Digital Commons Network^™

Hypersonic Non-Equilibrium Computational Fluid Dynamics (Cfd) Analysis And Effect Of Underbelly Shape On A Conceptual Lifting Body Spaceplane, Oliver George Barretto

The Plymouth Student Scientist

A methodology is developed to analyse the effect of underbelly shape on the force coefficients and adiabatic wall temperature acting on a lifting body spaceplane at 30° angle of attack and three Mach numbers (����=4, 10, 16) in air in the commercial Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) solver, Ansys Fluent. A general overview of hypersonic theory and phenomena is also presented. The effect of hypersonic flow on gas dynamics is considered using a two-temperature non-equilibrium energy model and species transport simulation of reacting gases in Ansys Fluent. No third-party research of note is found validating the two-temperature Ansys Fluent non-equilibrium energy …

Assessing Future Projections Of Intense Typhoon Return Period And Intensity Over Taiwan, Luke Glass

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Typhoons are a leading natural cause of mass socioeconomic losses through floods, storm surges and high winds, and this is projected to worsen in a warmer climate. While the majority of literature is in agreement, there is little research into typhoon behaviour projections past the year 2100. TCWiSE – a statistical modelling tool, is used to simulate and spatially assess changes in intense (category 4+) typhoon return period and average intensity over the island of Taiwan in four different climate scenarios all with increasing intensity and frequency values. In comparison to the present-day scenario, the future scenarios recorded a +12.0%, …

Diurnal And Tidal Influence On The Spatial Distribution And Surface Activity Of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) In The Shannon Estuary, Ireland, Rosie Wilson

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The interactions between oceanographic processes and topography have an important role in driving the formation of localised biodiversity hotspots. These hotspots create predictable prey resources utilised by many large coastal marine vertebrates, such as the bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus. The abundance, behaviour and distribution of bottlenose dolphins is therefore largely driven by predator-prey interactions which are strongly influenced by physical ocean processes such as tides and the formation of hydrographic fronts. Understanding these interactions as well as the ecology of bottlenose dolphins is therefore vital for the effective conservation management of this species. Through the fine scale examination of the …

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 …

Bequest To Help Students In Two Programs Succeed, Bill Dabney

University of Mississippi News

No abstract provided.

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 …

Yield Prediction Through Integration Of Genetic, Environment, And Management Data Through Deep Learning, Daniel R. Kick, Jason G. Wallace, James C. Schnable, Judith M. Kolkman, Barış Alaca, Timothy M. Beissinger, Jode Edwards, David Ertl, Sherry Flint-Garcia, Joseph L. Gage, Candice N. Hirsch, Joseph E. Knoll, Natalia De Leon, Dayane C. Lima, Danilo E. Moreta, Maninder P. Singh, Addie Thompson, Teclemariam Weldekidan, Jacob D. Washburn

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Accurate prediction of the phenotypic outcomes produced by different combinations of genotypes, environments, and management interventions remains a key goal in biology with direct applications to agriculture, research, and conservation. The past decades have seen an expansion of new methods applied toward this goal. Here we predict maize yield using deep neural networks, compare the efficacy of 2 model development methods, and contextualize model performance using conventional linear and machine learning models. We examine the usefulness of incorporating interactions between disparate data types. We find deep learning and best linear unbiased predictor (BLUP) models with interactions had the best overall …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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% …

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: …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Emergence Of Coherent Backscattering From Sparse And Finite Disordered Media, Nooshin M. Estakhri, Nasim Mohammadi Estrakhri, Theodore B. Norris

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Coherent backscattering (CBS) arises from complex interactions of a coherent beam with randomly positioned particles, which has been typically studied in media with large numbers of scatterers and high opacity. We develop a first-principles scattering model for scalar waves to study the CBS cone formation in finite-sized and sparse random media with specific geometries. The current study provides insights into the effects of density, volume size, and other relevant parameters on the angular characteristics of the CBS cone emerging from sparse and bounded random media for various types of illumination, with results consistent with well-known CBS studies which are typically …

Multiomics Approach Captures Hepatic Metabolic Network Altered By Chronic Ethanol Administration, Isin Tuna Sakallioglu, Bridget Tripp, Jacy Kubik, Carol A. Casey, Paul G. Thomes, Robert Powers

Department of Chemistry: Faculty Publications

Using a multiplatform and multiomics approach, we identified metabolites, lipids, proteins, and metabolic pathways that were altered in the liver after chronic ethanol administration. A functional enrichment analysis of the multiomics dataset revealed that rats treated with ethanol experienced an increase in hepatic fatty acyl content, which is consistent with an initial development of steatosis. The nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) metabolomics data revealed that the chronic ethanol exposure selectively modified toxic substances such as an increase in glucuronidation tyramine and benzoyl; and a depletion in cholesterol-conjugated glucuronides. Similarly, the lipidomics results revealed that ethanol …

Information Retrieval Skills As Correlate Of Scholarly Research Among Postgraduate Students In Selected Universities In Oyo And Lagos States, Nigeria, Kolawole Oluwatola, Lawrence Akingbade

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Abstract

The main objective of the study is to investigate information retrieval skills as correlate of scholarly research among postgraduate students in selected Universities in Oyo and Lagos States, Nigeria. Survey research methodology was used with a total sample size of 379 using single random sampling techniques to select postgraduate students. Data was collected mainly through questionnaire and analyzed using frequency distribution and regression analysis run on SPSS (2.0). The result revealed the types of information retrieval skills, the study revealed that information retrieval skills highly influence the postgraduate students’ scholarly research as it allowed them to easily recognition their …

Managing Artificial Intelligence Projects: Key Insights From An Ai Consulting Firm, Gregory Vial, Ann-Frances Cameron, Tanya Giannelia, Jinglu Jiang

Management and Accounting Faculty Scholarship

While organisations are increasingly interested in artificial intelligence (AI), many AI projects encounter significant issues or even fail. To gain a deeper understanding of the issues that arise during these projects and the practices that contribute to addressing them, we study the case of Consult, a North American AI consulting firm that helps organisations leverage the power of AI by providing custom solutions. The management of AI projects at Consult is a multi-method approach that draws on elements from traditional project management, agile practices, and AI workflow practices. While the combination of these elements enables Consult to be effective in …

Vol.50 N.22 December 22nd 2022, Voice Media Ventures

Black Voice News

No abstract provided.

Realizing Molecular Machine Learning Through Communications For Biological Ai: Future Directions And Challenges, Sasitharan Balasubramaniam, Samitha Somathilaka, Sehee Sun, Adrian Ratwatte, Massimiliano Pierobon

School of Computing: Faculty Publications

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are weaving their way into the fabric of society, where they are playing a crucial role in numerous facets of our lives. As we witness the increased deployment of AI and ML in various types of devices, we benefit from their use into energy-efficient algorithms for low powered devices. In this paper, we investigate a scale and medium that is far smaller than conventional devices as we move towards molecular systems that can be utilized to perform machine learning functions, i.e., Molecular Machine Learning (MML). Fundamental to the operation of MML is the …