Digital Commons Network^™

High Expression Of Glycolytic Genes In Clinical Glioblastoma Patients Correlates With Lower Survival, Kimberly M. Stanke, Carrick Wilson, Srivatsan Kidambi

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Faculty Publications

Glioblastoma (GBM), the most aggressive brain tumor, is associated with a median survival at diagnosis of 16–20 months and limited treatment options. The key hallmark of GBM is altered tumor metabolism and marked increase in the rate of glycolysis. Aerobic glycolysis along with elevated glucose consumption and lactate production supports rapid cell proliferation and GBM growth. In this study, we examined the gene expression profile of metabolic targets in GBM samples from patients with lower grade glioma (LGG) and GBM. We found that gene expression of glycolytic enzymes is up-regulated in GBM samples and significantly associated with an elevated risk …

Evaluation Of A Social Determinants Of Health Screening Questionnaire And Workflow Pilot Within An Adult Ambulatory Clinic, Rachel L. Berkowitz, Linh Bui, Zijun Shen, Alice Pressman, Maria Moreno, Stephanie Brown, Anne Nilon, Chris Miller-Rosales, Kristen M.J. Azar

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Background
There is increased recognition in clinical settings of the importance of documenting, understanding, and addressing patients’ social determinants of health (SDOH) to improve health and address health inequities. This study evaluated a pilot of a standardized SDOH screening questionnaire and workflow in an ambulatory clinic within a large integrated health network in Northern California.
Methods
The pilot screened for SDOH needs using an 11-question Epic-compatible paper questionnaire assessing eight SDOH and health behavior domains: financial resource, transportation, stress, depression, intimate partner violence, social connections, physical activity, and alcohol consumption. Eligible patients for the pilot receiving a Medicare wellness, adult …

Personalized Nutrition As A Key Contributor To Improving Radiation Response In Breast Cancer, Anuradha A. Shastri, Joseph Lombardo, Samantha C Okere, Stephanie Higgins, Brittany C Smith, Tiziana Deangelis, Ajay Palagani, Kamryn Hines, Daniel A. Monti, Stella Volpe, Edith P. Mitchell, Nicole L Simone

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

Understanding metabolic and immune regulation inherent to patient populations is key to improving the radiation response for our patients. To date, radiation therapy regimens are prescribed based on tumor type and stage. Patient populations who are noted to have a poor response to radiation such as those of African American descent, those who have obesity or metabolic syndrome, or senior adult oncology patients, should be considered for concurrent therapies with radiation that will improve response. Here, we explore these populations of breast cancer patients, who frequently display radiation resistance and increased mortality rates, and identify the molecular underpinnings that are, …

An Experimental Test Of The Impact Of Varying Questionnaire Response Format On Prevalence Rates For Sexual Violence Victimization And Perpetration, Raeann E. Anderson, Kelly Cuccolo

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: This study examined the impact of a dichotomous versus scaled response format on prevalence rates of sexual violence perpetration and victimization, thus conceptually replicating Hamby et al., 2006 and extending those findings to the context of sexual violence.

Methods: Two samples were recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk and were randomly assigned to either a dichotomous or scaled response format of the same questionnaire. Sample 1 was used to examine perpetration and received a perpetration specific version of the Post-Refusal Sexual Persistence Scale (PRSPS). Sample 2 was used to examine victimization and received a victimization specific version of the PRSPS. …

Spontaneous Visual Perspective-Taking: Level 2 Representations Of Another's Perspective Are Not Related To What They Actually See, Louis Aldrich

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The ability to understand what another person can see is a fundamental feature of human interaction, commonly referred to as ‘visual perspective-taking’ (VPT). Traditionally, this ability has been conceptualised along two ‘levels’, in line with developmental observations (Flavell, Everett, Croft & Flavell, 1981). ‘Level-1 VPT’ is a simple, automatic, and rapid process enabling understanding of what another individual can see. In contrast, ‘Level-2 VPT’ is a more complex process requiring conscious control, which enables understanding of how features of the environment look from another’s location. This has led to a widely accepted hypothesis that Level-1 VPT is necessary in the …

Parameters Controlling Large Landslide Propagation, Taylor Wood

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Landslides are an ever-present natural hazard and understanding factors such as propagation are vital for the management of such events. This natural hazard has increased in frequency in recent history which further highlights the importance of the research. This study aims to determine which parameters contribute to large rock avalanche propagation using an experimental approach within a laboratory environment. The experiment was designed to simulate a granular flow event using equipment formed of an inclined slope and a flat horizontal plane with a confined zone. A range of material flow combinations and two different slope inclinations were used throughout. The …

Using Remote Sensing Techniques To Investigate The Detection Of Sargassum Blooms In The Caribbean And Possible Causes For These Events, Louise Ely

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Sargassum was thought to originate from a single source, the Sargasso Sea in the central west Atlantic. This has been challenged over the past decade after excessive amounts of the macroalgae began washing up on Caribbean coastlines in June 2011, leading the scientific community to investigate causes of this phenomenon. These, now yearly, events are having detrimental environmental and socioeconomic impacts in areas of the Caribbean and central America, providing motivation for uncovering any regime shifts or severe changes in anthropogenic activity. Anthropogenic sources of nitrate from three rivers surrounding the CWA in addition to wind stress and chlorophyll-a levels …

Handedness: Does It Affect Interhemispheric Transfer?, Diyotima Datta

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Left- handed people have different patterns of cerebral dominance to the rest of the population, as explained by Annett’s (1996) right shift theory. Left handers are considered to have bilateral functionality unlike right handers who have left cerebral dominance, which is believed to lead to faster interhemispheric transmission time in left- handers. The current research examined the effect of handedness on interhemispheric transfer time. The study was conducted online using fifty-one left and fifty-one right handers classified by laterality quotients obtained from Oldfield’s (1971) 12 item Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. The crossed uncrossed difference was calculated using mean reaction times yielded …

Spatial Variation In Epibiont Communities On The Shells Of Patella Vulgata Along An Estuarine Gradient, Edward Wilson

The Plymouth Student Scientist

In space limited intertidal habitats, non-specific substratum generalists can be observed to increase their survival and settlement opportunities by growing upon other living organisms. To date, few studies have assessed the influence of multiple environmental factors in determining patterns of epibiont diversity and community structure upon gastropod shells, across spatial scales. This study investigated the significance of surface salinity range, wave exposure and shell metrics in determining the composition and diversity of epibionts found upon shells of Patella vulgata (Common Limpet), throughout the Plymouth Sound and lower reaches of the Tamar Estuary, United Kingdom (UK). A total of 292 shells …

The Extent To Which Autistic Traits Are Predictive Of Impairments In Allocentric Spatial Navigation, Amber Presley

The Plymouth Student Scientist

This research is centred around how individuals with autistic traits navigate using both allocentric and egocentric spatial reference frames. Previous research suggests differences in the way that those with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) navigate with much research indicating that those with ASD struggle particularly with allocentric navigation. In this study, 256 participants completed a place learning task followed by two self-report questionnaires, the Navigation Inventory and the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ). Results showed that AQ scores correlated with better performance in the allocentric condition of the place learning task, this was in the opposite direction than predicted. Further to this, …

The Dark Tetrad Of Personality And The Tendency To Engage In Revenge Porn, Niamh Thomason-Darch

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Revenge porn is an increasing and pervasive phenomenon. Despite this, the knowledge and understanding of this behaviour is limited, especially the psychological characteristics of perpetrators of revenge porn. The Dark Tetrad of personality: Machiavellianism, psychopathy, narcissism, and sadism, has been associated with a range of antisocial behaviours. Recent research indicates a relationship between the Dark Tetrad and revenge porn proclivity. The present study extended these findings by investigating the relationship between revenge porn proclivity and the Dark Tetrad using more trait-specific measures. A community sample of 306 participants, aged 18-77, were recruited online. Participants completed a series of personality measures …

Public Perceptions Of Indecent Image Offenders, Joshua Samuel Taylor-Smith

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Indecent images of children (IIOC) offences are on the rise year by year, in part due to the easy accessibility to this content with the augmentation of the internet. This has led to increased attention from the public and those involved with law enforcement. However, research into the public perceptions of these offences is very limited. While they do not directly dictate law enforcement, the views of the public have become dominant in penal policymaking and therefore, understanding their current perceptions and beliefs is paramount. One of the only items of research into this area was conducted by Lam et …

The Effect Of Onshore Wind On Wave Overtopping Of A Vertical Sea Wall, Sarah Durbridge

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Strong winds can produce overtopping rates that are considerably higher than predicted by the EurOtop formulae, which do not make provision for wind. However, no detailed industry guidance exists about the quantification of those wind effects. Physical modelling tests (scale 1:21) investigated how the mean rate of overtopping changed with wave frequency under the influence of various wind speeds. The nature and quantity of overtopping was found to be strongly related to the frequency of the incident wave. The wind had a significant effect on the mean overtopping rate, with the most pronounced effect occurring when the overtopping was at …

An Isotropic Neo-Hookean Finite Element Model Of Healthy Elastic Arterial Walls Within Commercial Software, Reece Ambrose

The Plymouth Student Scientist

A non-linear isotropic finite element model of an elastic arterial wall is developed within the ANSYS commercial software package. While progressively increasing complexity of the model, it is validated with analytical theory. Geometric nonlinearity is investigated and an iterative convergence method for the calculation of a solution-dependent axial force, which increases with artery deformation, is presented. Neo-Hookean hyperelastic material models are fitted to existing uniaxial, biaxial, and shear experimental data from literature for both rubber and polyurethane elastomer to introduce material nonlinearity into the arterial wall model. A mesh independence study was performed to determine a suitable mesh and the …

Scale Model Behaviour And Float Geometry Influence On An Oscillating Water Column System, Daniel Cresswell

The Plymouth Student Scientist

A numerical model based on a 1:60 scale Lazy-S Mooring Line has been developed using the dynamic analysis software OrcaFlex, to determine the software’s capabilities when analysing discretized scale models, and to quantify the effect that varying float surface geometry has on mooring line system damping. Static analysis was performed, followed by dynamic analysis, based on experimental data from physical testing in the University of Plymouth 35m Sediment Flume tank, against two distinct float shapes with equivalent hydrostatic properties but aspect ratio variance perpendicular to fluid flow. The impact of scale modelling on static line forces, effective tension and driving …

How Are Defendants Of High-Profile Court Cases Framed In The Media? A Qualitative Analysis Of News Media Coverage Of Caroline Flack's Arrest, Lucy Matthews

The Plymouth Student Scientist

This present study aims to investigate whether news media coverage on Caroline Flack’s arrest, in December 2019, showed characteristics of ‘Trial by Media’ (TBM) through identification of one-sided, unbalanced or predominantly negative, sensationalised or speculative news coverage. Caroline Flack’s case has importance due to her ‘media trial’ potentially contributing to her mental health issues, and subsequent suicide two months after her arrest. This study also aims to assess how much this media coverage could have contributed to this. Forty news media articles were analysed from the 18-day period, starting from her arrest, using Media Framing Analysis (MFA; Giles & Shaw, …

Impact Of Geographical Variability On The Bleaching Stresses In The Atlantic, Indian And South Pacific Ocean, Niamh Bowdler

The Plymouth Student Scientist

This dissertation examines the relationship between the geographical location and the degree of coral bleaching. Corals within different ocean regions are subjected to fluctuations in temperature causing variations in thermal thresholds which affects how the reef fauna adapts to the changing environment. Quadrats were obtained from XL Catlin Global Reef Record and analysed to determine the state of the coral at three locations: East Bermuda (Atlantic Ocean), Egmont (Indian Ocean) and Agincourt (South Pacific Ocean). The mean monthly and weekly sea surface temperature (SST) data was extracted from Giovanni between 2002-2020 for all three reefs. ANOVA: single factor tests (analysis …

Variability In Epifaunal Assemblages Between Sargassum Muticum And Zostera Marina: A Functional Group Approach, Jenny Hickman

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Marine macrophytes are globally important to coastal ecosystems, providing refugia, nutrients and important ecological processes. The structure and composition of macrophytes have a bottom-up effect on the epifauna they support. Due to their wide-reaching effects, invasive algae are considered one of the greatest threats facing marine ecosystems. Sargassum muticum is a Japanese algae increasing its non-native range in coastal habitats globally. A highly dispersive algae, able to colonise soft substratum, it is considered a threat to seagrass beds across the North East Atlantic. In Salcombe Estuary, Devon, beds of Zostera marina have seen increasing levels of invasion by S. muticum. …

Gender Differences In Attitudes Towards Trauma/Abuse Disclosure, Amy Willcocks

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Research has indicated there may be gender differences in responses to trauma disclosure. Currently, the literature is dominated by the sexual abuse of female survivors, largely neglecting male survivors. The present study compared men and women’s responses towards written hypothetical disclosures of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse from male and female survivors. Thirty-two psychology undergraduates (26 females, six males) aged 18-26 years (M = 19.84, SD = 1.54) volunteered to participate. The study utilised a mixed-methods design; 28 participants completed a survey, with four completing it during a semi-structured, think aloud interview. Attitudes towards disclosure were measured with concepts such …

What Effect Do Government Policies Have On The Transmission Of Covid-19?, Emily Prestige

The Plymouth Student Scientist

This investigation aimed to determine the effect of government policies on the transmission of COVID-19 during the period 30/01/2020 – 03/01/2021. This investigation used qualitative data from policy legislation and journals and quantitative data from official government pandemic figures. It also used central factors of successful government approaches to assess the efficacy of the UK Government strategy. The measure used to monitor transmission rates is the instantaneous reproduction number Rt. I have used summary statistics, data visualisation, and time series representations to conduct exploratory data analyses. I also investigated the change in testing capacity and positivity rate over time to …

Exploring The Minimum Number Of Trials Needed To Accurately Detect Concealed Information Using Eeg, Rhian Graham

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Deception can have serious consequences, therefore detection methods such as the Electroencephalogram (EEG) are vital. However, they can be perceived as time-consuming thus causing limited usage. The purpose of this study was to discover the minimum number of trials needed to accurately detect deception. It was hypothesised that accuracy would increase with number of trials (due to reduced effects of noise) but would then fall (due to subject’s fatigue). Due to the Coronavirus, this study was restricted to 9 participants within our ‘Lab Bubble’ of third-year Psychology students at the University of Plymouth. A Concealed Information Test (CIT) was conducted, …

Negative Order Kdv Equation With No Solitary Traveling Waves, Miguel Rodriguez, Jing Li, Zhijun Qiao

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

We consider the negative order KdV (NKdV) hierarchy which generates nonlinear integrable equations. Selecting different seed functions produces different evolution equations. We apply the traveling wave setting to study one of these equations. Assuming a particular type of solution leads us to solve a cubic equation. New solutions are found, but none of these are classical solitary traveling wave solutions.

Phenotypic Evaluation And Genetic Analysis Of Seedling Emergence In A Global Collection Of Wheat Genotypes (Triticum Aestivum L.) Under Limited Water Availability, Michael G. Francki, Grantley Stainer, Esther Walker, Gregory J. Rebetzke, Katia T. Stefanova, Robert J. French

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

The challenge in establishing an early-sown wheat crop in southern Australia is the need for consistently high seedling emergence when sowing deep in subsoil moisture ( > 10 cm) or into dry top-soil (4 cm). However, the latter is strongly reliant on a minimum soil water availability to ensure successful seedling emergence. This study aimed to: (1) evaluate 233 Australian and selected international wheat genotypes for consistently high seedling emergence under limited soil water availability when sown in 4 cm of top-soil in field and glasshouse (GH) studies; (2) ascertain genetic loci associated with phenotypic variation using a genome-wide association study …

Intercomparison Of Salinity Products In The Beaufort Gyre And Arctic Ocean, Sarah B. Hall, Bulusu Subrahmanyam, James H. Morison

Faculty Publications

Salinity is the primary determinant of the Arctic Ocean’s density structure. Freshwater accumulation and distribution in the Arctic Ocean have varied significantly in recent decades and certainly in the Beaufort Gyre (BG). In this study, we analyze salinity variations in the BG region between 2012 and 2017. We use in situ salinity observations from the Seasonal Ice Zone Reconnaissance Surveys (SIZRS), CTD casts from the Beaufort Gyre Exploration Project (BGP), and the EN4 data to validate and compare with satellite observations from Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP), Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS), and Aquarius Optimally Interpolated Sea Surface Salinity …

Analysis Of Some Farm Driving Variables And Its Relation With Milk Production In A Pastoral Dairy Farm Of Buenos Aires, Argentina, J. L. Rossi, A. Ayala Torales, G. Acosta, V. A. Deregibus

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The quantity of milk solids produced determines a dairy farm income and contributes to its profit. Total pasture production, forage quality and herd consumption are factors to be managed in this production system. The outcomes of two years were analyzed. Primary production showed its dependence on climatic conditions and use of technological inputs. Forage quality was promoted through interseeding legumes, applying fertilizer and maintaining the pasture young and leafy. Total forage removed by the herd was similar in both years although pasture production decreased. It was possible to cope with seasonal variations in forage production, by varying the grazing pressure …

Effect Of Energetic Supplementation On Forage Losses In An Oat And Italian Ryegrass Pasture Under Continuous Grazing, A. Frizzo, Marta G. Da Rocha, M. R. Freitas

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The experiment was conducted at UFSM-RS to quantify herbage losses in oat and Italian ryegrass mixture under continuous grazing by beef heifers. A continuous grazing method with variable stocking rate was utilized to maintain the same herbage mass, 1500 kg DM/ha, in all treatments. The treatments consisted of levels of energetic supplement (0, 0.7 and 1.4% of LW/day). The pasture was evaluated every 28 days, when forage not suitable for grazing was collected in points previously marked in experimental area. The daily losses of herbage mass were of 22.32, 18.98 and 21.16 kg of DM/ha/day, equivalent to 2.61, 1.91 and …

Dynamics And Production Of Forage In Winter Pasture Under Continuous Grazing With Energetic Supplementation, A. Frizzo, M. R. Freitas, Marta G. Da Rocha

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This experiment was carried out at Federal University of Santa Maria, from July 09 to November 12, 1999 to evaluate the dynamics and production of forage of oat (Avena strigosa Schreb) and italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam) mixture. The grazing system used was continuous with variable stocking rate to maintain 1500kg/ha of herbage mass in all treatments. The heifers were subjected to different levels of energetic supplementation. They are 0, 0.7 and 1.4% of LW/day. The pasture of oat and italian ryegrass presented an accumulation rate of 45.7, 55.1 and 50.0 kg of DM/ha /day and a total …

Rotational Grazing Increases Wool And Lamb Production From Phalaris-Subterranean Clover Pastures In South Eastern Australia, A. N. Thompson, D. Borg, J. F. Graham, J. Lamb, G. R. Saul

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Wool and lamb production from different grazing systems was compared in a Mediterranean environment near Hamilton in southeastern Australia. The grazing systems were based on combinations of fertiliser inputs and grazing methods that could promote the growth and persistence of phalaris (Phalaris aquatica) and increase animal production compared to ‘typical’ unimproved pastures. In the first 2 years of this experiment, the most productive systems more than doubled ewe stocking rate and wool production, and more than trebled lamb production per hectare, compared to ‘typical’ unimproved pasture, low fertility, set-stocked systems. The change to a well fertilised phalaris/subterranean clover …

Feminist Attitudes, Behaviors, And Culture Shaping Women’S Center Practice, Angela Clark-Taylor, Emily Creamer, Barbara Lesavoy, Catherine Cerulli Dr.

The Seneca Falls Dialogues Journal

The present article contributes to the growing research on women’s centers to extend and encourage the role of feminism in women’s center within higher education. We provide a brief history of feminism and women’s centers in higher education to illuminate the connections between previous research and our women’s center research on community perceptions of feminisms.

Shapeshifting Power: Indigenous Teachings Of Trickster Consciousness And Relational Accountability For Building Communities Of Care, Ionah M. Elaine Scully

The Seneca Falls Dialogues Journal

Difficult dialogues are necessary work in order for communities to form coalitions, yet often these dialogues pose challenges for engaging in long-term work for social justice and systemic change. Power dynamics, microaggressions, and discomfort unlearning power and privilege can make long-term collaboration difficult. It is for this reason I discuss thinking of coalitions as communities of care and offer practical strategies for collaborating differently for sustainable action. Using Indigenous epistemology and methodology, Indigenous feminist and Indigequeer scholarship, as well as Indigenous land-based pedagogy and storytelling, I offer interventions using trickster teachings or trickster consciousness which I describe as comprised of …