Digital Commons Network^™

Bequest To Help Students In Two Programs Succeed, Bill Dabney

University of Mississippi News

No abstract provided.

Roles Played By Nigerian Youtube Micro-Celebrities During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Aje-Ori Agbese

Communication Faculty Publications

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigerian social media micro-celebrities were prominent players in the dissemination of information. This study examines the roles that one group of Nigerian micro-celebrities, YouTube video bloggers (vloggers)—also known as “YouTubers”—played during the pandemic. The research analysed the contents of COVID-19-themed videos that 15 popular Nigerian YouTubers posted on their channels between 29 February and 5 August 2020. The study was guided by the two-step flow of communication theory, in terms of which information first flows from mass media to opinion leaders, who then, in the second step, share the information with their audiences. The …

Using Naming Conventions To Facilitate Data Transfer Between Asset Management Systems And Building Information Models, John D. Foster

Theses and Dissertations

An improvement to the workflow developed by Loeh et al. (2021) is proposed using a Revit template with BUILDER SMS naming conventions when creating the Sustainable Facility Management-enhanced BIM Model. The method presented by Loeh et al. (2021) is modified by integrating BUILDER SMS parameters and naming conventions into the BIM model during, as opposed to after, the creation of the model. Four building models created in 2020-21, four from 2021-22, and one building from 2019 were used in this study. Two groups of students were used to evaluate the effect of the building-specific BIM templates. Evaluating the 2020 and …

Collaborative Interprofessional Health Science Student Led Realistic Mass Casualty Incident Simulation, Deborah L Mccrea, Robert C Coghlan, Tiffany Champagne-Langabeer, Stanley Cron

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In collaboration, a health science university and a fire department offered a mass casualty incident (MCI) simulation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a cross-section of student health care providers to determine their working knowledge of an MCI. Students were given a pretest using the Emergency Preparedness Information Questionnaire (EPIQ) and the Simple Triage and Rapid Transport (START) Quiz. The EPIQ instrument related to knowledge of triage, first aid, bio-agent detection, critical reporting, incident command, isolation/quarantine/decontamination, psychological issues, epidemiology, and communications. The START Quiz gave 10 scenarios. Didactic online content was given followed by the simulation a few …

Knowledge Mobilization For Agri-Food Supply Chain Decisions, Guoqing Zhao, Shaofeng Liu, Sebastian Elgueta, Juan Pablo Manzur, Carmen Lopez, Huilan Chen

Plymouth Business School

The current world business environment is characterized by increasing uncertainties, complexities, and risks, which require agri-food supply chain (AFSC) managers to respond and act quickly in a context full of instability and unpredictability. Increasing pressure placed on AFSC managers intensifies the need to combine knowledge management (KM) and decision support that rapidly overcome knowledge boundaries. It has been recognized that the research issue related to the knowledge mobilization crossing boundaries in the AFSC needs to be addressed. This paper investigates knowledge boundaries and boundary-spanning mechanisms by collecting data from experienced AFSC practitioners. Empirical results verify that knowledge boundaries such as …

The Effect Of Pre-Event Instructions On Eyewitness Identification, Jessica Allen

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Eyewitness identification research has informed policies and procedures, but experiments on eyewitness identification often use unrealistic testing methods. Part of these unrealistic methods are pre-event instructions given before the participant is exposed to the crime. Instructions can direct attention, thus lead to better accuracy. If previous research had used pre-event instructions, results may have overestimated people’s ability to identify culprits correctly and called into question the validity of previous conclusions. This would not be an issue if usage of pre-event instructions were reported in the literature, as comparisons could be made between studies that did use them or between studies …

Analysing Association Rates Of Reef Manta Rays (Mobula Alfredi) Situated In Chagos Archipelago, Lena Pollett

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi) are in rapid decline and threatened by multiple anthropogenic pressures. Conservation of this vulnerable marine species requires an understanding of the drivers of their movement patterns and group structuring. Aggregations have been presumed to be a function of resource availability. However, recent studies have suggested that association rates within these areas of aggregation may underpin social behaviour, furthering our understanding of these species' movement and social networking. Here we used acoustic telemetry technology to assess the extent that a group of 26 M. alfredi associates within Egmont Atoll, situated within the Chagos Archipelagos, over a …

Computational Fluid Dynamics Optimisation Of Grid Fin Aerodynamic Design For Reusable Launch Vehicles, Jack Orders

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Grid fins are an unconventional flight control surface utilised by SpaceX for its Falcon 9 reusable launch vehicle upon re-entry. Previous literature surrounding grid fins has used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to investigate sensitivity factors of the design to vary drag or maximise hinge moment but often suffer from limitations (e.g., insufficient modelling of the boundary layer, or no evidence of sensitivity studies/validation).Due to the lack of literature a systematic CFD-based method is employed in which grid fin geometry is simplified to a 2D flat plate and validated against Tekure (2021) and the simulation verified using oblique shock wave theory …

Biological Recruitment On Static And Boat Hull Panels Coated With Non-Toxic Fibre Flock, Julia Hinrichs

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Marine biofouling, the settlement of aquatic organisms on submerged surfaces, creates an estimated cost of 20 billion USD annually for the shipping industry in increased fuel consumption due to overgrowth. However, the existing antifouling solutions are being restricted by international organisations due to their adverse effects on the marine environment. In recent years, the research focus has shifted to non-toxic methods highlighting the importance of settlement cues of invertebrates. Biofoulers, such as invertebrate larvae and algal spores have been shown to respond to physical cues such as surface structure. The aim of this study was to test the environmentally friendly …

The Effect Of Seagrass Components On The Associated Bacterial Diversity And Antimicrobial Activity In Zostera Marina, Caroline Millan

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Seagrasses are marine angiosperms located in intertidal and sub-tidal waters. They are important ecosystem engineers that play a crucial role in the structure of habitats, allowing them to support a comprehensive diversity of life. Through fundamental ecological processes and the generation of niches, each seagrass species has aggregated an associated microbiome that lives among the various seagrass components and exhibit symbiotic relations. There have been studies investigating the diversity of the associated bacteria and elements of the resulting microbial activity, however these have primarily focused on tropical seagrass species and have failed to examine the extent of this bioactivity. This …

Age Differences In Facial First Impressions Of Traits Associated With Trustworthiness, Gulbeyaz Altun

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Older adults are more susceptible to becoming fraud victims due to increased generalised trust in others for assistance, leading to deception. Age differences in first impressions of unfamiliar faces on traits associated with trustworthiness was explored in this study. Investigating the various interpretations of trustworthiness across age has not been previously led. Using a data-driven approach, the key traits interpreted from trustworthiness were used in a trait rating task. Older adults provided higher ratings and showed an own-age bias for the traits trustworthy, honest, reliable, and loyal compared to younger adults, but not for the trait considerate. Mean trait ratings …

Investigating The Impacts Of Heterotrophic Nutrition On Acropora Microclados, Heather O'Keefe

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The Scleractinian coral Acropora microclados is a commercially important species that functions as both an autotroph and heterotroph. In ex situ coral aquaculture, elucidating an optimal diet to improve growth and resilience is critical in improving the sustainability and success of rearing corals for trade and conservation. To investigate the impacts of diet on A. microclados, three groups of 15 nubbins were kept under three different feeding regimes for three months at the National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth, UK. One group was fed nothing, the control (CTL), one group fed Artemia salina nauplii (ART) and one group fed a mixed diet …

Public Engagement In Environmental Issues: Investigating Factors Of Disengagement From An Individual And Organisational Perspective, Anna Carne

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Anthropogenic climate change is now a major issue facing the public, government, and environmental non-governmental organisations (ENGOs) alike. In order for climate goals set out by the conference of the parties (COP) summits to be reached, the public must be involved and feel a sense of responsibility to act. Though there have been previous studies investigating the levels of engagement and the actions that individuals take, the impact of certain factors on engagement is still not well understood. A UK survey open for two weeks and shared on social media was conducted. The survey consisted of open and closed questions …

An Investigation Into The Effects Of Weekly Habitual And Targeted Caffeine Consumption On Adult Runners' Endurance, Speed, And Mood, Elise Lucas

The Plymouth Student Scientist

BACKGROUND: Caffeine is a commonly consumed recreational drug which is also highly regarded as an ergogenic aid. Generally, users partake in sporadic and habitual caffeine consumption for functional benefits such as alertness or for social purposes, but targeted consumption prior to exercise is claimed to aid endurance, increase speed, and improve mood during exercise. OBJECTIVES: This questionnaire-based study aimed to evaluate the effect of targeted and randomised caffeine consumption on endurance, speed, and perceived mood in runners of varying levels. SUBJECTS: 489 subjects from 27 different countries (predominantly United States of America and United Kingdom) participated in the study (50.7% …

Reasons For Living Following An Acquired Brain Injury: A Mixed Thematic Analysis, Catalana Parris

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Considering the prevalence of acquired brain injury (ABI) and the concerning statistics around the associated risk of problematic substance use, impacted mental health, and suicidality (3-4 greater risk of suicidality in those with TBI), and the lack of qualitative, recent, and UK based research. This study aimed to explore what people’s reasons for living after ABI were. Individuals living with ABI were recruited via BABICM (British Association of Brain Injury and Complex Case Management) to participate in semi-structured interviews. A mixed thematic analysis was conducted on the transcripts using the themes from Knight, Norman and Simpson (2020) as a framework …

Marine Mammals In The Western English Channel, A Survey From The Rame Head Peninsula, Janine Douglas

The Plymouth Student Scientist

This paper presents the first records of marine mammals in Plymouth Sound National Marine Park (NMP), and over 1000 individual animal observations were recorded. Marine mammal temporal and spatial distributions were quantified for the first time at Rame Head, a vantage point overlooking the NMP and the Western English Channel. A biodiversity hotspot, the Western English Channel supports many species of marine mammals, yet it is subject to increasing anthropogenic pressures, such as heavy shipping, which could significantly impact populations. Whilst marine mammals are well studied, their distributions and population sizes remain largely unknown; effective conservation of these animals requires …

Tribal Sovereignty And The Right To Life, Clare Holtzman

Duke Journal of Comparative & International Law

On August 26, 2020, the only Native American on federal death row, Lezmond Mitchell was executed by the federal government for the murder of two Navajo citizens on Navajo Nation land. Federal law typically gives Tribal Nations the right to determine whether the death penalty is used against their citizens for crimes committed between Tribal citizens on Tribal land. Yet here, the federal government utilized a loophole to seek the death penalty against the Navajo Nation's wishes. Lezmond Mitchell was not a sympathetic man by any means; indeed, he brutally killed a grandmother and her young granddaughter to steal their …

Bankruptcy Basics: What The U.S. Can Learn From The U.K. Filing Processes, Courtney Kobren

Duke Journal of Comparative & International Law

Although filing for bankruptcy is the primary form of economic relief for U.S. consumers in financial distress, pro se debtors lack access to the consumer bankruptcy system. An individual debtor faces many challenges when filing for bankruptcy without an attorney, since the debtor must rely on free access to the information provided by the U.S. Courts website. However, that information is vague and presented in complex legalese and dissuasive diction. On the other hand, U.K. debtors who need financial relief can file for bankruptcy through a clear and accessible bankruptcy filing process. U.K. debtors also have access to free consumer …

Risk Factors For Sars-Cov-2 Transmission In Close Contacts Of Adults At High Risk Of Infection Due To Occupation: Results From The Contact Tracing Strategy Of The Covida Epidemiological Surveillance Study In Bogotá, Colombia, In 2020-2021, Andrea Ramírez Varela, Sandra Contreras-Arrieta, Guillermo Tamayo-Cabeza, Leonardo Salas Zapata, Yuldor Caballero-Díaz, Luis Jorge Hernández Florez, Andrés Patiño Benavidez, Rachid Laajaj, Fernando De La Hoz, Giancarlo Buitrago Gutierrez, Silvia Restrepo, Eduardo Behrentz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 transmission in close contacts of adults at high risk of infection due to occupation, participants of the CoVIDA study, in Bogotá D.C., Colombia.

SETTING: The CoVIDA study was the largest COVID-19 intensified sentinel epidemiological surveillance study in Colombia thus far, performing over 60 000 RT-PCR tests for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The study implemented a contact tracing strategy (via telephone call) to support traditional surveillance actions performed by the local health authority.

PARTICIPANTS: Close contacts of participants from the CoVIDA study.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: SARS-CoV-2 testing results were obtained (RT-PCR with CoVIDA …

Successful Treatment Of Myofascial Pain Syndrome (Mps) With Surgical Cauterization Of Temporalis Muscle Trigger Points: A Case Report, Craig Pearl, Brendan Moxley, Andrew Perry, Nagi Demian

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

For patients suffering from myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) affecting muscles of mastication, traditional trigger point therapy treatment regimens can prove inconvenient, due to the short duration of pain relief after each injection and expense of repeated visits which are often not covered by insurance. We present a case of a patient treated using an alternative technique that could develop into an additional modality for treating MPS patients who are refractory to conservative treatment. This technique involves identifying and marking the patient's trigger points and surgically cauterizing each location using a Bovie electrosurgical unit. While traditional trigger point injection therapy for …

Emulating Future Neurotechnology Using Magic, Jay A. Olson, Mariève Cyr, Despina Z. Artenie, Thomas Strandberg, Lars Hall, Matthew L. Tompkins, Amir Raz, Petter Johansson

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Recent developments in neuroscience and artificial intelligence have allowed machines to decode mental processes with growing accuracy. Neuroethicists have speculated that perfecting these technologies may result in reactions ranging from an invasion of privacy to an increase in self-understanding. Yet, evaluating these predictions is difficult given that people are poor at forecasting their reactions. To address this, we developed a paradigm using elements of performance magic to emulate future neurotechnologies. We led 59 participants to believe that a (sham) neurotechnological machine could infer their preferences, detect their errors, and reveal their deep-seated attitudes. The machine gave participants randomly assigned positive …

Control Of Sars-Cov-2 Infection By Mt1-Mmp-Mediated Shedding Of Ace2, Xuanming Guo, Jianli Cao, Jian-Piao Cai, Jiayan Wu, Jiangang Huang, Pallavi Asthana, Sheung Kin Ken Wong, Zi-Wei Ye, Susma Gurung, Yijing Zhang, Sheng Wang, Zening Wang, Xin Ge, Hiu Yee Kwan, Aiping Lyu, Kui Ming Chan, Nathalie Wong, Jiandong Huang, Zhongjun Zhou, Zhao-Xiang Bian, Shuofeng Yuan, Hoi Leong Xavier Wong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a global pandemic. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is an entry receptor for SARS-CoV-2. The full-length membrane form of ACE2 (memACE2) undergoes ectodomain shedding to generate a shed soluble form (solACE2) that mediates SARS-CoV-2 entry via receptor-mediated endocytosis. Currently, it is not known how the physiological regulation of ACE2 shedding contributes to the etiology of COVID-19 in vivo. The present study identifies Membrane-type 1 Matrix Metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) as a critical host protease for solACE2-mediated SARS-CoV-2 infection. SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to increased activation of MT1-MMP that is colocalized with ACE2 in human lung …

Trends And Issues Involving Disabilities In Higher Education, Jm Kauffman, D Anastasiou, M Felder, J Lopes, Ba Hallenbeck, G Hornby, B Ahrbeck

More Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Research

People with disabilities have often been discriminated against in higher education; however, many institutions of higher education find ways of providing access to higher education for those with most forms of disabilities. Progress has been made in providing such access but undoubtedly there is still a need for more disability awareness, anti-stigma, and anti-discrimination training. At the same time higher education requirements, by default, involve higher cognitive capabilities. Some disabilities, those involving severe limitations of cognitive functioning, face insurmountable difficulties in meeting these higher intellectual demands, even with the most reasonable accommodations. Teacher education, for example, requires special attention to …

Retrospective-My First Five Years As President, December 23, 2022, Tisa Mason Ed.D.

Heart of a Tiger Columns

No abstract provided.

‘I Will Control Your Mind’: The International Regulation Of Brain-Hacking, Thibault Moulin

San Diego International Law Journal

In the near future, the use of neurotechnologies—like brain-computer interfaces and brain stimulation—could become widespread. It will not only be used to help persons with disabilities or illness, but also by members of the armed forces and in everyday life (e.g., for entertainment and gaming). However, recent studies suggested that it is possible to hack into neural devices to obtain information, inflict pain, induce mood change, or influence movements. This Article anticipates three scenarios which may be challenging in the future—i.e., brain hacking for the purpose of reading thoughts, remotely controlling someone, and inflicting pain or death—and assesses their compliance …

K-Pop’S Secret Weapon: South Korea’S Criminal Defamation Laws, Rebecca Xu

San Diego International Law Journal

South Korea’s criminal defamation laws have long been considered an intrusion on the free speech rights of citizens, especially in regard to the usage by politicians against their opponents and journalists to suppress criticisms. This Comment considers the history and effects of these controversial defamation laws through the lens of recent scandals within the Korean entertainment industry, where regular citizens accusing Korean celebrities of past school violence are confronted with threats of defamation charges. To highlight the controversial nature of such laws, comparisons will be drawn between South Korea and other countries to highlight the restrictive nature of Korea’s laws.

Lecturers’ Awareness, Perception And Utilization Of Institutional Repositories In Two Universities In Nigeria, Lawrence Akingbade

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the lecturers awareness, perception and utilisation of institutional repositories in two universities in Nigeria. The universities include the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and University of Jos. The research design adopted for the study was correlational research design, while the questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. The questionnaire was grouped into five sections and most of the questions were close ended. Also validity and reliability of the questionnaire was done in order to obtain the desired results. Out of 642 number of questionnaire distributed, 473 were completed, returned and found …

Associations Between Mental Health And Hiv Status Among Sexual Minority And Heterosexual Adolescents In Nigeria, Morenike Oluwatoyin Folayan, Olakunle Oginni, Olanrewaju Ibikunle Ibigbami, Uma Philip, Nserd Ntonoba Mfam, Chinedu Mbam, Amos Ganyam, Agada A Salem, Christopher Osuji, Cory Bradley, Joanne Lusher, Nadia Adjoa Sam-Agudu

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: We aimed to determine associations between the mental health status of adolescents by self-reported sexual identity; and to determine associations between the mental health status of sexual minority adolescents living with and without HIV.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study collected data from Nigerians aged 13-19 years old using an online survey. We collected information on dependent (sexual identity) and independent (presence of depressive symptoms, generalised anxiety disorder, suicidal attempt/ideation, HIV status) study variables. A multivariate regression model determined associations between the dependent and independent variables. A second multivariate regression model was developed to establish associations between HIV status among sexual …

The Role Of Er Stress In Diabetes: Exploring Pathological Mechanisms Using Wolfram Syndrome, Shuntaro Morikawa, Fumihiko Urano

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a cytosolic organelle that plays an essential role in the folding and processing of new secretory proteins, including insulin. The pathogenesis of diabetes, a group of metabolic disorders caused by dysfunctional insulin secretion (Type 1 diabetes, T1DM) or insulin sensitivity (Type 2 diabetes, T2DM), is known to involve the excess accumulation of "poorly folded proteins", namely, the induction of pathogenic ER stress in pancreatic β-cells. ER stress is known to contribute to the dysfunction of the insulin-producing pancreatic β-cells. T1DM and T2DM are multifactorial diseases, especially T2DM; both environmental and genetic factors are involved in …

Information Seeking Behaviour Of Newspaper Journalists Of Karnataka State: A Study, Rajashekhar Mahadevagouda, Pavithrabai M S

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Journalists search, access, and make use of a variety of information sources, both in print and electronic media. Journalists have been increasingly reliant on internet tools in recent years. An attempt has been made through the study to identify the information-seeking behaviour of journalist working in 39 newspapers at the national, state, as well as regional levels. A total of 610 respondents have responded to the questionnaire. The data shows that data indicates that approximately 60% of the respondents are below 35 years. The study witnessed that more than 30% of respondents opined that the information required about all areas …