the most species-rich reptile group with extensive ecological and sensory diversity, exhibiting multiple independent transitions across ecological niches, including repeated shifts into low-light environments (e.g., nocturnality, fossoriality), making them ideal for examining circadian and light-associated gene evolution. This study investigates how ecological transitions have influenced the …

Coping With Climate Change: The Role Of Plasticity Within And Across Generations, Caitlin Mcandry

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

Climate change is leading to increased mean temperatures and more frequent and severe temperature anomalies, threatening organisms globally. Phenotypic plasticity, the ability of a given genotype to express different phenotypes in different environments, may offer a mechanism that allows organisms to temporarily persist in a rapidly changing environment, ultimately buying time for genetically based adaptations to evolve. Plasticity has been demonstrated both within and across generations, in response to different environmental stressors. However, our understanding of the interactive effects of plastic responses across levels of biological organisation, and over temporal scales from hours to generations, is still limited. Additionally, we …

Application Of Coastal Change Management Areas (Ccmas) For Coastal Adaptation To Climate Change Impacts In Sw England, Josie-Alice Kirby

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

Coastal Change Management Areas (CCMAs) were introduced into the English planning system in 2012 to enable anticipatory management of long-term coastal change. However, their implementation has been limited and inconsistent, reflecting uncertainty in how future shoreline change should be defined and translated into statutory planning boundaries. This thesis addresses the gap between national coastal adaptation policy and the scientific evidence required to support its practical application.The research combines policy analysis, geomorphological classification and probabilistic modelling to develop a structured framework for delineating areas of future coastal change. Chapter 2 evaluates the national implementation of CCMAs and demonstrates substantial variability in …