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The Fall Of Númenor (2022) By J.R.R. Tolkien, Edited By Brian Sibley, Douglas C. Kane

Journal of Tolkien Research

Book review, by Douglas C. Kane, of The Fall of Númenor (2022) by J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Brian Sibley

Mathematics Anxiety: Identity Work In A Gifted Prospective Elementary Teacher’S Mathematics-Related Personal Narratives, Kathleen Jablon Stoehr

Teacher Education

Previous studies have focused on negative physiological sensations and psychological emotions of mathematics anxiety experienced in real time. Similarly, prior research has noted that prospective elementary teachers (PSTs) may experience such feelings of distress while learning to teach mathematics in their teacher-preparation programs. Mathematics teacher educators have sought to reduce elementary PSTs’ mathematics anxiety by improving their mathematical content knowledge and discipline-specific pedagogical knowledge. But why might mathematics anxiety persist even after elementary PSTs have successfully completed such teacher-preparation coursework? Our case study of a female elementary PST, identified as gifted, illustrates how mathematics anxiety, when reinforced by personal narratives …

Impact Of Forearm Pronation On Ultrasound-Measured Forearm Muscle Thickness In Children And Adolescents, Takashi Abe, Hayao Ozaki, Akemi Abe, Jeremy P. Loenneke

Faculty and Student Publications

Background and Aim: It was unknown whether ultrasound-measured forearm muscle thickness was impacted by pronation of the forearm. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of forearm pronation on two forearm muscle thicknesses (MT-ulna and MT-radius). Participants and Methods: Fourteen healthy children and adolescents sat on a chair with their right arm comfortably on a table, and their hands were fixed to the board with elastic bands. The probe was placed perpendicularly over the forearm, and the angle of the board was then pronated in 5° increments from -10° to 30°. The average value of the two …

Never Silent: Development Of Gay Activism In The Cold War Midwest, Braydon Conell

History Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

Though not typically seen as a burgeoning environment for gay life, the Midwest nevertheless has a rich history of queer culture. Focusing on gay activism during the Cold War era, this thesis discusses the rise and influence of homophile organizations in the Midwest. Homophile organizations and the movement's ideals of accommodation and integration played an integral role in the activism coming out of World War II. The homophile movement, though, did not wane with the development of the more radical gay liberation movement. Instead, the homophile movement in the Midwest evolved and played its own part alongside radical activists. Historically, …

Identification Of North Sea Areas Suitable For Cultivating Saccharina Latissima As An Alternative Source Of Protein, Ella Sykes

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Demands for food resources are increasing with the growing human population and the impacts of climate change on agricultural land. Protein is an essential macronutrient for human well-being and supplies are likely to face a global security crisis in the foreseeable future. However, research has shown that the brown seaweed species Saccharina latissima (S. latissima) could be an alternative plant-based source of protein for human consumption that can be sustainably farmed under North Sea conditions. Yet seaweed farming currently remains an underexploited resource in the United Kingdom (UK). This study aims to identify areas suitable for S. latissima cultivation in …

Assertive Behaviour: Not A One-Size-Fits-All Solution To Poor Psychological Well-Being, Oliwia A. Hryniewska

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Extraversion as both a personality trait and state has robust links with well-being; extraverted state, or behaviour, is sufficient to increase positive affect (PA) regardless of disposition. However, examining extraversion more closely at the aspect and facet level has, to date, yielded mixed results for this relationship. This study sought to clarify extraversion’s impact on psychological well-being (PWB) and positive affect by investigating state and trait assertiveness as one aspect of extraversion (next to enthusiasm; DeYoung et al., 2007). It was hypothesized that this aspect specifically contributes to several PWB outcomes at the trait level, but not at the state …

Biochar Amendment Of A Sandy Loam Improves Wheat Growth Under Drought And Control Conditions, Toby Anderson Von Trampe

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Drought stress is a major limiting factor in cereal crop growth. To meet the feeding requirements of an increasing population, cereal crop yields need to be significantly increased in a sustainable manner. Biochar is a charcoal-like substance derived from organic material. Here, the effects of biochar on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growth and stress responses under drought stress conditions were determined. Biochar was applied at 5% (w/w) and stressed plants weren’t watered during the four weeks of drought treatment to establish the rate of water loss in the different soil treatments. drought significantly decreased plant height, stem thickness, number of …

Numerical Models To Track The Origin And Drift Of Pharmaceutical Flotsam In The English Channel, Alizee De Groodt

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Marine plastic pollution is an increasing problem that has serious impacts on the environment. The sources, pathways and fate of plastics in the ocean are still poorly understood, especially for marine pollution coming from marine-based sources. In November 2018, a high number of pharmaceutical bottles named ‘Otrivin’ started to beach in high numbers along the English Channel. Research was initiated to investigate the likely origin of the bottles. In this study, we continue this research using the observational data from 2018-2019 and two numerical ocean models to hindcast the likely origin of the bottles, but also assess whether the effect …

The Relationship Between Diet, Supplement Use, And The Prevalence And Severity Of Nausea And Vomiting During The 1st And 2nd Trimesters Of Pregnancy, Bailey Lentern

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (NVP) are common conditions experienced by women throughout the world. However, despite their widespread occurrence, the prevalence and severity of symptoms range significantly, with the exact aetiology underpinning this variation relatively unclear. Several studies propose that NVP may serve as an adaptive function, protecting the embryo from harmful foodstuffs, implying that diet is implicated within the pathogenesis of the condition. However, there is limited literature focusing on this topic, specifically with regards to supplement use. Therefore, the aim of the present research was to examine the relationship between diet, both pre-pregnancy and current diet, including …

Fighting Words: Catalonia At The Language Instruction Crossroads, Jane Tien

Duke Journal of Comparative & International Law

The schism between Spain and Catalonia obscures a struggle over the teaching language for non-linguistic subjects in Catalonia's public schools. The recent two decades decanted into Catalan society two Spanish Constitutional Court rulings mandating a Castilian-Catalan conjunctive instruction model—with Catalan as the "center of gravity"—and tasking the Catalan legislature with configuring that "center." Pleasing none and spurned by all, the Constitutional Court duology emboldened activist lower courts to bypass the Catalan legislature, while schools in Catalonia continued to teach almost exclusively in Catalan. With the Castilians alienated and the Catalans defiant, language instruction in Catalonia turned into a festering wound …

Design, Concept, And Visualization Of Urban Multi-Level Growing Table Systems In Hyper Urban Areas, Aaryan Manoj Nair, Shaheed Mohammed, Omar Rahama

Publications and Research

As of a 2019 study conducted by the National Urban Gardening Program (National Urban Gardening Program), urban farming accounts for approximately 19% of the total national farming output and is expected to triple to almost 45% by 2025. There is intensive research being conducted on aspects of reduced recidivism, communal health benefits, natural carbon capture systems, improved urban ecology and the necessity for reducing the carbon footprint of food, (informally dubbed “food miles”) there is little substantive research on optimisation, and maximation of crop productivity in hyper-urban areas.

The purpose of this report is to understand the functionalities of urban …

Factors Associated With Improved Outcome Of Inhaled Corticosteroid Use In Covid-19: A Single Institutional Study, A. Manfra, Claire Chen, Kavita Batra, Kyaw Min Tun, Mutsumi Kioka

Department of Internal Medicine Faculty Research

Asthmatics seem less prone to adverse outcomes in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and some data shows that inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are protective. We gathered data on anecdotal ICS and outcomes of patients hospitalized with COVID-19, given there is literature supporting ICS may reduce risk of severe infection. In addition, we fill gaps in current literature evaluating Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) as a risk assessment tool for COVID-19. This was a single-center, retrospective study designed and conducted to identify factors associated intubation and inpatient mortality. A multivariate logistic regression model was fit to generate adjusted odds ratios (OR). Intubation was associated …

Late Descemet Membrane Detachment After Uneventful Cataract Surgery, Lovaglio Cançado Trindade, Renata Attanasio De Rezende, Tiago Bisol, Christopher J Rapuano

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

Purpose: To report 5 patients with late Descemet membrane (DM) detachment after uneventful cataract surgery.

Observations: After a retrospective chart analysis of consecutive patients that developed DM detachment after uneventful cataract surgery, six eyes of five patients were enrolled. In all cases, patients reported good vision initially after cataract surgery. Within days to months, these patients developed late DM detachment with decreased vision. In one patient, the detachment affected both eyes. Filtered air or diluted sulfur hexafluoride were injected in the anterior chamber to tamponade the DM detachment. In five eyes, the cornea cleared after DM reattachment. In two eyes …

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 …

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 …

Unsupervised Machine Learning Using K-Means Identifies Radiomic Subgroups Of Pediatric Low-Grade Gliomas That Correlate With Key Molecular Markers, Debanjan Haldar, Anahita Fathi Kazerooni, Sherjeel Arif, Ariana Familiar, Rachel Madhogarhia, Nastaran Khalili, Sina Bagheri, Hannah Anderson, Ibraheem Salman Shaikh, Aria Mahtabfar, Meen Chul Kim, Wenxin Tu, Jefferey Ware, Arastoo Vossough, Christos Davatzikos, Phillip B Storm, Adam Resnick, Ali Nabavizadeh

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

Introduction: Despite advancements in molecular and histopathologic characterization of pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGGs), there remains significant phenotypic heterogeneity among tumors with similar categorizations. We hypothesized that an unsupervised machine learning approach based on radiomic features may reveal distinct pLGG imaging subtypes.

Methods: Multi-parametric MR images (T1 pre- and post-contrast, T2, and T2 FLAIR) from 157 patients with pLGGs were collected and 881 quantitative radiomic features were extracted from tumorous region. Clustering was performed using K-means after applying principal component analysis (PCA) for feature dimensionality reduction. Molecular and demographic data was obtained from the PedCBioportal and compared between imaging subtypes.

Results: …

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 …

Multiomics Characterization Of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (Mrsa) Isolates With Heterogeneous Intermediate Resistance To Vancomycin (Hvisa) In Latin America, Betsy E Castro, Rafael Rios, Lina P Carvajal, Mónica L Vargas, Mónica P Cala, Lizeth León, Blake Hanson, An Q Dinh, Oscar Ortega-Recalde, Carlos Seas, Jose M Munita, Cesar A Arias, Sandra Rincon, Jinnethe Reyes, Lorena Diaz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (hVISA) compromise the clinical efficacy of vancomycin. The hVISA isolates spontaneously produce vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) cells generated by diverse and intriguing mechanisms.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the biomolecular profile of clinical hVISA applying genomic, transcriptomic and metabolomic approaches.

METHODS: 39 hVISA and 305 VSSA and their genomes were included. Core genome-based Bayesian phylogenetic reconstructions were built and alterations in predicted proteins in VISA/hVISA were interrogated. Linear discriminant analysis and a Genome-Wide Association Study were performed. Differentially expressed genes were identified in hVISA-VSSA by RNA-sequencing. The undirected profiles of metabolites were determined by liquid chromatography and …

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 …

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 …

A Path Forward To #Niunamenos Based On An Intersectional Analysis Of Laws Criminalizing Femicide/Feminicide In Latin America, Melissa Padilla

San Diego International Law Journal

Since 2007, eighteen Latin American countries have enacted laws that criminalize femicide/‌feminicide in an effort to address gender-based murders in the region and to uphold their obligations under international human rights law. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and its systemic lingering effects exacerbated the existent dangerous levels of gender-based violence in the region, resulting in an increase in gender-based murders. To address these murders, between 2020 and 2021, a quarter of the eighteen Latin American countries that criminalized femicide/‌feminicide have implemented or are in the process of implementing reforms to their laws criminalizing femicide/‌feminicide. Given this new trend to address the …

‘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 …

Proximity-Dependent Biotin Labeling In Testicular Germ Cells Identified Tesmin-Associated Proteins, Seiya Oura, Akinori Ninomiya, Fuminori Sugihara, Martin M Matzuk, Masahito Ikawa

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Characterization of protein-protein interactions (PPI) is a key to understanding the functions of proteins of interest. Recently developed proximity-dependent biotin identification (BioID) has been actively investigated as an alternative PPI mapping method because of its usefulness in uncovering transient PPI. Here, as an example of proximity labeling proteomics application in the testis, we generated two transgenic mouse lines expressing two biotin ligases (BioID2 or TurboID) fused with TESMIN, which translocates from the cytosol to the nucleus during meiotic progression and is required for reproduction. The BioID2 transgene, albeit not the TurboID transgene, rescued fertility defects of the Tesmin KO male …

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 …

Race In J. R. R. Tolkien’S The Lord Of The Rings And In Katherine Addison’S The Goblin Emperor, Robin A. Reid Dr.

Journal of Tolkien Research

Recent scholarship on how Tolkien's Orcs influenced popular fantasy agrees upon the spread of racist clichés and stereotypes. Dieter Petzold, in "'Oo, Those Awful Orcs!': Tolkien's Villains as Protagonists in Recent Fantasy Novels," analyzes how four novels attempt but fail to present orcs as focal and sympathetic characters. In Race and Popular Fantasy Literature, Helen Young argues that the influence Tolkien's Orcs had on fantasy literature, film, and games is that of structural racism in which "race [is] the conventional framework around which difference is built " (35). She acknowledges that critical reading of Tolkien's works can "provide background …

Christmas Through Crite's Eyes, Sarah B. Cahalan

Marian Library Blog Archive

As Christmas approaches, the Marian Library’s director reflects on depictions of the Holy Family by one of the 20th century’s most important creators of Christian art, whose works challenge the viewer: “How would God choose to come among us today, and how would the world receive him?”

Bureaucratic Sorceries In The Third Policeman: Anthropological Perspectives On Magic & Officialdom, Alexandra Irimia

Languages and Cultures Publications

This article discusses The Third Policeman through the lens of a dialectic of enchantment and disenchantment that is firmly anchored in the history of anthropological discourse on bureaucracy (Malinowski, Lévi-Strauss, Tambiah, Herzfeld, Graeber, Jones). From this angle, Flann O’Brien’s novel is examined as an aesthetic illustration of an essentially anthropological argument: although bureaucracy has been described as an eminently rational form of social systematisation, regulation, and control (since Weber), it also functions, paradoxically, as a symbolic site for irrationality and supernatural occurrences, haunted by madness, mystery, and delusion. The novel is intriguing partly due to its nonchalant, humorous entwining of …

Investigation Of Healthcare Providers Beliefs, Confidence, Knowledge, And Prevelance Within Practice Of Medicinal Cannabinoids And The Endocannabinoid System: Pre And Post Educational Intervention, Kelcey O'Daniel

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Project

The purpose of this scholarly project was to assess healthcare providers’ knowledge, and confidence of the endocannabinoid system, medicinal cannabinoids, and the action of Cannabidiol (CBD) prior to, and after an educational delivery. The surveys and educational intervention were distributed by social media platforms to healthcare providers and students of the qualifying professions to gain insight on current confidence, knowledge, and prevalence when it comes to medicinal cannabinoid discussion within healthcare practice. Results yielded statistically significant results in a multitude of aspects. When running paired samples correlations, each category within the investigation into provider confidence, proved to be statistically significant …

Occupational Depression In Italy: Associations With Health, Economic, And Work-Life Characteristics, Renzo Bianchi, Caterina Fiorilli, Giacomo Angelini, Nicoletta Dozio, Carlo Palazzi, Gloria Palazzi, Benedetto Vitiello, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

Background: The Occupational Depression Inventory (ODI) reflects a new approach to job-related distress centered on work-attributed depressive symptoms. The instrument was developed with reference to the characterization of major depression found in the DSM-5. The ODI has been validated in English, French, and Spanish. This study (a) investigated the psychometric and structural properties of the ODI’s Italian version and (b) inquired into the nomological network of occupational depression. Methods: A convenience sample of 963 employed individuals was recruited in Italy (69.9% female; mean age = 40.433). We notably relied on exploratory structural equation modeling bifactor analysis, common-practice …