Digital Commons Network^™

Outcomes In Pediatric Cholesteatoma, Katherine M Miller, Yi-Chun Carol Liu, Jaqueline E Weinstein, Michael S Cohen, David H Chi, Samantha Anne

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study is to evaluate the outcomes of surgical management options for cholesteatoma using a national database.

STUDY DESIGN: Database analysis of the Pediatric Health Information System database to identify children undergoing surgical intervention for cholesteatoma from October 2015 to December 2022.

METHODS: Patients were categorized by initial surgical modality: tympanoplasty (TM), tympanoplasty with canal wall-up tympanomastoidectomy (TM-CWU), and tympanoplasty with canal wall-down tympanomastoidectomy (TM-CWD). Group comparisons were done on number of surgical revisions and number of patients identified with recommendations for hearing aids.

RESULTS: A total of 6304 patients were identified in the database who …

How Do Workforce Adaptability And Reskilling Initiatives Drive Innovations: The Case Of Western Australian Construction Industry, Keyao Li, Mark A. Griffin, Mengting Xia

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Modern methods of construction (MMC) mark a shift from traditional practices to innovative workflows enabled by digital advancements. These changes demand a construction workforce that is adaptable, open to change, and committed to continuous improvement. This study explores how adaptability and continuous improvement contribute to achieving the desired outcomes of MMC. Specifically, it seeks to examine how these qualities are understood within the construction workforce and their practical implications. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-five construction experts in various roles and organisations. Interview results highlighted that fostering adaptive skills and targeted reskilling can maximise the benefits of MMC. Meanwhile, workforce …

Increased Nitrate Intake From Beetroot Juice Over 4 Weeks Changes The Composition Of The Oral, But Not The Intestinal Microbiome, Rebeka Fejes, Joana Séneca, Petra Pjevac, Martin Lutnik, Stefan Weisshaar, Nina Pilat, Romy Steiner, Karl Heinz Wagner, Richard J. Woodman, Catherine P. Bondonno, Jonathan M. Hodgson, David Berry, Michael Wolzt, Oliver Neubauer

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Inorganic dietary nitrate, metabolized through an endogenous pathway involving nitrate reducing bacteria, improves cardiovascular health, but its effects on the oral and intestinal microbiomes of older adults with treated hypertension are unknown. Our study investigated the effects of nitrate from beetroot juice on the oral and intestinal microbiomes of this population. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial was conducted with 15 participants (age range: 56–71 years), who consumed nitrate-rich or nitrate-depleted (placebo) beetroot juice for 4 weeks. The oral microbiome analysis revealed an increase in Neisseria and a decrease in Veillonella relative abundance (for both, PERMANOVA p < 0.001), with no significant changes in the intestinal microbiome composition. Our findings suggest that an increased dietary nitrate intake from a vegetable source may selectively modulate the oral microbiome and promote an increased abundance of nitrate-reducing species, which was previously associated with improved cardiovascular health outcomes.

Perfect Is Boring: The Character Problem Of Electric Vehicles, Andrew Hutcheon

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

By many critical measures, electric cars are better than their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts–they are capable of being faster, cheaper to run and have no tailpipe emissions. Yet, a common complaint in automotive enthusiast circles is that most electric vehicles are lacking in what might be called character. In the words of one car reviewer, referring to faster electric cars while driving a V8 muscle car, ‘perfect is boring’. Character here is defined as both the embodied feel of a car and the ways in which that feel is technologically structured. Importantly, this apparent lack of character is not …

Social Work Honours Thesis - Judith C Maechler, Judith C. Maechler, Obed Adonteng-Kissi

Research Datasets

The dataset comprises a coding book (Excel), a summary table, and a summary table of the studies included in the research.

Mind The Gap - The Need To Integrate Novel Plankton Methods Alongside Ongoing Long-Term Monitoring, Matthew M. Holland, Luis Felipe Artigas, Angus Atkinson, Mike Best, Eileen Bresnan, Michelle J. Devlin, Dafne Eerkes-Medrano, Marie Johansen, David G. Johns, Margarita Machairopoulou, Sophie Pitois, James Scott, Jos Schilder, Rowena Stern, Karen Tait, Callum Whyte, Claire Widdicombe, Abigail Mcquatters-Gollop

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Changes in plankton have important implications for ecosystem services, including supporting fish stocks, carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling, and oxygen production. Standard long-term plankton monitoring relies on light microscopy to identify and count plankton taxa, with methods fully supported by international standards, providing high quality trusted data. Novel methods, including imaging and molecular, offer means of collecting select types of plankton data efficiently, filling targeted knowledge gaps left by standard monitoring and generating a more complete picture of plankton dynamics. Standard and novel monitoring methods present different advantages and costs, positioning their suitability to address different management needs. Standard plankton monitoring …

The Impact Of Led Light Spectra On The Growth, Yield, Physiology, And Sweetness Compound Of Stevia Rebaudiana, Naofel Aljafer, Abdullah Alrajhi, Toby Anderson Von Trampe, William Vevers, Sophie Fauset, Hail Zuhir Rihan

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

This study investigated the effects of several light spectra on Stevia rebaudiana, analysing growth parameters, yield, and physiological responses within a controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) system. The experimental design involved different light treatments, including specific combinations of blue (435 nm and 450 nm), red (663 nm), and ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths (365 nm), to determine their impact on morphological development and biochemical properties, particularly focusing on the production of the sweetening compounds stevioside and rebaudioside A. Stevia rebaudiana plants cultivated from cuttings sourced from a reputable UK nursery (Gardener’s Dream Ltd., Glasgow, UK) were subjected to these spectral treatments over a period …

Restoration Of River Connectivity Enables Long-Distance Spawning Migrations In A Potamodromous Fish, Dagmara Błońska, Ali Serhan Tarkan, Demetra Andreou, Jonathan D. Bolland, Peter Davies, Jamie R. Dodd, Phillipa Gillingham, Catherine Gutmann Roberts, Fatima Amat-Trigo, Sadi Aksu, Andrew Hindes, O. Jonas Palder, Mark Yeldham, J. Robert Britton

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Rivers across the world are increasingly fragmented due to anthropogenic barriers, with the restoration of connectivity often using fish passes. Fish passes are, however, usually designed for anadromous species, despite ecologically important non-anadromous species being present in the communities impacted by fragmentation. To assess the outcomes for non-anadromous fishes of the installation of multiple fish passes and weir modifications, the movements of the potamodromous European barbel Barbus barbus were evaluated in the lower River Severn basin, western Britain, which was fragmented by six weirs (two on a tributary, four on the Severn mainstem). Movements of individual fish were measured using …

Globalism, Localism And Blue Food Systems – How Can Cross-Scale Tensions Be Reduced? A Production Perspective From Uk Seafood Stakeholders, Alex J. Caveen, Bryce D. Stewart, Cameron Moffat, Daniel Skerritt, Estelle Jones, Huw Thomas, Lara Funk, Magnus Johnson, Mike Cohen, Michael Roach, Neil A. Auchterlonie, Samuel Peacock, Sarah Hussey, Tim Gray, Tom Pickerell, Umi Muawanah, Vasiliki Kioupi, Yvonne Sadovy De Mitcheson, Neil M. Burns, Charlotte R. Hopkins

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

‘Blue foods’ are derived from aquatic species that are caught or cultivated and are amongst the most globally traded commodities. Growing emphasis is being placed on blue foods in future transitions to sustainable food systems. However, recent international events such as the Covid-19 pandemic, UK-EU ‘Brexit’, and Russia-Ukraine war have caused renewed interest in ideological debates between globalism and localism and associated cross-scale tensions. Here, we aim to provide further insight into cross-scale tensions in blue food systems through a literature review and UK-based seafood stakeholder workshop. From our literature review, the evidence for cross-scale tensions was linked to the …

Characterisation Of Tyre Wear Particle Transport From Road Runoff To Sea In Coastal Environments, Florence N.F. Parker-Jurd, Geoffrey D. Abbott, Daniel C. Conley, Cijo M. Xavier, Florian Pohl, Richard C. Thompson

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Data on the fate of tyre wear particles (TWPs) within aquatic environments is limited. This study quantified TWPs entering estuaries in stormwater drainage and atmospheric fallout, and once they have reached the marine environment, within surface waters and sediments. TWPs were found at concentrations of 0.4 mg/L, 2.55 mg/m2/d, 0.00063 mg/L, and 0.96 g/kg respectively. Samples were partitioned by size to examine the distribution of TWP mass. 80-90% of TWP mass entering marine systems (stormwater and atmospheric fallout) lay between 31-125 µm. Larger particles preferentially accumulated in sediments where ∼50 % of TWP mass was >250 μm, compared to surface …

Stronger Shores: A Natural Capital Asset And Risk Register For The Northeast England Coastline Part Three: Application Of The Natural Capital Asset And Risk Register To Appraise Options And Assess Benefits Within Flood And Coastal Erosion Risk Management. A Report Has Been Compiled By Staff At The Marine Institute, School Of Biological And Marine Science, University Of Plymouth., Matthew Ashley, Helen Agosti, Tom Mullier, Tom Mullier, Riley Bibaud, Sian Rees

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The Part Three report identifies the role and opportunity for application of the Natural Capital Asset and Risk Register evidence, provided in Reports Part One and Two, in appraisal of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) options within Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM). Interventions applying NbS aim to increase extent and condition of specific habitat assets (ecosystem assets), therefore, considerable environmental benefits, as well as relevant cross-policy objectives are met when NbS are considered as an option. As such, the linked contribution to ecosystem services and associated benefits to people, and where possible economic value, needs to also be documented when …

Investigating The Impacts Of Peer Support And Online Information Seeking In Chronic Pain Online Health Communities, Aaron Necaise

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Chronic pain is a highly prevalent medical condition that contributes to intense emotional distress and social isolation in patients. With the growth of social media, online health communities (OHCs) have become a popular resource for patients to learn about their pain and establish social connections with peers. Although there is some evidence suggesting that curated online resources can benefit patient well-being, social media interactions have the potential to propagate medical misinformation and negativity. This dissertation expands upon the Social Communication Model of Pain to examine how interactions within social media-based OHCs impact chronic pain and uncover practical insights into OHC …

Why Some Companies Weather Trade Was Better Than Others?, Di Fan, Daphne W. Yiu, Pengcheng Ma, Lin Cui

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In 2018, the U.S. government levied tariffs affecting more than $250 billion of Chinese products. As a result, many American buyers began turning to alternative suppliers to avoid the significant new costs associated with purchasing from China. Recent research found that transactions between U.S. buyers and Chinese suppliers fell by more than 18% immediately following the start of the trade war. However, the study also found that not all companies were affected equally: Chinese firms that were more innovative or more socially responsible were more likely to retain their U.S. buyers, while buyers were more likely to distance themselves from …

Can Llm Agents Maintain A Persona In Discourse?, Pranav Bhandari, Nicolas Fay, Michael Wise, Amitava Datta, Stephanie Meek, Usman Naseem, Mehwish Nasim

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Large Language Models (LLMs) are widely used as conversational agents, exploiting their capabilities in various sectors such as education, law, medicine, and more. However, LLMs are often subjected to context-shifting behaviour, resulting in a lack of consistent and interpretable personality-aligned interactions. Adherence to psychological traits lacks com- prehensive analysis, especially in the case of dyadic (pairwise) conversations. We examine this challenge from two viewpoints, initially using two conversation agents to generate a dis- course on a certain topic with an assigned personality from the OCEAN framework (Open- ness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agree- ableness, and Neuroticism) as High/Low for each trait. This …

Book Of Abstracts Of The Wmu International Conference 2025 : Advancing The Blue Economy Through Gender Equality, World Maritime University, Momoko Kitada, Francis Neat, Renis Auma Ojwala

Conference Papers

The 2025 World Maritime Theme by the International Maritime Organization, “Our Ocean, Our Obligation and Our Responsibility,” underscores the global need for an inclusive and sustainable approach to ocean health and maritime economic activity. In alignment with this, the World Maritime University organized the 2025 International Conference on Achieving the Blue Economy Through Gender Equality, highlighting the critical role of gender equality in advancing a sustainable blue economy. A call for case studies yielded 102 abstracts from 206 authors across 46 countries, representing diverse maritime sectors such as shipping, fisheries, and ocean sciences. The abstracts were reviewed by both internal …