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Gone In 0.6 Seconds: The Encoding Of Motor Memories Depends On Recent Sensorimotor States., Ian S. Howard, James N. Ingram, David W. Franklin, Daniel M. Wolpert Sep 2012

Gone In 0.6 Seconds: The Encoding Of Motor Memories Depends On Recent Sensorimotor States., Ian S. Howard, James N. Ingram, David W. Franklin, Daniel M. Wolpert

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Real-world tasks often require movements that depend on a previous action or on changes in the state of the world. Here we investigate whether motor memories encode the current action in a manner that depends on previous sensorimotor states. Human subjects performed trials in which they made movements in a randomly selected clockwise or counterclockwise velocity-dependent curl force field. Movements during this adaptation phase were preceded by a contextual phase that determined which of the two fields would be experienced on any given trial. As expected from previous research, when static visual cues were presented in the contextual phase, strong …

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Measurement Of Alcohol Craving, David J. Kavanagh, Dixie J. Statham, Gerald F.X. Feeney, Ross Mc D. Young, Jon May, Jackie Andrade, Jason P. Connor Sep 2012

Measurement Of Alcohol Craving, David J. Kavanagh, Dixie J. Statham, Gerald F.X. Feeney, Ross Mc D. Young, Jon May, Jackie Andrade, Jason P. Connor

School of Psychology

Despite considerable research activity and application in treatment, the construct of craving remains poorly understood. We propose that cravings and urges are cognitive-emotional events in time, characterised by frequency, duration, intensity and salience. Commonly used measures of alcohol craving are reviewed, and their strengths and weaknesses identified. Most measures confound craving with behaviors, or with separable cognitive phenomena such as expectancies, intentions, or perceived behavioral control. These confounds have limited our advances in understanding the determinants and consequences of craving. Based on the criteria applied in this review, among the better performing multi-item measures are the Penn Alcohol Craving Scale …

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Delivering Sustainable Buildings In Retail Construction, S Zainab, W Pan, S Goodhew Sep 2012

Delivering Sustainable Buildings In Retail Construction, S Zainab, W Pan, S Goodhew

School of Art, Design and Architecture

The demand for high performance 'green' or 'sustainable' buildings is becoming increasingly important in the retail industry. Large construction companies in this sector have started to show leadership by working with their customers and supply chains towards sustainability in both products and operations. However, it remains associated risks be minimised, in order to add value and differentiate the output of retail construction. This paper reviews the practice of sustainable buildings within the context of retail construction, and also explores how the UK mainstream retail sector is currently addressing the challenges of sustainable retail buildings. The arguments are informed by a …

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Rating Or No Rating? That Is The Question: An Empirical Examination Of Uk Companies, S Paul, E Gonis, J Tucker Sep 2012

Rating Or No Rating? That Is The Question: An Empirical Examination Of Uk Companies, S Paul, E Gonis, J Tucker

Plymouth Business School

No abstract provided.

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Comparing Transient Simulation With Thermography Time Series, M Fox, D Coley, Wilde P De, Smr Goodhew Sep 2012

Comparing Transient Simulation With Thermography Time Series, M Fox, D Coley, Wilde P De, Smr Goodhew

School of Art, Design and Architecture

Thermography is an emerging technology used by construction professionals focused upon the thermal and condition performance of buildings. However, the interpretation of thermal images is difficult and often misinterpreted. This paper reports on initial work that compares thermographic images from relatively simple experimental setups with transient models of the same experiment. Thermographic images were obtained from a FLIR ThermaCam S65 while simulation was undertaken using the Voltra transient heat transfer program. The work highlights some of the inherent problems with interpreting thermal images of actual buildings, and suggests how these comparisons can provid a better understanding of real-life material performance.

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Real Time Ddos Detection Using Fuzzy Estimators, Sn Shiaeles, V Katos, As Karakos, Bk Papadopoulos Sep 2012

Real Time Ddos Detection Using Fuzzy Estimators, Sn Shiaeles, V Katos, As Karakos, Bk Papadopoulos

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

We propose a method for DDoS detection by constructing a fuzzy estimator on the mean packet inter arrival times. We divided the problem into two challenges, the first being the actual detection of the DDoS event taking place and the second being the identification of the offending IP addresses. We have imposed strict real time constraints for the first challenge and more relaxed constraints for the identification of addresses. Through empirical evaluation we confirmed that the detection can be completed within improved real time limits and that by using fuzzy estimators instead of crisp statistical descriptors we can avoid the …

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Risk Of Fatal Injury In Older Adult Drivers, Passengers, And Pedestrians, Jj Rolison, Pj Hewson, E Hellier, P Husband Aug 2012

Risk Of Fatal Injury In Older Adult Drivers, Passengers, And Pedestrians, Jj Rolison, Pj Hewson, E Hellier, P Husband

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Objectives To compare risk of fatal injury in elderly road users (drivers, passengers, pedestrians) with that of younger age groups and to assess the contribution of elderly road users to the number of reported fatalities in the population. Design Fatality age was categorized as 21 to 29, 30 to 39, 40 to 49, 50 to 59, 60 to 69, or 70 and older, and road user was categorized as driver, passenger, or pedestrian. Estimated number of trips made by each age group was used to adjust for exposure and to measure individual risk. Setting Fatalities recorded in Britain between 1989 …

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Swimming And Water Safety: Reaching All Children In Australian Primary Schools., Tj Lynch Aug 2012

Swimming And Water Safety: Reaching All Children In Australian Primary Schools., Tj Lynch

Plymouth Institute of Education

Data gathered indicate that reductions in annual Australian drowning fatalities for not only children, but people of all ages, have hit a plateau, and if anything, figures suggest that fatal drownings in recent years are on the increase. It is alarm- ing that figures are not falling despite the many well-developed swimming and water safety education programs available. The number of drowning deaths in Australia is regarded by governing bodies as far too many, hence it is proposed that the necessary changes required to further reduce drowning may involve teachers within primary schools being used more efficiently in the educational …

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Improvisation As Composition: Fixity Of Form And Collaborative Composition In Duke Ellington'sDiminuendo And Crescendo In Blue, K Williams Aug 2012

Improvisation As Composition: Fixity Of Form And Collaborative Composition In Duke Ellington'sDiminuendo And Crescendo In Blue, K Williams

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

Since the beginning of Duke Ellington's career as composer and leader of his own jazz orchestra in the 1920s, a common critical theme has been the comparison with European art music composers such as Delius and Debussy. Assertions such as Constant Lambert's 1934 statement that Duke Ellington set a standard by which we may judge. highbrow composers focused on the complex compositional devices in his output. Rather than restate these oft-cited judgements of Ellington's compositional style, this paper examines the intersection between the classical and jazz styles by analyzing typically improvised sections of Ellington's output. Consideration of the development of …

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Strong-Field Qed And High Power Lasers, T Heinzl Jul 2012

Strong-Field Qed And High Power Lasers, T Heinzl

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

This contribution presents an overview of fundamental QED processes in the presence of an external field produced by an ultra-intense laser. The discussion focusses on the basic intensity effects on vacuum polarisation and the prospects for their observation. Some historical remarks are added where appropriate.

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Re-Examining Green Revolution Diffusion And Factor/Input Markets In Bangladesh After Market Liberalization, S Rahman, Ia Begum, Mj Alam Jul 2012

Re-Examining Green Revolution Diffusion And Factor/Input Markets In Bangladesh After Market Liberalization, S Rahman, Ia Begum, Mj Alam

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

This paper re‐examines the effect of green revolution (GR) diffusion on factor/inputs demand in Bangladesh using an empirical model that allows for simultaneous determination of factors influencing adoption of GR technology at the current mature stage, as well as access to irrigation. Results reveal some alignments with conventional wisdom as well as few surprises. For example, while an increased demand for major inputs is expected, an increased demand for organic manure is an unexpected positive outcome. The GR adoption rate is significantly higher in villages with access to irrigation and fertile soils and, surprisingly, in infrastructurally underdeveloped villages. Together with …

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Sustainable Housing Strategies For The Growing Indian Demographics: Contextual Study Of Mysore, India, S Basavapatna Kumaraswamy, J Brennan Jul 2012

Sustainable Housing Strategies For The Growing Indian Demographics: Contextual Study Of Mysore, India, S Basavapatna Kumaraswamy, J Brennan

School of Art, Design and Architecture

For developing nations the development of sustainable communities has to go hand in hand with the achievement of wider goals, where emphasis has to be given to the importance of lifestyle and social change. This inter-disciplinary research draws understanding from the social, cultural and economic studies to define the values and aspirations of the middle class and its implications on sustainable housing. One of the fastest growing economies in Asia, India, has empowered a large and powerful consumer oriented middle class. Middle class mores are aspirational and aimed at achieving western living standard and moving away from a traditional communitarian …

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Effects Of Uv Radiation And Salinity On The Intertidal Macroalgae Palmaria Palmata And Ulva Lactuca: Effects On Photosynthetic Performance, Growth And Pigments, Elizabeth Beauchamp Jul 2012

Effects Of Uv Radiation And Salinity On The Intertidal Macroalgae Palmaria Palmata And Ulva Lactuca: Effects On Photosynthetic Performance, Growth And Pigments, Elizabeth Beauchamp

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The tolerance of Palmaria palmata and Ulva lactuca from two positions (upper and lower) of the shoreline to low salinity and Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) was assessed using chlorophyll fluorescence, relative growth rates, chlorophyll a (Chla) and carotenoid concentrations. Species differences and position on shore at collection were major factors in the ability to tolerate increases in UVR. Both species were found to have sensitivity to both UVR and low salinities, although P.palmata was more sensitive to treatment than Ulva. The ability to increase chlorophyll and carotenoid concentrations when under low salinities and Ultraviolet B (UVB) compared to normal salinity was …

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Environmental Influence In Animal Contests, Mark Fox-Powell Jul 2012

Environmental Influence In Animal Contests, Mark Fox-Powell

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Contests between individual animals over the possession of particular limited resources have played an important role in shaping the evolution of life history, morphology and ecology of the vast majority of animal taxa. Whilst the phenomenon has been and continues to be extensively scrutinized via theory and experimentation, theses and predictions based on mathematics and optimality are frequently confounded by experimental observation. If successful demonstrations of evolutionarily stable strategies are to occur it is vital that the complex interplay of variables potentially affecting an animal‟s fighting ability are understood and controlled for experimentally. This review addresses the significance of external …

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Epiphytes: A Study Of The History Of Forest Canopy Research, Sven Batke Jul 2012

Epiphytes: A Study Of The History Of Forest Canopy Research, Sven Batke

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The development of new and more versatile access techniques is a major contributor to the continuously growing field of canopy research. Methods such as cranes, canopy walkways, hot-air balloons, ladders and rope access techniques enabled scientist for the first time to conduct proximate studies of canopy organisms. One of the most studied groups of canopy dwellers are epiphytes. With their versatile adaptations to a life above ground level and their vast abundance, epiphytes contribute profoundly to the forest diversity and ecosystem processes. Most epiphytes have species-specific habitat preference within individual phorophytes. However these preferences are limited by biotic and abiotic …

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A Review Into The Role Of Voltage Gated Sodium Channels 1.8 And 1.9 In Pain States: And Medical Uses Of This Knowledge, Matt Morfey Jul 2012

A Review Into The Role Of Voltage Gated Sodium Channels 1.8 And 1.9 In Pain States: And Medical Uses Of This Knowledge, Matt Morfey

The Plymouth Student Scientist

This review is aimed at discussing the role of voltage gated sodium channels (VGSC) Nav 1.8 and 1.9 in pain states. This involves establishing their role in pain states such as neuropathic and inflammatory pain, and which of these pain states the individual channels impact on and to what effect. Establishing this will involve an exploration of which neurones these channels are located around the body, sensory or nociceptive, as well how their activity impacts on their function. Also discussed will be how the routes of activation of these VGSC impacts on their role in pain sensation and detection within …

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Inside Your Search For Understanding, Glen Crust Jul 2012

Inside Your Search For Understanding, Glen Crust

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Guest editorial from Glen Crust (Careers Advisor)

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Pregabalin For Treating Painful Diabetic Neuropathy In Type 1 And Type 2 Diabetic Patients, Keri Kruckow Jul 2012

Pregabalin For Treating Painful Diabetic Neuropathy In Type 1 And Type 2 Diabetic Patients, Keri Kruckow

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Background: It has been estimated that chronic painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) affects 1 in 6 (16.2%) of all diabetic patients (Diabetes UK, 2010) yet the symptoms of PDN continue to present a huge challenge in its management both for physicians and patients. Objectives: To ascertain whether pregabalin is effective as a treatment for relieving pain in PDN and to identify which dose: 150/300/600 mg/d is most effective. Search methods: ";Pregabalin"; and ";Painful Diabetic Neuropathy"; were entered into Pubmed and Scirus. ";Humans"; and ";randomised controlled trial"; were entered as limiters. The search was completed using the Athens log in through the …

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Is There A Visitor Effect On Behaviour And Enclosure Use Of Mixed Bird Species In A Zoo Enclosure?, Katie Downes Jul 2012

Is There A Visitor Effect On Behaviour And Enclosure Use Of Mixed Bird Species In A Zoo Enclosure?, Katie Downes

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Potential visitor effects on captive animals are poorly understand, with most studies focused on non-human primates, it is an area of research which in recent years has become important as a way of understanding welfare in a captive environment. Research into how this effects birds in captivity is limited, therefore this study looks at whether visitor density effects behaviour and enclosure use in six different bird species including red-billed choughs, Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax northern lapwings, Vanellus vanellus, red-crested turacos, Tauraco erythrolophus, Madagascar teal, Anas bernieri, grey gulls, Larus modestus and one Palawan peacock pheasant, Polyplectron napoleonis all housed together in a …

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Climatic Variation: Effects On Global Seabird Populations, Laura Draycott Jul 2012

Climatic Variation: Effects On Global Seabird Populations, Laura Draycott

The Plymouth Student Scientist

This review will identify and outline four dominant climatic systems and describe associated environmental factors including discussion of subsequent effects that they have on global seabird populations. Finally, the review will highlight studies which have investigated how environmental variations affect key behavioural adaptations of seabirds and the consequent effects on their life history traits.

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The Health Benefits Of Tea Varieties From Camellia Sinensis, Katie Taylerson Jul 2012

The Health Benefits Of Tea Varieties From Camellia Sinensis, Katie Taylerson

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Background and aims: Varieties of tea from the plant Camellia sinensis have been consumed for around 50 centuries and today are a popular beverage worldwide. Over the past 30 years much research has gone into the medicinal properties and health benefits that these teas provide consumers. This review aims to consolidate the benefits of tea’s antioxidant and antimicrobial properties and evaluate the research to this date. Methods: This review plans to use the primary literature available from journals and online sources found using search engines. Most recent literature will be used primarily, as well as that from 10-20 years ago …

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Measuring The Haemodynamic Responses Elicited In The Visual Cortex From Various Spatial And Temporal Frequencies Using Nirs, Thomas Bridge Jul 2012

Measuring The Haemodynamic Responses Elicited In The Visual Cortex From Various Spatial And Temporal Frequencies Using Nirs, Thomas Bridge

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Previous research has found the optimum spatial and temporal frequency of a stimulus can elicit peak activation in the visual cortex. In this study eight participants looked at bullseye gratings with low and high spatial frequencies (0.5 & 3 c/deg) at varying temporal frequencies (1, 4, 8 & 30Hz). Their haemoglobin response in the visual cortex was recorded using Near Infra-red Spectroscopy (NIRS). Insignificant results were found in all measures, including oxygenated haemoglobin which reported F (1, 8, 5.63) = .75, p<.44. Trigonometric regression did illustrate increased visual activation when the bullseye grating was presented. It appears different frequencies can cause different haemodynamic response, but a larger sample and the elimination of disadvantages in NIRS is required to obtain significance.

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Silicon: A Benefit Or A Detriment To Plant Physiology For Creeping Bent (Agrostis Stolonifera L.), Sheep's Fescue (Festuca Ovina L.) And Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium Perenne L.)?, Nicola Warburton, Jo Bayley, Stuart Lane Jul 2012

Silicon: A Benefit Or A Detriment To Plant Physiology For Creeping Bent (Agrostis Stolonifera L.), Sheep's Fescue (Festuca Ovina L.) And Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium Perenne L.)?, Nicola Warburton, Jo Bayley, Stuart Lane

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Silicon shows alleviatory effects in many previous studies involving abiotic and biotic stress factors. A germination trial for the optimum concentration of ERA-3 initially showed an optimum dilution factor of 2,500:1 (Distilled water: ERA-3). Over one hundred individuals of each species of Agrostis stolonifera L., Festuca ovina L. and Lolium Perenne L. were all grown for eight weeks in closed hydroponic systems, in warmed greenhouse conditions (15°C). When solely tested, the effects on all three species showed contrasting results to what was expected. In all three selected species, silicon significantly reduced the shoot area, and photosynthetic efficiency (measured as Fv/Fm …

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Parent Or Community: Where Do 20-Month-Olds Exposed To Two Accents Acquire Their Representation Of Words?, Caroline Floccia, Luche C Delle, Samantha Durrant, Joseph Butler, Jeremy Goslin Jul 2012

Parent Or Community: Where Do 20-Month-Olds Exposed To Two Accents Acquire Their Representation Of Words?, Caroline Floccia, Luche C Delle, Samantha Durrant, Joseph Butler, Jeremy Goslin

School of Psychology

The recognition of familiar words was evaluated in 20-month-old children raised in a rhotic accent environment to parents that had either rhotic or non-rhotic accents. Using an Intermodal Preferential Looking task children were presented with familiar objects (e.g. 'bird') named in their rhotic or non-rhotic form. Children were only able to identify familiar words pronounced in a rhotic accent, irrespective of their parents' accent. This suggests that it is the local community rather than parental input that determines accent preference in the early stages of acquisition. Consequences for the architecture of the early lexicon and for models of word learning …

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Osmoregulators Proline And Glycine Betaine Counteract Salinity Stress In Canola, Mt Sakr, Nm El-Sarkassy, Mp Fuller Jul 2012

Osmoregulators Proline And Glycine Betaine Counteract Salinity Stress In Canola, Mt Sakr, Nm El-Sarkassy, Mp Fuller

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Salt inundation leads to increased salinization of arable land in many arid and semi-arid regions. Until genetic solutions are found farmers and growers must either abandon salt-affected fields or use agronomic treatments that alleviate salt stress symptoms. Here, field experiments were carried out to study the effect of the osmoregulators proline at 200 mg L-1 and glycine betaine at 400 mg L-1 in counteracting the harmful effect of soil salinity stress on canola plants grown in Egypt. We assessed growth characteristics, yield and biochemical constituents. Results show first that all growth characters decreased with increasing salinity stress but applied osmoregulators …

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Exploring Religious Education And Health And Physical Education Key Learning Area Connections In Primary Schools., Tj Lynch Jun 2012

Exploring Religious Education And Health And Physical Education Key Learning Area Connections In Primary Schools., Tj Lynch

Plymouth Institute of Education

The purpose of this study was to explore if connections were made by teachers and students in schools between Religious Education (RE) and Health and Physical Education (HPE) key learning areas (KLA). The research was conducted within three Brisbane (Queensland, Australia) Catholic primary schools of varying enrolment size. It is argued that within Catholic education the HPE curriculum documents are strongly connected to the Religious Education curriculum material (Lynch, 2004). The spiritual dimension of the HPE curriculum is defined in the syllabus as the “sense of connection to phenomena and unusual events beyond self and usual sensory and rational existence; …

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Is Mri Better Than Ct For Detecting A Vascular Component To Dementia? A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis., Rebecca Beynon, Jonathan A.C. Sterne, Gordon Wilcock, Marcus Likeman, Roger M. Harbord, Margaret Astin, Margaret Burke, Alysson Bessell, Yoav Ben-Shlomo, James Hawkins, William Hollingworth, Penny Whiting Jun 2012

Is Mri Better Than Ct For Detecting A Vascular Component To Dementia? A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis., Rebecca Beynon, Jonathan A.C. Sterne, Gordon Wilcock, Marcus Likeman, Roger M. Harbord, Margaret Astin, Margaret Burke, Alysson Bessell, Yoav Ben-Shlomo, James Hawkins, William Hollingworth, Penny Whiting

School of Psychology

BACKGROUND: Identification of causes of dementia soon after symptom onset is important, because appropriate treatment of some causes of dementia can slow or halt its progression or enable symptomatic treatment where appropriate. The accuracy of MRI and CT, and whether MRI is superior to CT, in detecting a vascular component to dementia in autopsy confirmed and clinical cohorts of patients with VaD, combined AD and VaD ("mixed dementia"), and AD remain unclear. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate this question. METHODS: We searched eight databases and screened reference lists to identify studies addressing the review question. We …

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Moon Vehicle: Reflections From An Artist-Led Children's Workshop On The Chandrayaan-1 Spacecraft's Mission To The Moon, J Griffin Jun 2012

Moon Vehicle: Reflections From An Artist-Led Children's Workshop On The Chandrayaan-1 Spacecraft's Mission To The Moon, J Griffin

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

This article reflects on the journey to the Moon of the spacecraft Chandrayaan-1 as it was interpreted through an artist-led workshop. The workshop participants were a group of children who lived close to where Chandrayaan was built and some of the engineers and scientists responsible for creating the spacecraft. Insights from the workshop show how a mission to the Moon draws on both the technological and the imaginative; they also have bearing on the relative agency of these individuals to contribute to the Moon missions in ways that are personally meaningful to them.

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Coupled Basin-Detachment Systems As Paleoaltimetry Archives Of The Western North American Cordillera, A Gébelin, A Mulch, C Teyssier, C Page Chamberlain, M Heizler Jun 2012

Coupled Basin-Detachment Systems As Paleoaltimetry Archives Of The Western North American Cordillera, A Gébelin, A Mulch, C Teyssier, C Page Chamberlain, M Heizler

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Stable isotope paleoaltimetry data from the Snake Range metamorphic core complex (MCC) and Sacramento Pass Basin (NV, USA) document that extensional mylonite zones and kinematically linked syntectonic basins reliably record paleotopography in the continental interior of western North America when compared to a sea-level reference. Here we show that this basin-MCC pair tracks meteoric fluid flow at different levels of actively extending crust in a high-topography region during Oligo-Miocene extension of the Basin and Range Province. For paleoaltimetry purposes we compare multi-proxy oxygen (δ 18O) and hydrogen (δD) isotope data as well as geochronological information from the Snake Range MCC …

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Fabrication And Mechanical Properties Of Chitosan-Montmorillonite Nano-Composite, Zj Shou, Hr Le, Sy Qu, Ra Rothwell, Re Mackay Jun 2012

Fabrication And Mechanical Properties Of Chitosan-Montmorillonite Nano-Composite, Zj Shou, Hr Le, Sy Qu, Ra Rothwell, Re Mackay

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Chitosan has found various applications in gastrointestinal stent, biomedical implants as well as an effective absorbent in waste water treatment. However, the material suffers from low strength and large shrinkage upon dehydration. The current project is aimed to develop a process to fabricate chitosan composites with the addition of functionalised montmorillonite nanoparticles and to examine the effect of ceramic content on the mechanical behavior of the composites. This paper describes the fabrication of chitosan with montmorrillonite composites and the mechanical testing of the samples and the mechanical behaviour of the composites, as well as the observations of the microstructure. The …

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