Hill Campus Research Articles

Evaluation of spring flows using recession flow analysis techniques

ABSTRACT This study delves into the analysis of recession characteristics of spring base flow, focusing on the Hill campus spring (elevation of approximately 2,150 m) and Fakua spring (elevation of approximately 1,850 m) in the Tehri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand, India. Spanning from January 1999 to December 2004, discharge data from G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology's Hill campus are employed. The research employs an automated, objective-based method to generate master recession curves (MRCs) and categorize them into early, intermittent, and late recession segments. Statistical parameters and low-flow indices from flow duration curves (FDCs) are utilized for flow assessment, while base flow indices (BFIs) are analyzed using the Web-based Hydrograph Analysis Tool (WHAT). The findings highlight the importance of water storage strategies during the rainy season for the sustainable utilization of spring water. The study suggests that the techniques applied are equally applicable for analyzing river flow recession characteristics, emphasizing the broader implications for integrated water resources planning and management in mountainous regions.

Identifying and Responding to Lead in Drinking Water in a University Setting.

Lead is an established neurotoxicant, and it has known associations with adverse neurodevelopmental and reproductive outcomes. Exposure to lead at any level is unsafe, and the United States (US) has enacted various federal and state legislations to regulate lead levels in drinking water in K-12 schools and childcare facilities; however, no regulations exist for higher education settings. Upon the discovery of lead in drinking water fixtures in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) campus, a cross-campus water testing network and sampling plan was developed and deployed. The campaign was based on the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 3Ts (Training, Testing, and Taking Action) guidance. The seven-month campaign involved 5954 tests on 3825 drinking water fixtures across 265 buildings. A total of 502 (8.43%) tests showed lead above the limit of detection (1 part per billion, ppb), which represented 422 (11.03%) fixtures. Fewer than 1.5% of the tests were above the EPA action level for public water systems (15 ppb). In conclusion, systematic testing of all the fixtures across campus was required to identify localized contamination, and each entity in the cross-campus network undertook necessary roles to generate a successful testing campaign. UNC-CH established preventative measures to test drinking water fixtures every three years, which provide a framework for other higher education institutions in responding to lead contamination.

Acute Infectious Proctitis Caused by Anorectal Sexually Transmitted Infections.

Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Swedish Medical Center, Swedish Medical Center First Hill Campus, Seattle, Washington Earn Continuing Education (CME) credit online at cme.lww.com. This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 credit. Funding/Support: None reported. Financial Disclosures: None reported. Correspondence: Jordan A. Paulus-Andres, M.D., 1101 Madison St, Ste 510, Seattle, WA 98104. Email: [email protected]

The effect of anaerobic digestate tea on the growth of lemon grass (Cymbopogan citratus)

AbstractIn this paper, we present the novel use of digestate tea to boost the rates of growth of Cymbopogan citratus, the lemon grass plant. The digestate was sourced from a functioning anaerobic digester at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, and made into a slurry (digestate tea). The slurry was then applied to the plants in varying surface concentrations. The digestate tea had a profound effect on the growth rates of the plants and resulted in an eight times increase in the overall biomass yield at the highest concentration of digestate tea applied (0.21 ± 0.06 kg, 5.5 L m−2), when compared with the control (0.026 ± 0.004 kg, 0 L m−2). This type of fertilization can tremendously boost lemon grass production, and hence, the production of the valuable lemon grass essential oil in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. © 2023 Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Skin of Our Teeth, PlayMakers Repertory Company, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

<i>The Skin of Our Teeth</i>, PlayMakers Repertory Company, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Perceived Stress and Eating Behaviors of Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students of the UWI, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados a Cross-Sectional Study

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Perceived Stress and Eating Behaviors of Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students of the UWI, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados a Cross-Sectional Study

Contributors

Contributors

Occultation of a Large Star by the Large Plutino (28978) Ixion on 2020 October 13 UTC

Abstract We observed the occultation of the star Gaia DR2 4056440205544338944 by (28978) Ixion. The event was observed from two Lowell Observatory sites, using the 4.3 m Lowell Discovery Telescope (LDT), near Happy Jack, AZ, USA, and a 0.32 m telescope co-mounted with the Titan Monitoring telescope on Lowell’s Mars Hill campus in Flagstaff, AZ. The LDT chord, at 44.86 s, was roughly 30% longer than the longest predicted possible chord. Under the assumption of a spherical body, Ixion’s fitted diameter D = 709.6 ± 0.2 km. The LDT light-curve profile was used to place an upper limit on the surface pressure P &lt; 2 μbar on any possible atmosphere of Ixion. At the distance of Ixion, the occulted star had a fitted projected diameter of 19.25 ± 0.3 km assuming uniform disk illumination, giving a stellar angular diameter of 0.675 ± 0.010 mas. Using the Gaia EDR3 parallax of 0.565 mas, the stellar radius is . The measured size is consistent with prior spectral classification of this star as a reddened mid-M giant. This is one of only a modest number of M5 III stars to have a directly measured diameter, and is more distant than most.

Use of an Adaptive e-Learning Platform as a Formative Assessment Tool in the Cardiovascular System Course Component of an MBBS Programme.

BackgroundTechnology-enhanced learning includes the adaptive e-learning platform, a data-driven method with computer algorithms, providing customised learning enhancing critical thinking of individual learners. “Firecracker” – an online adaptive e-learning platform, and assessment software, promotes critical thinking, helps prepare students for courses and high-stakes examinations, and evaluates progress relative to co-learners. The objectives of this study were to determine the usage rates of Firecracker, examine the performance of Firecracker formative quizzes, identify the correlation between Firecracker use and performance with that of performance at summative course assessments, and assess students’ satisfaction with Firecracker usage.MethodsStudy participants were Year-2 MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) students (n=91) of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados. The Firecracker Administrator uploaded quizzes covering basic science content in the Cardiovascular System course. Access, usage, and performance on Firecracker formative quizzes were retrieved from the Firecracker dashboard. A questionnaire sought the views of study participants.ResultsSeven sets of quizzes were administered over nine weeks, with weekly student completion rates ranging from 53% to 73%. Mean quiz scores ranged from 52% to 72%. Students completing >4 quiz sessions compared to those completing ≤4 demonstrated significantly better performance in Firecracker quizzes (P<0.01), final examinations (P<0.01) and in-course assessment plus final examination (P<0.05) scores. Correlations between overall Firecracker performance and in-course assessment marks (P<0.05); between total overall Firecracker performance and final examination (P<0.01); and overall Firecracker performance and total course marks (P<0.01) were all significant. Most students (70%) were happy using Firecracker and felt it complemented coursework (78%) and prepared them for course exams (58%) (P<0.01).ConclusionOverall, Firecracker was perceived very positively and welcomed by the students. Students were satisfied with the Firecracker as a formative assessment tool, and its use correlated with improved performance in the course examinations.

Asynchronous Online Assessment of Physical Chemistry Concepts in the Time of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has disrupted normal activities all over the world. Education at all levels has been particularly hard hit, and this has resulted in the suspension of face-to-face discourse, instruction, and student assessment worldwide, with the necessity of social distancing preventing the social gatherings common to all learning environments. This has prompted a shift to online modes of teaching and assessment, with varying degrees of success and possibly much discomfort. In this communication, reflections and comments on the results of asynchronous online assessment of physical chemistry courses at the Cave Hill campus of the University of the West Indies are presented. We hope this paper will be useful in delineating some of the challenges faced in the delivery of unsupervised online assessments, especially in situations where limited internet connectivity may disadvantage some students.

Taking Action: Writing To End White Supremacy

The subject of monuments and their historical value in the present, a topic of great debate both politically and culturally in recent years, has brought to the forefront how prevalent white supremacy is in contemporary society. This subject hit close to home for me and my students as the toppling of confederate statues in downtown Durham and Silent Sam on the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill's campus—both results of protests against the rise of white nationalism—occurred just two hours north from our campus, the University of North Carolina-Pembroke. Known as the most diverse campus in the UNC system with nearly 60% of its undergraduate student population identifying as non-White, UNC-P has a rich history steeped in American Indian culture (its school was created by and for American Indians), and it was difficult to ignore how these two local events along with national news coverage of hate crimes and blackface rehashed racial divisions not only in the South, but across the country.

Erratum: Chronic tonsillitis and biofilms: a brief overview of treatment modalities [Corrigendum

[This corrects the article on p. 329 in vol. 11, PMID: 30233227.].

Adjusting to Economic Realities: The Case of Sidney Martin Library, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados

As education institutions worldwide face the realities of global economic trends that have become prominent in the twenty-first century, many of them struggle to find ways to continue to provide qu...

Characterization of finger millet [Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.] germplasm for morphological parameters under field conditions

The trial was conducted at the research block of Crop Improvement, GBPUAT, Hill Campus, Ranichauri using randomized block design (RBD) to characterize finger millet germplasm for morphological characters viz., plant height, flag leaf length, number of tiller plant-1, number of finger ear-1, ear length, no. of grain finger-1, no. of grain ear-1 and grain yield plant-1. Among all germplasms, number of finger ear-1, number of grain finger-1 and grain yield plant-1(g) had recorded highest in VL 149 which were 9.96, 150.66, 2.63 g respectively. The germplasm GEC 1406 attained lowest plant height (75.89 cm), GEC 961 had recorded higher flag leaf length (40.96 cm), GEC 268 had recorded maximum number of tiller plant-1 (3.30), GEC 199 had recorded higher ear length (9.20 cm), GEC 1044 had recorded maximum number of grain ear-1 (663) among all germplasm of finger millet. This study is helpful to identify superior germplasm so they can be used for further finger millet crop improvement programs.

Effects of Interest in Science, Study Habits, Sex and Level of Study on the Nature of Science Literacy Level of Undergraduate Chemistry Students of the University of the West Indies, Barbados

In this study, the nature of science (NOS) literacy level of students enrolled in chemistry courses at the UWI-Cave Hill Campus as well as the effect of the students’ general interest in Science, their study habits, level of study and sex on their level of NOS literacy was investigated. A descriptive survey research design was employed utilizing two instruments: the Predictors of Students’ Knowledge of NOS Questionnaire and Wenning’s NOS Literacy Test (NOSLiT). There were 80 students who participated in the study and the data collected was analyzed using the mean scores and standard deviations as well as ANOVA, t-test and linear regression at a 95% confidence level. It was concluded that on average the chemistry students demonstrated good knowledge of the nature of science. There was statistical difference in the students’ level of NOS literacy based on their study habits but not their sex, level of study or interest in Science. The joint contribution of variables to the students; level of NOS literacy was not significant however; their interest in Science was the greatest contributor. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2015.v5n2p267

Strategies for Improving Recycling at a Higher Education Institution: A Case Study of the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados

Enhancing the sustainability of the management of waste from Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) is becoming an increasingly important issue, globally. Using the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill campus, in Barbados as the case study HEI, and a combination of questionnaires, key informant interviews and waste audits, the study aimed to understand waste management practices on campus, as well as to gain an insight into how waste is managed at the national level. The results suggest that the key challenge facing sustainable waste management at the University and the country in general was limited financial resources. Key motivators for recycling at the UWI were its benefits to keeping the Campus clean and the generation of funds. The major barriers were a lack of motivation, high bin contamination and a lack of knowledge regarding the Recycling Initiative. Bin location had a significant impact on recyclable and contamination levels. Per capita overall and recyclable arisings at the University were 393.93 grams and 308.35 grams respectively. Recommendations included increased education and initiative awareness and strategies to reduce bin contamination. At the national level, increased public awareness programs and involving everyone in the process were key strategies proposed to overcome the challenges.

Health impact assessment of traffic-related air pollution at the urban project scale: Influence of variability and uncertainty

This paper develops and then demonstrates a new approach for quantifying health impacts of traffic-related particulate matter air pollution at the urban project scale that includes variability and uncertainty in the analysis. We focus on primary particulate matter having a diameter less than 2.5μm (PM2.5). The new approach accounts for variability in vehicle emissions due to temperature, road grade, and traffic behavior variability; seasonal variability in concentration–response coefficients; demographic variability at a fine spatial scale; uncertainty in air quality model accuracy; and uncertainty in concentration–response coefficients. We demonstrate the approach for a case study roadway corridor with a population of 16,000, where a new extension of the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill campus is slated for construction. The results indicate that at this case study site, health impact estimates increased by factors of 4–9, depending on the health impact considered, compared to using a conventional health impact assessment approach that overlooks these variability and uncertainty sources. In addition, we demonstrate how the method can be used to assess health disparities. For example, in the case study corridor, our method demonstrates the existence of statistically significant racial disparities in exposure to traffic-related PM2.5 under present-day traffic conditions: the correlation between percent black and annual attributable deaths in each census block is 0.37 (t(114)=4.2, p<0.0001). Overall, our results show that the proposed new campus will cause only a small incremental increase in health risks (annual risk 6×10−10; lifetime risk 4×10−8), compared to if the campus is not built. Nonetheless, the approach we illustrate could be useful for improving the quality of information to support decision-making for other urban development projects.

Search and seizure of digital evidence in criminal proceedings

Conference paper by Charles Leacock, Q.C., LL.M (Lond), Director of Public Prosecutions, Barbados. Charles Leacock graduated from the Hugh Wooding Law School, Trinidad and Tobago (1983) with the Certificate of Legal Education, having previously obtained the LL.B (Hons) from the University of the West Indies (Cave Hill Campus) (1981). He was awarded the LLM degree in Criminal Justice from the University of London (1993).

Studies on the Propagation of Jamaican Ackee (Blighia sapida L.) by Air-layering

This study was conducted to determine the effects of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) on the air-layering propagation of Jamaican ackee (Blighia sapida L.). Blighia sapida L. is a woody perennial, evergreen multipurpose fruit tree species native to the Guinean forests of West Africa. The fleshy arils of the ripened fruits are edible. All selected mother plants were fully grown mature, vigorous, healthy, and disease-free trees located within the landscape at The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus. The experiment was laid out as a randomized block design with five different concentrations of the rooting hormone (0, 2000, 2500, 3000, and 3500 ppm) IBA and individual trees as blocks. The highest (100%) rooting success, maximum (108.0) number of roots, longest (16.0 cm) root length, and maximum (11.9 g) fresh weight and (3.7 g) dry weight of roots per stem were recorded in the treatment of 3500 ppm IBA. The results of this study can benefit fruits and nursery growers interested in propagating true-to-type Blighia sapida plants.

Scientific Literacy of Undergraduate Chemistry Students in the University of the West Indies, Barbados: Individual and Joint Contributions of Age, Sex and Level of Study

The purpose of this study was two-fold. Firstly, to determine the level of scientific literacy of Chemistry undergraduate students at The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus and secondly to investigate the individual and joint contributions of sex, age and level of study to the level of scientific literacy of the students. A total of one hundred and one (101) Chemistry undergraduate students from across the preliminary, 1st, 2nd and final years, participated in the study. The instrument chosen for this investigation, was the Basic Scientific Literacy Questionnaire (BSLQ) developed by Richard Carrier in 2001, which consisted of twenty-four (24) „True‟ and „False‟ questions. The instrument was found to be reliable with Crombach Alpha value of 0.6. The contributions of the variables sex, age range and level of study to the level of scientific literacy, were also analyzed and these were done via Independent Sample t-tests, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and linear regression. A confidence level of 95 % was the set level for all of the analyses conducted. It was found that overall, the Chemistry undergraduate students are at a „Good‟ level of scientific literacy. There were no statistically significant differences in the level of scientific literacy based on age range and level of study. However, sex was found to have contributed most and significantly to variations in the level of scientific literacy of the undergraduate chemistry students.