Digital Commons Network^™

Is A 100 M Composite Ship Possible? What Are The Critical Issues?: Fibre-Reinforced Polymer (Frp) Composites In Large Marine Structures., Jasper Graham-Jones, John Summerscales, Badr Moutik

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Current Applications: FRP composites are extensively used in small vessels due to advantages like ease of manufacture, high stiffness, buckling resistance, corrosion resistance, and underwater shock resistance.Wind turbine blades (over 100 m long) also utilize FRP composites effectively.Challenges for Large Ships:While ships over 100 m are traditionally built with steel or aluminum, FRP composites face technical and economic hurdles for vessels of this scale.Key barriers include the need for advancements in design codes, manufacturing techniques, safety measures, and lifecycle considerations.Potential Benefits:Preliminary studies indicate FRP-based ships could achieve:30% reduction in structural weight.7–21% reduction in full load displacement.15% cost savings compared to …

Exploring The Efficacy And Limitations Of Histogram-Based Fake Image Detection, Dirk Hölscher, Christoph Reich, Frank Gut, Martin Knahl, Nathan Clarke

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Generative image models pose challenges to image authenticity and trustworthiness, blurring the line between real and fake content. This paper addresses these concerns by proposing a histogram-based approach using pre-trained models (vgg16, ResNet50, Xception) to train classification networks for distinguishing real from generated images. Leveraging histograms derived from images, the method aims to accurately classify images as authentic or synthetic. Through experiments, the paper examines the effectiveness of the approach in mitigating the risks associated with fake contents widespread dissemination. Results demonstrate promising advancements in detecting image manipulation and preserving the integrity of visual information amidst the spread of generative …

Fragile Foundations: Unravelling Osteogenesis Imperfecta, From The Womb To The Afterlife, Santosh Rai, Shreya Matele Dr., Sharada Rai Dr., Urvi Ahlawat, Sunita Hegde Dr., Arvind Natarajan Dr.

Manipal Journal of Medical Sciences

Abstract: We report the case of a 36-year-old multiparous woman whose routine antenatal ultrasound at 28 weeks gestation raised suspicion of severe skeletal dysplasia. At 38 weeks, she presented with decreased fetal movements, and intrauterine fetal demise was confirmed. An emergency cesarean section revealed a stillborn fetus with craniofacial deformities, large head with soft scalp bones, and blackish skin discoloration.

Post-mortem imaging, including CT and X-ray, showed severe skeletal abnormalities, including pneumocephalus, pneumothorax, wormian skull bones, extensive demineralization, spina bifida, and multiple fractures with bowing of long bones. Based on antenatal ultrasound and postnatal radiological findings, a diagnosis of …

Emerging Storylines In The Context Of The Pandemic For The Mainstreaming Of Bicycles In The Transport System, Varsolo Sunio, Andre Joseph Theng, Philip Peckson, Jedd Carlo Ugay

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

Using Metropolitan Manila in the Philippines as a case study, we investigate how the Covid pandemic has opened up a window of opportunity for the de-legitimization of dominant storylines marginalizing cycling and the legitimization of alternative storylines favoring the mainstreaming of bicycles in urban transport systems. Storylines are condensed summaries of complex narratives deployed as convenient shorthand in discussions. Through a content analysis of posts from ten Facebook groups by cycling advocates, we identify six pairs of contending storylines and their key narratives. Furthermore, through semi-formal interviews and an online survey, we determine the level of agreement and the consensus …

Host Dna Depletion On Frozen Human Respiratory Samples Enables Successful Metagenomic Sequencing For Microbiome Studies, Minsik Kim, Raymond C Parrish, Michael J Tisza, Viral S Shah, Thi Tran, Matthew Ross, Juwan Cormier, Aribah Baig, Ching-Ying Huang, Laura Brenner, Isabel Neuringer, Katrine Whiteson, J Kirk Harris, Amy D Willis, Peggy S Lai

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Most respiratory microbiome studies use amplicon sequencing due to high host DNA. Metagenomics sequencing offers finer taxonomic resolution, phage assessment, and functional characterization. We evaluated five host DNA depletion methods on frozen nasal swabs from healthy adults, sputum from people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF), and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) from critically ill patients. Median sequencing depth was 76.4 million reads per sample. Untreated nasal, sputum, and BAL had 94.1%, 99.2%, and 99.7% host reads, respectively. Host depletion effects varied by sample type, generally increasing microbial reads, species and functional richness; this was mediated by higher effective sequencing depth. Rarefaction curves showed …

An Annotated Biobank Of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Patient-Derived Xenografts Featuring Treatment-Naïve And Longitudinal Samples Throughout Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy, Amanda L Rinkenbaugh, Yuan Qi, Shirong Cai, Jiansu Shao, Faiza Hancock, Sabrina Jeter-Jones, Xiaomei Zhang, Emily Powell, Lei Huo, Rosanna Lau, Chunxiao Fu, Rebekah Gould, Petra Den Hollander, Elizabeth E Ravenberg, Jason B White, Gaiane M Rauch, Banu Arun, Clinton Yam, Alastair M Thompson, Gloria V Echeverria, Stacy L Moulder, W Fraser Symmans, Jeffrey T Chang, Helen Piwnica-Worms

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) that fails to respond to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) can be lethal. Developing effective strategies to eradicate chemoresistant disease requires experimental models that recapitulate the heterogeneity characteristic of TNBC. To that end, we established a biobank of 92 orthotopic patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of TNBC from the tumors of 75 patients enrolled in the ARTEMIS clinical trial ( NCT02276443 ) at MD Anderson Cancer Center, including 12 longitudinal sets generated from serial patient biopsies collected throughout NACT and from metastatic disease. Models were established from both chemosensitive and chemoresistant tumors, and nearly 30% of PDX models …

The Laboratory Opossum (Monodelphis Domestica) Is A Unique Model For Research On Zika Virus: Robust Immune Response, Widespread Dissemination, And Long-Term Persistence, André Filipe Pastor, Susan M. Mahaney, Juan Garcia Jr., Marisol Morales, Oscar Quintanilla, Marco Arriaga, John M. Thomas, John L. Vandeberg

School of Medicine Publications

The Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic elicited a rapid commitment to the development of animal models for ZIKV research. Non-human primates (NHPs) and mice have made significant contributions to this research, but NHPs are expensive, have a long gestation period, and are available only in small numbers; non-genetically modified mice are resistant to infection. To address these deficiencies, we have established the laboratory opossum, Monodelphis domestica, as a small animal model that complements the mouse and monkey models. We developed and validated an indirect ELISA for measuring antibodies to ZIKV in opossums, as well as an immunohistochemistry (IHC) method to detect …

Strategies To Enhance Diagnostic Capabilities For The New Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (Dr-Tb) Drugs, Antonia Morita Iswari Saktiawati, Anca Vasiliu, Francesca Saluzzo, Onno W Akkerman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The global burden of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) continues to challenge healthcare systems worldwide. There is a critical need to tackle DR-TB by enhancing diagnostics and drug susceptibility testing (DST) capabilities, particularly for emerging DR-TB drugs. This endeavor is crucial to optimize the efficacy of new therapeutic regimens and prevent the resistance and overuse of these invaluable weapons. Despite this urgency, there remains a lack of comprehensive review of public health measures aimed at improving the diagnostics and DST capabilities. In this review, we outline strategies to enhance the capabilities, especially tailored to address the challenges posed by resistance to new …

Human Single Cell Rna-Sequencing Reveals A Targetable Cd8+ Exhausted T Cell Population That Maintains Mouse Low-Grade Glioma Growth, Rasha Barakat, Jit Chatterjee, Rui Mu, Xuanhe Qi, Xingxing Gu, Igor Smirnov, Olivia Cobb, Karen Gao, Angelica Barnes, Jonathan Kipnis, David H Gutmann

2020-Current year OA Pubs

In solid cancers, T cells typically function as cytotoxic effectors to limit tumor growth, prompting therapies that capitalize upon this antineoplastic property (immune checkpoint inhibition; ICI). Unfortunately, ICI treatments have been largely ineffective for high-grade brain tumors (gliomas; HGGs). Leveraging several single-cell RNA sequencing datasets, we report greater CD8

Predicting The Rates Of Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Over Cocatalyst-Deposited Tio2 Using Machine Learning With Active Photon Flux As A Unifying Feature, Yousof Haghshenas, Wei Ping Wong, Denny Gunawan, Alireza Khataee, Ramazan Keyikoğlu, Amir Razmjou, Priyank Vijaya Kumar, Cui Ying Toe, Hassan Masood, Rose Amal, Vidhyasaharan Sethu, Wey Yang Teoh

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

An accurate model for predicting TiO2 photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) rates is hereby presented. The model was constructed from a database of 971 entries extracted predominantly from the open literature. A key step that enabled high accuracy lies in the use of active photon flux (AcP, photons with energy equal to and greater than the bandgap energy of the photocatalyst) as the input feature describing the irradiation. The quantification of AcP, besides being a more direct feature describing the photocatalyst excitation, circumvents the use of lamp power ratings and light intensities as ambiguous inputs as they encompass varying degrees …

Api Driven Priority User Onboarding On A Converged Core Via A Market Place Api Ecosystem, Somaraju Kaki, Seba Olsson, Roy Sindre Norangshol, Yoshi Kurauchi, Arvind Chandrakar, Vaishali Nankani, Poorna Prasad P K

Defensive Publications Series

In a mobile network environment, network congestion due to high loads can result in service slowdown and interruptions, complicating the prioritization of critical services during peak periods and potentially leading to significant revenue losses. Techniques are proposed herein for creating Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that can be used to provision priority routing functionality at session level granularity per subscriber on a mobility provider platform. The APIs can be made available for third-party developers to create products on top of any API ecosystem and digital marketplace that may be provided to facilitate mobile network management.

Revisiting Graph Homophily Measures

Defensive Publications Series

Homophily is a graph property describing the tendency of edges to connect similar nodes. There are several measures used for assessing homophily but all are known to have certain drawbacks: in particular, they cannot be reliably used for comparing datasets with varying numbers of classes and class size balance. To show this, previous works on graph homophily suggested several properties desirable for a good homophily measure, also noting that no existing homophily measure has all these properties. Our paper addresses this issue by introducing a new homophily measure — unbiased homophily — that has all the desirable properties and thus …

Is Graph Convolution Always Beneficial For Every Feature?

Defensive Publications Series

Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) have demonstrated strong capabilities in processing structured data. While traditional GNNs typically treat each feature dimension equally during graph convolution, we raise an important question: \textit{Is the graph convolution operation equally beneficial for each feature?} If not, the convolution operation on certain feature dimensions can possibly lead to harmful effects, even worse than the convolution-free models. In prior studies, to assess the impacts of graph convolution on features, people proposed metrics based on feature homophily to measure feature consistency with the graph topology. However, these metrics have shown unsatisfactory alignment with GNN performance and have not …

Humanitarian Intervention In International Law, Rashed Salem Alawani

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Humanitarian intervention represents a complex and controversial strategy in international relations, with its declared aim being the protection of individuals from severe human rights abuses and humanitarian suffering, particularly in contexts of conflict and crises. Despite the good intentions that may motivate humanitarian interventions, they raise complex questions around sovereignty, ethical responsibility, and unintended consequences. This study explores the issue of whether intervention for the protection of human rights can be considered a legitimate necessity justified by legal grounds and examines the impact of such intervention on state sovereignty and international relations. The study concludes with several findings, most notably …

Memo Metodológico: Aproximación A La Revisión De Literatura Usando El Modelo General, Particular, Específico (Gpe) [Avance De Tesis], Agustina Cinanni, Cristo Leon

Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM

El presente artículo detalla un estudio exploratorio cuyo objetivo fue aproximar una revisión de la literatura con fines de adquirir las herramientas necesarias para la elaboración y optimización del proceso de revisión de literatura en una tesis de grado de Licenciatura en Historia, mediante la aplicación del Modelo General, Particular, Específico (GPE) como herramienta integral para la pre planeación, planeación, ejecución y evaluación de dichas revisiones. La introducción del estudio enfatiza la creciente complejidad de formular preguntas de investigación pertinentes en el panorama académico actual, resaltando la necesidad imperativa de adoptar una perspectiva unificada para la indagación eficaz dentro de …

Dungeons & Dragons In Times Of Transmedia, Nazario Robles Bastida, Ricardo Victoria Uribe

Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM

This paper explores the current state of transmedia storytelling, that is, the art of developing a cohesive narrative through a variety of media. Using Dungeons & Dragons as a case study, this study explores the complex nature of current forms of transmedia storytelling, as well as the complex relationships between media producers and consumers that have arisen due to this narrative technique. Focusing in three specific examples within the franchise: Drizzt Do'Urden, the Dungeons & Dragons Saturday morning cartoon series and the 2023 film Honor among Thieves, our analysis illustrate the fact that current media franchises are constituted by a …

“Héroes De Verbalia”: Propuesta Didáctica Para Desarrollar La Competencia Comunicativa, Naiara Soares Alonso, Mario Grande De Prado

Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM

SPANISH

“Héroes De Verbalia”: Propuesta Didáctica para desarrollar la competencia Comunicativa

Resumen

La propuesta didáctica “Héroes de Verbalia” se centra en el uso del juego como herramienta pedagógica para desarrollar la competencia comunicativa en alumnos de tercer ciclo de Educación Primaria. Basada en una revisión de la literatura, esta metodología busca motivar e involucrar activamente a los estudiantes en su propio aprendizaje. Se realizó una revisión de literatura en bases de datos como Dialnet y Google Académico. Se diseñó un juego de mesa educativo, utilizando herramientas como Canva y la inteligencia artificial Copilot para la creación de materiales. La propuesta …

Juegos De Rol En El Desarrollo De Projectpipe: Una Inmersión En El Uso De Metodologías De Diseño, Julieth A. Gómez Hernández, Cristian C. Orozco Ospina, Nicolas Restrepo Henao

Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM

En el entorno digital actual, la evolución del concepto de juegos de rol ha llevado al desarrollo de aplicaciones web interactivas y educativas. En sintonía con este planteamiento, se presenta la siguiente propuesta, que adopta una metodología integrada para aprovechar la versatilidad del método de Bruno Munari y el Diseño Centrado en el Usuario (DCU). La metodología de Munari descompone la gestión macro del proyecto en pasos manejables; mientras que el DCU se enfoca en la creación de una interfaz intuitiva y funcional mediante prototipos iterativos y pruebas continuas de usabilidad. Como complemento a estas estrategias se integra la metodología …

Arquetipos & Aventuras: La Identificación De Jugadores De Rol Con Personajes De Cultura De Masas, Miguel Á. Galindo Núñez, Víctor E. Quintana Villarreal

Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM

Este estudio explora la reiteración de figuras arquetípicas en la cultura de masas y su manifestación en los juegos de rol, particularmente en Dungeons and Dragons. Basado en la teoría de la mímesis de Aristóteles y los arquetipos de Jung, se analizará cómo roles estandarizados presentes en diversas culturas se replican en productos culturales contemporáneos. Desde la actancialidad de Barthes y la agencia de Giddens, se examinarán los arquetipos y su interpretación en narrativas de la cultura de masas.

Enfocándose en Dungeons and Dragons, el estudio destacará cómo las clases de personajes actúan como arquetipos y moldes predefinidos …

Journal Of Roleplaying Studies And Steam (Jrpssteam) Vol. 3 [2024], Número 2 (Issue 2)., Cristo Leon, Miguel A. Bastarrachea-Magnani

Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM

Editorial - La última y nos movemos

Siempre es difícil asumir y enfrentar los cambios, desde el primer número y junto a un gran comité editorial nos dimos a la tarea de lanzar y mantener una revista académica exitosa, con rigor académico y que sirviera por un lado como un espacio para publicar trabajos académicos serios sobre juegos de rol y por el otro como un referente académico sobre el tema, en ese sentido, no tengo la menor duda de que lo hemos logrado.

Para este número, la principal sorpresa es que dejo de ser el editor en jefe, esto …

Exploring Alternative Treatments For Acute Exacerbations Of Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome In Patients Who Plan To Continue Using Cannabis, Tabitha E H Moses

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A clinical decision report using:

Dean DJ, Sabagha N, Rose K, et al. A Pilot Trial of Topical Capsaicin Cream for Treatment of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome. Acad Emerg Med. 2020;27(11):1166-1172. https://doi.org/10.1111/acem.14062

for a patient with cannabis hyperemesis syndrome.

Clinical Utility Of Abbreviated Eeg Monitoring In Patients Unable To Tolerate A Long-Term, Ambulatory Eeg, Jack T. Mcconnell

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A clinical decision report using:

Lee C, Lim S-N, Lien F, et al. Duration of electroencephalographic recordings in patients with epilepsy. Seizure. 2013;22(6):438-442. https://10.1016/j.seizure.2013.02.016

for a patient with an inability to tolerate a long-term, ambulatory EEG.

Breast Cancer Screening In Transgender Women With High-Risk Family History, John F. Lloyd

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A clinical decision report using:

de Blok CJM, Wiepjes CM, Nota NM, et al. Breast cancer risk in transgender people receiving hormone treatment: nationwide cohort study in the Netherlands. BMJ. 2019;365:l1652. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l1652

for a transgender woman with family history of breast cancer.

The Use Of Chewing Gum To Alleviate Thirst In Chf Patients Requiring Fluid Restrictions And Oral Diuretics, Madeline B. Simone

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A clinical decision report using:

Allida SM, Shehab S, Inglis SC, Davidson PM, Hayward CS, Newton PJ. A RandomisEd ControLled TrIal of ChEwing Gum to RelieVE Thirst in Chronic Heart Failure (RELIEVE-CHF). Heart Lung Circ. 2021;30(4):516-524. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hlc.2020.09.004

for a woman with heart failure and under fluid restriction.

Exploring Alternative Treatment Options For A Patient With Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (Adem) Suffering From Iatrogenic Cushing’S Symptoms, Alejandro Ponce Sepulveda

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A clinical decision report using:

Ravaglia, S,MD, P., Piccolo G, MD, Ceroni M, MD, et al. Severe steroid-resistant post-infectious encephalomyelitis: General features and effects of IVIg. J Neurol. 2007;254(11):1518-23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-007-0561-4

for a patient with ADEM and iatrogenic Cushing’s secondary to long-term high dose corticosteroid therapy.

Etanercept, Methotrexate, Or Combined Therapy For Improving Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms, Ajith Dupati

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A clinical decision report using:

van der Heijde D, Klareskog L, Rodriguez-Valverde V, et al. Comparison of etanercept and methotrexate, alone and combined, in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: two-year clinical and radiographic results from the TEMPO study, a double-blind, randomized trial. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54(4):1063-1074. https://doi.org/10.1002/art.21655

for a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

Use Of Empagliflozin As An Adjuvant Treatment For Obstructive Sleep Apnea For A Patient Who Has Not Seen A Physician In Over 40 Years, Andrew Demko

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A clinical decision report using:

Neeland IJ, Eliasson B, Kasai T, et al. The Impact of Empagliflozin on Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Cardiovascular and Renal Outcomes: An Exploratory Analysis of the EMPA-REG OUTCOME Trial. Diabetes Care. 2020;43(12):3007-3015. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc20-1096

for a patient with obstructive sleep apnea who has not seen a physician in over 40 years.

Mirabegron Does Not Adversely Impact Cognitive Function In Older Adults With Overactive Bladder Compared To Placebo, Sanjna Ghanshani, Abbie R. Bauer

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A clinical decision report using:

Griebling TL, Campbell NL, Mangel J, et al. Effect of mirabegron on cognitive function in elderly patients with overactive bladder: MoCA results from a phase 4, randomized, placebo-controlled study (PILLAR). BMC Geriatr. 2020;20(1):109. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-020-1474-7

for a patient with a history of lacunar infarctions who is experiencing urge incontinence.

Predictors And Diagnosis Of Adjustment Disorder In A Middle-Aged Patient With Cholangiocarcinoma, Zoya Gurm, Abbie R. Bauer

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A clinical decision report using:

Hund B, Reuter K, Härter M, et al. Stressors, Symptom Profile, and Predictors of Adjustment Disorder in Cancer Patients. Results from an Epidemiological Study with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, Adaptation for Oncology (CIDI-O). Depression and Anxiety. 2016;33(2):153. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.22441

for a patient with recently diagnosed solid tumor malignancy.

Safety Of Ipsilateral Intravenous Access In Breast Cancer Surgery Patients, Austin J. Piontkowski, Abbie R. Bauer

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A clinical decision report appraising

Naranjo J, Portner ER, Jakub JW, Cheville AL, Nuttall GA. Ipsilateral Intravenous Catheter Placement in Breast Cancer Surgery Patients. Anesth Analg. 2021 Sep 1;133(3):707-712. https://doi.org/10.1213/ANE.0000000000005597

for a post-lumpectomy patient requiring ipsilateral peripherally inserted central catheter.