Digital Commons Network^™

Post-Pandemic Restaurant Patronage: The Importance Of Neuroticism In Shaping In Person Dining Intentions., Matthew Gorton, Min Yan, Honglyu Lin, Dora Gaćeša Brlić, John White, Ružica Brečić, Ana Tkalac Verčič

Plymouth Business School

Purpose Even after the lifting of all government restrictions, introduced to combat the spread of Covid-19, many consumers remain fearful of in-person dining. This paper seeks to understand this reticence, and explain post-pandemic restaurant dining intentions. Design/methodology/approach The paper introduces and tests a conceptual framework for understanding in-person dining intentions in the post-Covid-19 era, utilizing structural equation modelling. To empirically validate the model, survey data collection (n = 436) occurred in China after the government lifted its “Zero-Covid” policy. Findings Neuroticism, as a personality trait, negatively affects restaurant trust and increases fear of Covid-19 (threat appraisal), which in turn reduces …

Multi-Objective Optimisation Of Floating Offshore Wind Farms Based On A Real-World Case Study, Pawel Manikowski, David Walker, Matthew Craven

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

In this paper, we used real data to predict the position of the floating wind turbines due to three external forces: wind, wave and current. We analysed data provided by energy company Equinor and applied two machine-learning techniques: Multilayer Perceptron and Random Forest. After demonstrating that machine learning models failed, we used a simple linear regression model and optimisation approach to solve the multi-objective optimisation problem. We minimised the perimeter of the wind farm and maximised its power output by applying the multi-objective optimisation algorithm NSGA-II. We also investigated how changing the length of mooring lines affected the optimisation. We …

Investigating Techniques To Optimise The Layout Of Turbines In A Windfarm Using A Quantum Computer, James Hancock, Matthew Craven, Craig Mcneile, Davide Vadacchino

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

This paper investigates Windfarm Layout Optimization (WFLO), where we formulate turbine placement considering wake effects as a Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimization (QUBO) problem. Wind energy plays a critical role in the transition toward sustainable power systems, but the optimal placement of turbines remains a challenging combinatorial problem due to complex wake interactions. With recent advances in quantum computing, there is growing interest in exploring whether hybrid quantum-classical methods can provide advantages for such computationally intensive tasks. We investigate solving the resulting QUBO problem using the Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE) implemented on Qiskit’s quantum computer simulator, employing a quantum noise-free, gate-based …

Optimising The Care Of The Trapped Patient Following A Motor Vehicle Collision: A Uk-Based Delphi Consensus Study, Tim Nutbeam, Rob Fenwick, Ian Marritt, Brian Lee, Luke Staveley-Wadham, Nigel Lang, Louise Johnson, Nicolas Mattock, Jane Ogilvie, Emily Foote, Francis Screech, Lara Lebeau-Humarau, Caroline Leech

Peninsula Medical School

Background Motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) are a leading cause of injury and death worldwide. Up to 40% ofcasualties may become trapped and entrapment is associated with delayed care and worse outcomes. There is littlenational or international consensus guiding the care of physically trapped patients who cannot self-extricate. Thisstudy aimed to develop multidisciplinary consensus-based principles to optimise clinical and operational care fortrapped patients following MVC.Methods A three-round Delphi study was conducted from January to March 2025, following the CREDES framework.A multi-professional steering group developed preliminary statements informed by literature review and expertconsultation. Subject matter experts (SMEs) with operational experience in extrication, …

Advancing Generative Ai For Music With Photonics, Eduardo Miranda, Siegelwax Brian

School of Art, Design and Architecture

This paper presents PhotoSing, a system that learns to generate polyphonic tunes by extracting sequencing rules from given examples. We developed a method to encode given pieces of music in terms of unique musical events, referred to as UMEs, and stochastic rules for sequencing them. Those rules are subsequently converted into representations to be processed by a photonic computer to generate new compositions. This research builds upon a previous system, QuSing, which generated monophonic tunes with superconducting quantum computing. The paper discusses the pitfalls of the previous system, the research and the solutions developed to improve them. It details the …

Ai-Driven Biomedical Perspectives On Mental Fatigue In The Post-Covid-19 Era: Trends, Research Gaps, And Future Directions, Saba Parveen, Md Belal Bin Heyat, Umair Tariq, Faijan Akhtar, Hafiz Muhammad Zeeshan, Seth Christopher Yaw Appiah, Shang-Ming Zhou, Huang Lei

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Mental fatigue is a complex condition arising from various neurological processes and influenced by external factors such as stress and cognitive demands. This comprehensive review elucidates the primary neurological mechanisms underlying mental fatigue, particularly emphasizing how it was elevated or otherwise affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. We explore the intricate relationship between prolonged cognitive tasks, chronic stress, and the development of mental fatigue, emphasizing the impacts that mental fatigue has on mental health across diverse populations. Utilizing advanced artificial intelligence techniques, including machine learning and deep learning, this study identifies and quantifies the patterns of mental fatigue. The innovative approach …

The Educator Becomes The Student: Achieving Lifelong Learning Through Daybook, Casper Jonker, Zoe Brookes, Catherine Coelho, Sally Hanks, Amanda Addy

Peninsula Dental School

No abstract provided.

From Age Estimation To Age-Invariant Face Recognition: Generalized Age Feature Extraction Using Order-Enhanced Contrastive Learning, Haoyi Wang, Victor Sanchez, Chang Tsun Li, Nathan Clarke

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Generalized age feature extraction is crucial for age-related facial analysis tasks, such as age estimation and age-invariant face recognition (AIFR). Despite the recent successes of models in homogeneous-dataset experiments, their performance drops significantly in cross-dataset evaluations. Most of these models fail to extract generalized age features as they only attempt to map extracted features with training age labels directly without explicitly modeling the natural ordinal progression of aging. In this paper, we propose Order-Enhanced Contrastive Learning (OrdCon), a novel contrastive learning framework designed explicitly for ordinal attributes like age. Specifically, to extract generalized features, OrdCon aligns the direction vector of …

Relativistic Quantum Kinetic Theory: Higher Order Contributions In Assisted Schwinger Pair Production, James P. Edwards, Naser Ahmadiniaz, Sebastian M. Schmidt, Christian Kohlfürst

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Quantum kinetic theory is an important tool for studying nonequilibrium, nonperturbative and nonlinear interactions within an open quantum system, and as such is able to provide an unprecedented view on particle production in the relativistic, ultrahigh intensity regime of quantum electrodynamics. By reorganizing the relativistic quantum transport equations for Abelian plasmas and integrating them with a perturbative expansion, we significantly expand the scope for kinetic theories to further elucidate the peculiarities of particle production at a spectral level.

Parent's Help-Seeking For, And Care Of, A Sick Or Injured Child During Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdowns: A National Online Survey In Türkiye, Bahar Aksoy, Sarah Neill

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Aim: This study aimed to investigate how COVID-19 lockdowns in Türkiye influenced parents' actions when their child was ill or injured and how they perceived the impact of the lockdown on the severity of their child's illness and the treatment received. Methods: This descriptive, and cross-sectional mixed method was conducted with 104 parents whose children experienced illness or injury during the pandemic lockdowns between July and September 2022. Data was collected through online survey using snowball sampling method. Descriptive statistics and pearson's chi-square test were used for statistical analysis, while free-text data was subjected to thematic analysis. Results: Of the …

An Assessment Model For Linking Changes In Pelagic Habitat State To Impacts On Human Wellbeing, Matthew P. Faith, Siân E. Rees, Angus Atkinson, Mike Best, Eileen Bresnan, Michelle J. Devlin, Matthew M. Holland, Holly J. Niner, Clare Ostle, Paul Tett, Abigail Mcquatters-Gollop

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Plankton monitoring datasets help inform indicators for marine biodiversity assessments under the European Union Marine Strategy Framework Directive and United Kingdom Marine Strategy. These indicators are used to assess long-term changes in the state of the pelagic habitats of the Northeast Atlantic which then guide policy formation and implementation to achieve Good Environmental Status. Across all ecosystems, environmental change has the potential to impact upon human wellbeing by changing the quantity and quality of ecosystem services. Here, we develop a socio-ecological assessment model that can describe how variations in pelagic habitat state, evidenced by plankton indicators, can impact human wellbeing. …

Contrasting Responses To Riverine Barrier Modification And Fish Pass Provision In Two Anadromous Non-Salmonid Species During Their Spawning Migrations, Mark I.A. Yeldham, J. Robert Britton, Charles Crundwell, Peter Davies, Jamie R. Dodd, Chris Grzesiok, Andrew D. Nunn, Randolph Velterop, Jonathan D. Bolland

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Anthropogenic in-river structures represent barriers to migrating fishes. Fish pass designs usually focus on passing anadromous salmonids, and fish pass studies usually focus on site-scale metrics, failing to consider the wider effects. Weir passage metrics and spawning distributions of anadromous iteroparous twaite shad Alosa fallax and semelparous sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus were assessed using acoustic telemetry between 2018 and 2023, within a catchment-scale reconnection programme on the River Severn (‘Unlocking the Severn’ [UtS]). Reconnection was by fish pass installation (Severn mainstem; 3 deep-vertical slot (DVS), 1 column bypass) and weir modification (Teme tributary; 1 partial removal/reduced head height, 1 reduced …

Conservative Oxygen Therapy In Mechanically Ventilated Critically Ill Adult Patients: The Uk-Rox Randomized Clinical Trial, Uk-Rox Investigators, Daniel S Martin, Doug W Gould, Tasnin Shahid, James C Doidge, Alex Cowden, Zia Sadique, Julie Camsooksai, Walton N Charles, Miriam Davey, Amelia Francis-Johnson, Roger M Garrett, Michael P W Grocott, Joanne Jones, Lamprini Lampro, Diane M Mackle, B Ronan O'Driscoll, Alvin Richards-Belle, Anthony J Rostron, Tamás Szakmány, Alex Warren, Paul J Young, Kathryn M Rowan, David A Harrison, Paul R Mouncey

Peninsula Medical School

IMPORTANCE: Supplemental oxygen is frequently given to patients in intensive care units (ICUs); however, there is insufficient evidence to guide its therapeutic use and to minimize the potential harm caused by administering too little or too much.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether reducing exposure to supplemental oxygen through a strategy of conservative oxygen therapy by using a peripheral oxygen saturation (Spo2) target of 90% (range, 88%-92%) reduces mortality at 90 days in mechanically ventilated adult patients receiving supplemental oxygen in the ICU.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Multicenter, pragmatic, randomized clinical trial conducted in 97 ICUs in the UK including 16 500 …

Genetic Overlap Between Functional Impairment And Depression And Anxiety Symptom Severity: Evidence From The Glad Study, Megan Skelton, Jessica Mundy, Abigail Ter Kuile, Brett Adey, Cherie Armour, Joshua Buckman, Jonathan Coleman, Molly Davies, Colette R. Hirsch, Matthew Hotopf, Ian Jones, Gursharan Kalsi, Georgina Krebs, Sang Hyuck Lee, Yuhao Lin, Andrew M. Mcintosh, Alicia J. Peel, Christopher Rayner, Katharine Rimes, Daniel J. Smith, Katherine N. Thompson, David Veale, James T.R. Walters, Christopher Hübel, Gerome Breen, Thalia C. Eley

School of Psychology

BACKGROUND: Functional impairment in daily activities, such as work and socializing, is part of the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder and most anxiety disorders. Despite evidence that symptom severity and functional impairment are partially distinct, functional impairment is often overlooked. To assess whether functional impairment captures diagnostically relevant genetic liability beyond that of symptoms, we aimed to estimate the heritability of, and genetic correlations between, key measures of current depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and functional impairment.

METHODS: In 17,130 individuals with lifetime depression or anxiety from the Genetic Links to Anxiety and Depression (GLAD) Study, we analyzed total scores …

Nemvaleukin Alfa Monotherapy In Patients With Advanced Melanoma And Renal Cell Carcinoma: Results From The Phase 1/2 Non-Randomized Artistry-1 Trial, Emiliano Calvo, Valentina Boni, Olivier Dumas, Sang Joon Shin, Seth D Rosen, Arvind Chaudhry, Philip R Debruyne, Xiaomin He, Ulka N Vaishampayan, David F Mcdermott

School of Nursing and Midwifery

BACKGROUND: Despite improved outcomes with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and their combinations in advanced solid tumors, a subset of patients remains unresponsive or progresses, highlighting an unmet need for novel treatments with durable benefit. Nemvaleukin alfa (nemvaleukin, ALKS 4230) demonstrated manageable safety and antitumor activity, alone and in combination with pembrolizumab, across heavily pretreated advanced solid tumors in the ARTISTRY-1 study. We report in-depth antitumor activity, safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of nemvaleukin monotherapy at the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) in advanced melanoma and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cohorts from ARTISTRY-1.

METHODS: ARTISTRY-1 was a three-part (A, B, and C), …

My A-T Pack: A Qualitative Study Of The Utility, Acceptability, Design, And Content Of A Family-Designed And Owned Information Pack Relevant To The Lives Of Children And Young People Living With Ataxia Telangiectasia, Lisa Bunn, Joanne Paton

School of Health Professions

BackgroundAtaxia Telangiectasia (A-T) is a rare genetic and progressive condition, primarily affecting the neurological, immunological, and pulmonary systems. In the absence of a cure, people living with A-T require co-ordinated multidisciplinary care to manage their complex needs. This often leads to families working with a range of different professionals and feeling burdened by the amount of information and coordination of care that they manage.With the aim to inform the co-production of a family-owned healthcare pack to promote person-centered care and self-management, this study explored the views of children with A-T and parents of children and young people with A-T about …

Transforming Business Management Placement Students Into Teachers, Carl Evans, Paul Harrington

Plymouth Business School

A period of work placement is widely recognised to be one of the most effective ways to enhance an undergraduate’s employability and work-readiness. However, at present, the value of all the learning gained on the work placement remains with the placement student. The authors of this viewpoint paper propose an approach to widen the benefits of a work placement, by sharing an element of industrial or commercial knowledge gained with fellow undergraduates and with teaching staff, via a delivered teaching presentation. In doing so, brings work experience to a wider group of undergraduates and strengthens the link between education and …

Management Responses To Staff Speaking Up In The Nhs: A Scoping Review, Melika Ghorbankhani, Aled Jones, Alison James, Ben Hannigan, Dominic Roche

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Staff speaking up about patient safety concerns is crucial to improving care and learning from mistakes. Poor management responses to speaking up can result in missed opportunities to prevent harm and hinder staff learning. This scoping review explored the literature on managers' responses to staff-raised patient safety concerns in the NHS, identifying key factors that influence these responses and suggesting strategies for improvement. Arksey and O'Malley's five-stage framework was used to systematically analyse studies from databases such as MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, APA PsycINFO and CINAHL. The review included 25 studies published between 2005 and 2023. Eleven identified studies were based …

Implementation Of Link Workers In Primary Care: Synopsis Of Findings From A Realist Evaluation, Stephanie Tierney, Geoff Wong, Debra Westlake, Amadea Turk, Steven Markham, Jordan Gorenberg, Joanne Reeve, Caroline Mitchell, Kerryn Husk, Sabi Redwood, Tony Meacock, Catherine Pope, Beccy Baird, Kamal R. Mahtani

Peninsula Medical School

Background: Social prescribing link workers formed part of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme introduced into primary care in England from 2019. Link workers assist patients experiencing issues affecting their health and well-being that are 'non-medical' (e.g. lack of social connections, financial difficulties and housing problems). They give patients space to consider these non-medical issues and, when relevant, connect them to support, often within the voluntary-community-social-enterprise sector. We conducted an earlier realist review on the link worker role in primary care. We then carried out a realist evaluation, described in this report, to address the question: When implementing link workers in …

Impact Of Patient Diaries On Children, Families, And Healthcare Professionals In Paediatric Intensive Care Settings: A Scoping Review, Fiona Lynch, Jos M Latour, Ruth Endacott

School of Nursing and Midwifery

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this scoping review was to understand the current landscape, features, and volume of evidence that address the review question: what is the impact of Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) patient diaries on children, families, and healthcare professionals (HCPs)? To provide context: descriptions of diary models was also provided.

METHOD: The search strategy was structured using the Population, Concept, and Context model to focus the review question. The inclusion criteria were intentionally broad to include all studies published in English from January 2016 until November 2024. The databases CINAHL, Medline, and EMBASE were used to retrieve articles, …

Microplastics And Other Plastic-Like Microdebris In Sediments From The Dart River And Estuary, Southwest England, Maia Killian, Andrew Turner

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Surficial sediment samples (n = 10) collected from a transect of a river-estuary (Dart) in southwest England have been analysed for geochemical characteristics, anthropogenic metals (Cr, Cu, Sn, Pb, Zn), and microplastics (∼50 μm–5 mm) and other microplastic-like debris. Results indicated the finest grains towards the lower river and upper estuary, a seaward increase in sedimentary Ca, and loss on ignition ranging from about 0.7 to 4 %. Anthropogenic metals were heterogeneously distributed throughout the catchment with maximum concentrations in the river or lower estuary. Microplastics were dominated by fibres, with concentrations ranging from 110 to 1800 kg−1 and composition …

Sensing Freedom: Forensic Mental Health Ot & Service User Perspectives Of Sensory Processing & Occupational Participation, Elana Moore, Rosi Raine, Alison Warren, Karen Beaulieu

School of Health Professions

ABSTRACT SYNOPSIS:UK research explored forensic mental health occupational therapist and service user experiences of sensory processing and occupational participation. The incorporation of sensory processing information in occupation-focused practice is recommended.LEARNING OBJECTIVES:At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to appreciate the utility of an experiential approach in occupational therapy research.At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to consider how to incorporate sensory processing in occupation-focused practice.At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able understand the importance of addressing Transactionalism in occupational therapy.ABSTRACT:Purpose:The phenomenon of sensory processing is an everyday experience which occurs in …

Counteracting Cascades Challenge The Heterogeneity-Stability Relationship, Jordi Sola, Tom P. Fairchild, Matthew J. Perkins, James C. Bull, John N. Griffin

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Spatial environmental heterogeneity is widely assumed to enhance ecological stability by promoting refugia, biodiversity and asynchrony. Yet, we lack field experiments testing this fundamental relationship and its underlying mechanisms in naturally assembled multitrophic systems. To address this gap, we monitored experimental substrates replicating topographic heterogeneity on a rocky shore over 3 years. Contrary to theory, heterogeneity showed no net effect on community stability due to four counteracting pathways. Heterogeneity increased stability by (i) providing refugia that enhanced population stability and (ii) boosting species richness, which promoted asynchrony. At the same time, it decreased stability by (iii) reducing a dominant non-native …

Training To Teach: Creating Inclusive Learning Environments, Rebecca Anne Rose

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

Inclusion is often discussed as a policy imperative, but its true impact is realised only through daily classroom practice. As student teachers, we argue that inclusion should move beyond compliance to become a mindset and a lived commitment. Our experiences reveal that policy and practice are not always as intertwined as we hope. As future educators, we aspire for inclusion to require ongoing self-reflection, courage, and compassion, ensuring every student is seen, valued, and empowered to succeed. We believe policy must genuinely support and reflect this commitment, making inclusion not just a requirement, but a fundamental part of educational culture …

Reflection On The ‘Power Of Us’ Conference: How Mainstream Schools In England Offer Provision To Children With Special Educational Needs (Sen), Grace H A Cooper

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

The majority of children in England with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) are educated within mainstream schools. Due to the broad range of needs of children, it is essential that mainstream schools are provided with adequate funding, preparation and training to ensure that the inclusion of every child is achievable and expected. Furthermore, sometimes schools feel that they cannot offer ample provision to give every child an equitable access to learning and therefore they are directed to SEND schooling – can a mainstream school be considered inclusive if they cannot support all children? This article will consider these arguments …

Making Our Voices Heard: Viewpoints Of Staff And Students At Chilton Bridge School, Emma Etherington

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

Shared at the Power of Us Conference, this reflection explores my work as a Horticulture Practitioner at Chilton Bridge School, where I support SEN students through hands-on, nature-based learning. From planting trees to gaining qualifications in conservation, students are encouraged to learn in ways that suit them — practical, flexible, and rooted in the real world. This approach builds their confidence, self-esteem and sense of achievement. By listening to students and adapting to their individual needs, we create an environment where they feel included, valued, and capable, and where their voices are heard.

The Power Of Us: Reflections On Leadership, Inclusion And Change In Education, Meaghan Ryder-Green

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

This paper, originating from the ‘Power of Us!’ conference held in June 2025, reflects on different sessions exploring Exploring Leadership, Wellbeing, and Inclusion in Education. With a particular focus on the experiences of neurodivergent children and those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the session highlighted the urgent need for systemic change. This paper offers an insight into the session, sharing reflections from the discussions and research findings—including the application of Seligman’s PERMA model of positive psychology and the importance of adult social-emotional learning—and calls for action to create a truly inclusive educational system that values all voices and …

‘They Actually Made Me Feel Like They Wanted Me In The Classroom’: Reflections Of Inclusion, Katherine Gulliver, George Osborne

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

This article highlights the value of listening to individuals with lived experience in creating inclusive environments. Drawing on Gulliver’s (2023, 2024) research and the personal reflections of George Osborne, a disability advocate with Williams Syndrome, the article recognises the importance of early intervention, tailored support, and educator awareness in supporting children with rare disabilities. Through an awareness-raising exhibition and personal narratives, the article illustrates how inclusion can be meaningfully achieved when schools adapt to the needs of the child - rather than requiring the child to adapt to the school. George’s story demonstrates how empathetic, informed practice can help contribute …

Vive La Revolution, Hamish Kemp-Harington

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

This article was written in response to the ‘Power of Us!’ conference which was held in May 2025 at the University of Plymouth. The conference focused on how we can make our schools and education systems more inclusive for the purpose of giving all students the opportunity to flourish and thrive in education. My account speaks of the preparation for the event and my own experiences in school as both a student and as an educator.

One Story, Jo Hawkes

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

This paper, originating from the ‘Power of Us!’ conference held in June 2025, reflects on the session titled One Story, which considered how stories can help us to learn about others. The paper offers an insight into the session, sharing reflections from the discussions and calling for a renewed attention to how we teach with literature and how we help children find a love of reading.