Digital Commons Network^™

Addressing Long-Term Challenges In Energy For Sustainable Futures By Applying Moonshot Thinking, Andreas Sumper, Marc Jené-Vinuesa, Carlos González-De-Miguel, Maria Marin-Macaya

Research Papers

The rapid and exponential changes in our world require the education of engineers who can develop solutions to future and long-term challenges such as climate change. Exploration and innovation methodologies such as Futures Thinking and Moonshot Thinking have the potential to equip engineering students with useful tools and skills to build sustainable futures. To this end, the InnoEnergy MSc Energy for Smart Cities programme at BarcelonaTech (UPC) has developed a challenge-based learning (CBL) course that applies moonshot thinking to tackle major energy problems. This paper presents the methodology refined over three years of implementing the CBL course with second-year Masters's …

Exploration Of Corona Charge As A Novel In Vitro Human T Cell Dna Transfection Method, Molly A. Skinner

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With gene-based immunotherapies on the rise to treat a multitude of diseases, the ability to genetically modify cells in a rapid and efficient fashion is necessary to keep up with demand. Gene electrotransfer (gene transfer by electroporation) is an appealing transfection method due to its low cost, high efficiency compared to other physical forms of gene delivery, and low toxicity compared to liposomal or viral vectors.

Traditional gene delivery via electroporation is done within a cuvette where the cell suspension is placed between two plate electrodes. This method requires cells to be moved from the treatment cuvette to a growth …

Investigating The Influence Of Assessment Question Framing On Undergraduate Biology Student Preference And Affect, Jeremy L. Hsu, Noelle Clark, Kate Hill, Melissa Rowland-Goldsmith

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Nearly all undergraduate biology courses rely on quizzes and exams. Despite their prevalence, very little work has been done to explore how the framing of assessment questions may influence student performance and affect. Here, we conduct a quasi-random experimental study where students in different sections of the same course were given isomorphic questions that varied in their framing of experimental scenarios. One section was provided a description using the self-referential term “you”, placing the student in the experiment; another section received the same scenario that used classmate names; while a third section's scenario integrated counterstereotypical scientist names. Our results demonstrate …

Effect Of Library Management Software On The Growth And Development Of Library Services, Japheth Abdulazeez Yaya Dr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper examines the Effect of Library Management Software on the Growth and Development of Library Services. It focuses on the following sub-headings: The Concept of Library Management Software; Library Management Software; Brief History of Software Usage in Nigerian Libraries; Features of Good Library Management Software; Criteria for the Library Software Selection; Prospects of Library Management Software; Problems Affecting the Utilization of Library Management Software; and the way forward. It concludes that the Library Management Committee has to be careful when scouting for any suitable software package, the most credible software package that would adequately meet the information needs of …

A Portable And Reliable Tool For On-Site Physical Reaction Time (Rt) Measurement, Brent Harper, Michael Shiraishi, Rahul Soangra

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

The drop-stick test system (DTS) invention has the capability to measure reaction accurately for sideline mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) assessment. The reaction time (RT) measurements showed moderate to good inter-instrument reliability with an overall ICC of 0.82 (95 % CI 0.78–0.85). RT is a useful biomarker of mTBI or concussion, but existing technologies in controlled laboratory environments are not feasible for assessments in the field. With wearable technologies and wireless connection with smartphones, it is now easier to conduct RT assessments on the field. The purpose was to develop a portable DTS involving wearable inertial sensors translatable from the …

Comparative Analysis Of Conformational Dynamics And Systematic Characterization Of Cryptic Pockets In The Sars-Cov-2 Omicron Ba.2, Ba.2.75 And Xbb.1 Spike Complexes With The Ace2 Host Receptor: Confluence Of Binding And Structural Plasticity In Mediating Networks Of Conserved Allosteric Sites, Mohammed Alshahrani, Grace Gupta, Sian Xiao, Peng Tao, Gennady M. Verkhivker

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

In the current study, we explore coarse-grained simulations and atomistic molecular dynamics together with binding energetics scanning and cryptic pocket detection in a comparative examination of conformational landscapes and systematic characterization of allosteric binding sites in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2, BA.2.75 and XBB.1 spike full-length trimer complexes with the host receptor ACE2. Microsecond simulations, Markov state models and mutational scanning of binding energies of the SARS-CoV-2 BA.2 and BA.2.75 receptor binding domain complexes revealed the increased thermodynamic stabilization of the BA.2.75 variant and significant dynamic differences between these Omicron variants. Molecular simulations of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike full-length trimer complexes …

Dendritic Cells As Shepherds Of T Cell Immunity In Cancer, Mikael J Pittet, Mauro Di Pilato, Christopher Garris, Thorsten R Mempel

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In cancer patients, dendritic cells (DCs) in tumor-draining lymph nodes can present antigens to naive T cells in ways that break immunological tolerance. The clonally expanded progeny of primed T cells are further regulated by DCs at tumor sites. Intratumoral DCs can both provide survival signals to and drive effector differentiation of incoming T cells, thereby locally enhancing antitumor immunity; however, the paucity of intratumoral DCs or their expression of immunoregulatory molecules often limits antitumor T cell responses. Here, we review the current understanding of DC-T cell interactions at both priming and effector sites of immune responses. We place emerging …

Hirschsprung Disease: A Literacy Analysis Of Patient Information, April L. Baum, Anh Nguyen, Michael J. Valentine, Larissa Vollin, Caleb Mcnab, Carol E. Kirila

Faculty and Staff Publications

Objective: Hirschsprung disease in newborns can be a potentially life-threatening condition, with risks for complications such as Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis. Accessing health information in a readable format for complex diseases demonstrates an important outlet for families to address concerns. While it is important to seek out information from trusted providers, many individuals seek out ways to educate themselves further by using common search engines and turning to the internet. This article will evaluate the readability of relevant articles on Hirschsprung disease and information accessibility to the average health literacy individual.

Methods: A readability analysis of the first 20 Google search results …

Collective Motion In Hcp-Fe At Earth's Inner Core Conditions, Youjun Zhang, Yong Wang, Yuqian Huang, Junjie Wang, Zhixin Liang, Zhipeng Gao, Qiang Wu, Hong Zhang, Yun Liu, Jian Sun, Jung-Fu Lin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Earth's inner core is predominantly composed of solid iron (Fe) and displays intriguing properties such as strong shear softening and an ultrahigh Poisson's ratio. Insofar, physical mechanisms to explain these features coherently remain highly debated. Here, we have studied longitudinal and shear wave velocities of hcp-Fe (hexagonal close-packed iron) at relevant pressure-temperature conditions of the inner core using in situ shock experiments and machine learning molecular dynamics (MLMD) simulations. Our results demonstrate that the shear wave velocity of hcp-Fe along the Hugoniot in the premelting condition, defined as

The Significant Impacts Of Interleukin-8 Genotypes On The Risk Of Colorectal Cancer In Taiwan, Chia-Wen Tsai, Wen-Shin Chang, Te-Cheng Yueh, Yun-Chi Wang, Yu-Ting Chin, Yi-Chih Hung, Ya-Chen Yang, Jian Gu, Da-Tian Bau

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Interleukin-8 (IL-8), a pro-inflammatory cytokine, is upregulated in CRC and plays an important role in its development and progression. Genetic variants in the IL-8 gene may impact the risk of CRC by modulating IL-8 levels. Our primary objective was to investigate the role of IL-8 genotypes in the development of CRC. To accomplish this, we employed the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method to analyze the genotypes of IL-8 rs4017, rs2227306, rs2227543, and rs1126647 in 362 CRC patients and 362 controls. Additionally, we evaluated the interactions between these genotypes and factors such as age, gender, smoking, alcohol consumption, …

Machine Functionalism: Brains As Computing Machines, Yolanda Walker

International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities

Machine functionalism, or, the computational theory of mind, states that the inner workings of the brain are akin to the information processing of a computer. There are numerous faults with this view. Not only are computers inaccurate models for brain states, but also consciousness--as understood as generating appropriate (behavior) outputs to corresponding inputs--can’t be generated through mechanical means.

Resonance In Human Walking Economy: How Natural Is It?, Elizabeth Arnall, Jessica Pyatt, Chelsie Rice, Katie L. Anderson

International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities

Locomotion and movement economy are cornerstone topics in movement science. Modeling the leg as a hybrid mass-spring pendulum shows walking economy should be optimized when stride frequency matches the resonant frequency of the limb. Human walking is described as self-optimizing because mean preferred (PSF) and modeled resonant (RSF) stride frequencies usually are statistically equivalent, but this depiction may not be fully justified. Purpose: To more thoroughly examine the self-optimization characterization and the consequences of obligating use of the RSF. Methods: Forty-seven individuals of diverse statures completed 3 consecutive days of preferred walking trials on a treadmill where stride rate, stride …

Intrinsic Value For The Environmental Pragmatist, L. Pippa Callanan

International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities

Motivated by the disconnect between the seeming impossibility of resolving deep metaphysical disputes, and the pressing need for environmental action, many environmental philosophers have embraced environmental pragmatism. Environmental pragmatists focus on the practical effects of philosophical arguments. With this as their agenda, environmental pragmatists have consistently endorsed anthropocentrism as the value system for discussing environmental issues, in order to achieve efficacious results. This is based on the notion that appeals to human goods are the best means for motivating humans to action. This essay will show some conceptual and empirical problems with this pretense, to argue that true environmental pragmatists …

Variation In Functional Pelvic Tilt In Patients Undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty With Acetabular Dysplasia, Myung-Jin Cha, Joel Wells, Yin Xi, Avneesh Chhabra

Research Colloquium

Purpose: It is important to clarify the link between acetabular dysplasia and pelvic tilt to optimize surgical planning and postoperative outcomes. We sought to investigate functional pelvic tilt in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty with acetabular dysplasia.

Materials & Methods: From 2014 to 2020, pre-operative AP Pelvis X-rays, CT scans, and other patient-specific data such as pelvic tilt, lumbar lordotic angle, etc were collected as part of surgical planning for total hip arthroplasty. From this database, we investigated 678 female patients under the age of 50 that had undergone preoperative standing AP pelvis X-rays. Analysis was performed by investigating how …

Cryptocurrency Concerns, Crimes, And Legal Consequences, Madeline Connolly

Akron Law Review

This note addresses the current issues with the law and digital currencies, federal agencies’ current classifications of cryptocurrencies, problems with those classifications, and solutions to better regulate, classify, and prosecute virtual-currency crimes. The history of digital currencies, the history of criminal activity involving money, and how the creation and widespread use of cryptocurrencies has allowed criminals to find new ways to hide money that make it difficult for law enforcement to catch will be discussed. The article analyzes current and past cases involving different courts’ interpretations and prosecution of cryptocurrencies and concludes by offering solutions to the potential issues of …

An Explorative Multiple Case Study Of Smart-Circular Pss – Status Quo In Industry, Thomas Kruschke, Theresa Riedelsheimer

IASDR Conference Series

The business as usual is not yet decoupled from current environmentally damaging value creation. This raises the continuous need for new solutions to allow for the operationalization of R-strategies. One specific approach is the establishment of smart-circular Product-Service-Systems considering all three sustainability strategies – efficiency, consistency and sufficiency – in the entire product lifecycle. Within this multiple case study, 30 existing use cases from different industries, which are already interconnected PSS, were analysed in detail using the following criteria: Level of sustainability reporting, B2B or B2C, product focus, sustainable PSS types, classification of smart PSS elements and the realization of …

Arousing “Arts Of Making” In Design: Cultivating Growing Material Societal Meanings For Sustainable Transitions, Ye Yang, Valentina Rognoli

IASDR Conference Series

Under the industrial mass production of the 20th century, “making” is controllable and directed by “thinking” in artifact design activities, which formalizes the dominant pattern of “reactive making”, meaning “making following thinking”. The initiative of “making” has been continually weakened and overlooked. Meanwhile, properties of the physical material are defined by the disciplines of Science and Engineering, acting as the “tags” or “surface textures” in CAD for designers to select after the conceptualizing process in design practices. We found tons of nameless and meaningless materials have been surged forth in an uncontrolled way, which has grown a cultural and societal …

Are All Pokémons Created Equal? Assessing The Value-Neutrality Of Pokémon Tcg Design Process, Minoru Matsui

IASDR Conference Series

The cultural evolution research program is useful for quantitatively explaining complex creative processes such as design. From a design studies perspective, its variation generation process is particularly intriguing. However, cultural transmission theorists have long modelled the process as a random novelty invention, far from the real-life modern design process. Here we show an instance of such a deviation, examining how the design process and its resulting frequencies of Pokémon TCG variants deviate from a neutral model in which an agent randomly selects and introduces cultural variants to the population from the design pool.

Analysis Of The Menotech And Femtech Markets For Menopausal Women In Japan, Yan Liu, Hiroki Sato

IASDR Conference Series

In recent years, Japan has faced significant challenges in declining labour force participation due to falling birth rates, an aging population, and depopulation in rural areas. It is recognized how important it is to support menopausal women in terms of the economy and the gender gap. Here, we identify the status and trends of the Japanese Femtech market to support the health and activities of menopausal women in Japan. We analyse the situation in the domestic and international Menotech markets is analysed to understand the positioning of domestic and foreign companies in the Menotech market. Moreover, through the comparison with …

Seniors With Early Ad In China: Study Of A Design For All (Dfa) Approach For A Transformed, Happier Family Life., Avril Accolla, Zhiyi Zhou

IASDR Conference Series

This study explores possible drivers for change to enhance the living experience for early Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) seniors and their families in Shanghai. The DfA-driven research of the current service design solutions, and the ANAs (Abilities, Necessities, Aspirations) of the early AD seniors, their families and the relevant institutions, highlights a possible transformation from a mainly medical approach focused on safety to a holistic approach, stemming from safety to pursue autonomy and self-actualisation, thus facilitating the creation of a possible 'New Family' as a synergic nucleus in opposition to a dipole caretaker-caregiver dynamic. Hence, the authors designed a possible strategy …

Emerging Decentralized Infrastructure Networks, Mahshid Hasankhani, Jo Van Engelen, Sine Celik, Jan Carel Diehl

IASDR Conference Series

Distributed hydrogen infrastructures have emerged as a complementary element in the quest for sustainable energy solutions, with potential applications in regions featuring high industrial demands and spatially resolved negative residual loads. These infrastructures can contribute to the decarbonization of electricity, heating, and transport sectors while enhancing local renewable energy consumption and supporting energy storage and demand-side management. However, their development presents unique design challenges, calling for a comprehensive understanding of stakeholder roles and relationships in the evolving ecosystem. This study examines stakeholder network dynamics within the distributed hydrogen ecosystem, focusing on the Netherlands' built environments. Through the analysis of 16 …

How To Promote Consumption In City Metaverse? Research On Xr Experience Design And Consumer Behavior Of Commercial Streets, Jing Liang, Siqi Fan, Mu Jiang, Xin Zhang, Zhiyuan Qi

IASDR Conference Series

The emergence of innovative technologies such as 5G, big data, and XR immersive technology is providing richer data sets and a deeper understanding of human behavior, which has the potential to redefine urban design activities and service provision through the metaverse. In the current wave of metaverse digital planning, commercial streets are a significant aspect of urban cultural and tourism, but there is limited knowledge on how to integrate metaverse digital content in real urban spaces to promote consumption.This study aims to investigate the factors that promote purchase in XR environments by integrating the concept of city metaverse and related …

Development Of An Interactive Teaching Tool For Woodworking Course On Components Arrangement And Sawing Techniques Using Augmented Reality Technology, Chia Lin Yang, Chien-Hsu Chen

IASDR Conference Series

In university woodworking practical courses, the structural directionality of solid wood, as well as defects such as knots and cracks, can affect the appearance and structural strength of the finished product, presenting challenges for students in planning the cutting of materials. Due to the lack of presentation tools for directly planning and adjusting on the material, students with weaker spatial ability may lack confidence in understanding and executing on the course. This study aims to develop an AR teaching tool to eliminate spatial cognitive gaps, improve student learning effectiveness and experience. At the time of writing, the APP and experiment …

Changing People’S Behaviour Toward Littering In The Egyptian Community., Nahed Esam Elsayed, Kristina Niedderer, Angela Connelly

IASDR Conference Series

It is widely acknowledged that there is a significant change in people’s lifestyle, population, urbanization, economic expansion, and consumer purchasing behaviours. This change produces a rise in environmental pollution. Littering is recognised as one of the most visible forms of environmental pollution. There are different definitions of litter, according to Asian Development Bank, litter is a special type of municipal solid waste (MSW) meant to be domestic or commercial solid waste from any material, discarded improperly. It is something people get rid of it when they feel that it does not belong to them anymore. Littering is recognized as one …

Mapping Urban Regeneration Through Multiple Dimensions Of Temporality: A Visual Analysis Of Three Approaches To Theory Of Change, Hadas Zohar, Luca Simeone, Amalia De Götzen, Nicola Morelli

IASDR Conference Series

This paper analyses some visual aspects of three Theory of Change maps, i.e. logic planning models used to explore and abstractly represent a potential change in a way that reflects a complex and systemic understanding of development. Theory of Change emerged in the field of philanthropic initiatives and is based on two streams of work: evaluation and informed social practice. The Theory of Change maps analysed in this paper are created to support complex urban regeneration projects within the context of T-Factor, a four-year innovation action funded by the European Commission and taking place in six cities under regeneration across …

Dualities Of Co-Design In The Context Of Dementia: Can Handover Approaches Provide An Answer?, Lieke Lenaerts, Niels Hendriks, Andrea Wilkinson

IASDR Conference Series

Is co-design together with people with dementia always feasible? Designing for people with dementia is challenging, and co-design has been widely recognised as an effective approach to design products conform to participants’ needs. The inclusion of people with dementia provides designers with an authentic representation of dementia, regardless of stereotypes and assumptions. However, it is not always easy to implement co-design with people with dementia in practice. This paper examines the feasibility of co-design with people with dementia through reflective practice, semi-structured interviews with designers, and a rapid literature review. The study identifies three dualities of co-design, addressing three benefits …

Transformative Effects Of Co-Design: The Case Of The “My Architect And I” Project, Audrey Mertens, Çiğdem Yönder, Yaprak Hamarat, Catherine Elsen

IASDR Conference Series

In this paper, we present a co-design process intended to develop tools to improve the experience of architectural design services for single-family housing projects in Belgium. Our main goal is to identify the transformative effects of this co-design process from the lens of the experiences of participants. This paper is based on focus groups conducted with architects and user-clients for post-evaluation of the process. Findings include insights on (i) their experiences during the co-design process; on (ii) transformative effects such as changes in perspective (including empathy) and practice; and on (iii) ownership of the project and its outputs. This paper …

Performance Evaluation Of Qwerty Keyboards On Foldable Smartphones: Keyboard Layout And Phrase Complexity, Mengya Dai, Jun Zhang, Ningyi Dai, Ke Liang, Le Du, Qi Chen

IASDR Conference Series

Recently, foldable smartphones have won attentions. QWERTY keyboard as the main input method contains two layouts: standard and split. Performance comparison of two layouts is lacking. This research studied how standard and split layout affected performance of QWERTY keyboard input on foldable smartphones, with phrase complexity and language difference under consideration. 16 testers were requested to text in 80 different phrases that covered all influencing factors above. Input time per phrase, words per minute, corrected errors, uncorrected error rates, and perceived usability were five criteria under analysis. It turned out that split layout lowered error rate at the cost of …

The Russia-Ukraine War And Climate Change: Analysis Of One Year Of Data-Visualisations, Marta Ferreira, Nuno Nunes, Chiara Ceccarini, Catia Prandi, Valentina Nisi

IASDR Conference Series

The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 escalated a conflict that began in 2014, resulting in massive casualties and the largest refugee crisis since World War II. The war has also disrupted global food and energy trade, significantly impacting the environment, including damage to critical infrastructure, increased greenhouse gas emissions, and dire consequences on biodiversity and environmental health – connecting the war to climate change. Effective communication is crucial in helping the public understand and feel engaged with these complex topics. This study aims to understand how the research communities and broader media have linked the war to climate …

Designing Visuo-Haptic Illusions For Virtual Reality Applications Using Floor-Based Shape-Changing Displays, Nargiz Askarbekkyzy, Yilong Lin, Kongpyung Moon, Andrea Bianchi, Seungwoo Je

IASDR Conference Series

Large-scale haptic displays offer the opportunity to create fully-immersive experiences in Virtual Reality (VR). In particular, floor-based pin-array shape displays allow the creation of worlds with complex textures and walkable terrain patterns. However, the size and resolution of these terrains are typically limited by the physical constraints of the actuating hardware, negatively impacting the designing of VR experiences. To overcome these limitations, we propose the usage of visuo-haptic illusions for floor-based shape displays, effectively creating the illusion for terrains of a larger size and of a higher resolution. Following closely related prior work, we have conducted two user studies with …