Partition Diagrams Research Articles

Identifying challenges in implementing digital transformation in UK higher education

Purpose The purpose of this study is to systematically dissect strategies against the challenges stalling digital transformation (DT) in the UK higher education (HE) sector. It addresses the challenges impeding DT’s incorporation and offers a blueprint for fostering innovation and efficiency within academic institutions. Design/methodology/approach Using a systematic literature review, the research integrates a nuanced literature review with interpretive structural modelling (ISM). Through meticulous ISM analysis, including sensitivity analysis and level partitioning, a robust framework is developed to pinpoint and interrelate DT challenges. Findings This investigation delineates a spectrum of impediments to DT in HE, most notably the need for more digital understanding among educators, intensified by inadequate support and resources. The findings reveal that the effective integration of DT is hindered by factors such as insufficient educator digital skills, resistance to technology and the continuous evolution of digital infrastructure. Practical implications The study’s findings and the developed level partitioning diagram offer invaluable insight into how DT must be integrated into the curriculum to enhance HE. Additionally, it could further lead to research within digital infrastructure and how learning needs to be facilitated for students in HE. Originality/value This study breaks new ground by systematically illuminating the centrality of the educator skill gap. By contributing insights into the educator skill gap, it proposes a unique analytical model that underscores actionable pathways for advancing DT initiatives in HE institutions.

Microscale cephalosporin ion-selective amperometric/voltammetric sensors based on a micropipette-supported liquid/liquid interface: Multiple purposes of transmembrane studies and real-time determinations

The permeability of cephalosporins through cell membranes is crucial for their efficacy against gram-negative bacteria. To address this, a microsoft biphasic sensor utilizing the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES) has been introduced for studying the ion transfer of cefotiam (CTM), ceftazidime (CAZ) and cefepime (CPM). The typical voltammograms of cephalosporin ion transfer can be further used to determine the formal ion transfer potentials (∆owφA′), ion transfer Gibbs free energies (∆owGA′), effective hydrophilicity (logPi), geometry of micro-ITIES, diffusion coefficient (Dw) and ion transfer rate constant (k0). In addition, the partitioning of CTM+, CAZ+, and CPM+ in two phases at different pH values was revealed by the corresponding ion partition diagrams (IPDs). The IPDs can further elucidate the mechanism of cephalosporin ion transfer across the ITIES at different pH values. Finally, the determination of CTM+, CAZ+ and CPM+ was achieved via real-time chronoamperometry. An excellent linear range for cephalosporin ions with a satisfactory limit of detection was obtained. The findings show the superb selectivity and anti-interferent ability of micro-ITIES sensors toward cephalosporins. The constructed micro-ITIES sensors for cephalosporin could contribute to medicinal design, single microorganism metabolism analysis, clinical diagnosis, and food safety inspection.

Motion behaviors of droplets containing Au nanoparticles on a superhydrophobic laser-induced graphene surface

The movement of nanoparticle-containing droplets on solid surfaces significantly affects the distribution of the nanoparticles and is of great interest in the fields of two-phase separation, biosensing detection, inkjet printing, and microarrays. There has been little research on the initiation and motion behaviors of colloidal droplets containing nanoparticles on superhydrophobic surfaces. Here, we prepare superhydrophobic laser-induced graphene (LIG) surfaces with excellent depinning effects using an extremely simple method and explore the formation mechanism of the depinning-LIG surfaces. The reduction of nano-graphene fibers and the increased hydroxyl group ratio after alcohol modification further enhance the hydrophobic properties of depinning-LIG, reducing its surface adhesion. The initial and continuous motion of droplets containing Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) on these superhydrophobic surfaces under airflow is studied using high-speed microscopy. The coupling effects of the droplet size, surface properties, airflow velocity, and nanoparticles on the droplet motion behaviors are analyzed. The dimensionless parameter G is incorporated to obtain the partition diagram of AuNP droplet motion behaviors on depinning-LIG surfaces, which delineate the critical conditions for droplet “oscillation,” “initiate sliding,” and “continuous rolling” as a function of system parameters. For AuNP droplets, the viscous force Fγ,p exerted by the nanoparticles on the contact line significantly affects the droplet movement behaviors. In addition, a mathematical model about the competition of dynamic forces and resistance is established to describe the motion of AuNP droplets, and the critical conditions for different motion behaviors of the droplet are clarified to guide practical applications.

Enhancing academic support for students in higher education

PurposeThe need to enhance student support is evident in higher education (HE) curricula. In addition to the complications created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the current strategies used in academia are criticised for their lack of appropriate student support in HE. The study focused on the themes under Section 4 of the National Student Survey (NSS): availability to contact tutors, receiving good advice and guidance and availability of good advice. The study aimed to provide recommendations for enhancing academic support by developing drivers that need implementation during course delivery.Design/methodology/approachA documental analysis and a qualitative survey were adopted for this study. A documental analysis of 334 mid-module reviews (MMRs) from levels three to six students in the built environment (BE) discipline. Critical themes identified from the MMRs were fed forward in developing a questionnaire for academics. A sample of 23 academics, including a Head of school, a Principal lecturer, Subject leads and Lecturers, participated in the questionnaire survey. Content analysis is adopted through questionnaire data to develop drivers to enhance academic support in BE. These drivers are then modelled by interpretive structural modelling (ISM) to identify their correlation to NSS Section 4 themes. A level partition analysis establishes how influential they are in enhancing academic support.FindingsThe study identified nine drivers, where two drivers were categorised as fundamental, two as significant, four as important, and one insignificant in enhancing academic support in HE. Module leaders’/tutors’ improving awareness and detailing how academic support is provided were identified as fundamental. Differentiating roles in giving advice and the importance of one-to-one meetings were identified as significant. A level partitioning diagram was developed from the nine drivers to illustrate how these drivers need to be implemented to promote the best practices in academic support in HE.Practical implicationsThe identified drivers and their categories can be used to set prioritised guidelines for academics and other educational institutions to improve students’ overall satisfaction.Originality/valueNovelty from the study will be the developed drivers and the level partitioning diagram to assist academics and academic institutions in successfully integrating academic support into HE curricula.

Microliquid/Liquid Interfacial Sensors: Biomimetic Investigation of Transmembrane Mechanisms and Real-Time Determinations of Clemastine, Cyproheptadine, Epinastine, Cetirizine, and Desloratadine.

Antihistamines relieve allergic symptoms by inhibiting the action of histamine. Further understanding of antihistamine transmembrane mechanisms and optimizing the selectivity and real-time monitoring capabilities of drug sensors is necessary. In this study, a micrometer liquid/liquid (L/L) interfacial sensor has served as a biomimetic membrane to investigate the mechanism of interfacial transfer of five antihistamines, i.e., clemastine (CLE), cyproheptadine (CYP), epinastine (EPI), desloratadine (DSL), and cetirizine (CET), and realize the real-time determinations. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) techniques have been used to uncover the electrochemical transfer behavior of the five antihistamines at the L/L interface. Additionally, finite element simulations (FEMs) have been employed to reveal the thermodynamics and kinetics of the process. Visualization of antihistamine partitioning in two phases at different pH values can be realized by ion partition diagrams (IPDs). The IPDs also reveal the transfer mechanism at the L/L interface and provide effective lipophilicity at different pH values. Real-time determinations of these antihistamines have been achieved through potentiostatic chronoamperometry (I-t), exhibiting good selectivity with the addition of nine common organic or inorganic compounds in living organisms and revealing the potential for in vivo pharmacokinetics. Besides providing a satisfactory surrogate for studying the transmembrane mechanism of antihistamines, this work also sheds light on micro- and nano L/L interfacial sensors for in vivo analysis of pharmacokinetics at a single-cell or single-organelle level.

Enhancing the assessment and the feedback in higher education

PurposeLack of appropriate student support and drawbacks in academic progression signify the importance of enhancing assessment and feedback in higher education (HE). Although assessment and feedback are significant in HE, minimal empirical research holistically explores the best practices. This study aims to address the niche and develop a decisive guideline for enhancing assessment setting and feedback provision within HE curricula.Design/methodology/approachA systematic approach was taken to obtain data for the study: a literature review underpinning the thematic content analysis of study documents, followed by semi-structured interviews. Document analysis contained mid-module reviews/student feedback; rubrics used in assessment; and formative/summative feedback provided for the graded work. Documental analysis informed the key attributes of the semi-structured interview. Interpretive structural modelling (ISM) analysis identified the influence and reliance of each driver.FindingsThis study revealed 15 drivers – 4 fundamental, 6 significant and 5 important – for enhancing assessment and feedback. The level partitioning from the ISM analysis established that all assessment and feedback needs to be underpinned by the university policy and fed into the assessment regime and marking scheme. This study identified that National Student Survey results were significantly improved due to implementing said drivers compared with the national and sector benchmarks.Practical implicationsThe developed drivers enable the best practices in assessment setting and feedback provision. The level partition diagram can be used as a decisive guideline or a provisional framework in assessment and feedback provision for quality assurance in HE.Originality/valueThis study is one of, if not the only, to develop a guideline for signposting drivers and their influence and reliance to enhance assessment and feedback in a holistic HE setting. The developed drivers and the level partition diagram bring novelty and add to the current body of knowledge.

Multiparameter colored partition category and the product of the reduced Kronecker coefficients

We introduce and study a multiparameter colored partition category CPar(x) by extending the construction of the partition category, over an algebraically closed field k of characteristic zero and for a multiparameter x∈kr. The morphism spaces in CPar(x) have bases in terms of partition diagrams whose parts are colored by elements of the multiplicative cyclic group Cr. We show that the endomorphism spaces of CPar(x) and additive Karoubi envelope of CPar(x) are generically semisimple. The category CPar(x) is rigid symmetric strict monoidal and we give a presentation of CPar(x) as a monoidal category. The path algebra of CPar(x) admits a triangular decomposition with Cartan subalgebra being equal to the direct sum of the group algebras of complex reflection groups G(r,n). We compute the structure constants for the classes of simple modules in the split Grothendieck ring of the category of modules over the path algebra of the downward partition subcategory of CPar(x) in two ways. Among other things, this gives a formula for the product of the reduced Kronecker coefficients in terms of the Littlewood–Richardson coefficients for G(r,n) and certain Kronecker coefficients for the wreath product (Cr×Cr)≀Sn. For r=1, this formula reduces to a formula for the reduced Kronecker coefficients given by Littlewood. We also give two analogues of the Robinson–Schensted correspondence for colored partition diagrams and, as an application, we classify the equivalence classes of Green's left, right and two-sided relations for the colored partition monoid in terms of these correspondences.

Enhancing the organisation and the management of built environment higher education courses

PurposePersistent critical issues in built environment higher education (BEHE) curricula may need to be addressed by improving course organisation and management. In addition to the implications of the COVID pandemic, issues such as inadequate communication and lack of contemporary and innovative practices integrated with course delivery have resulted in a gap for Course organisation and management. The purpose of this study is to recommend a set of drivers that can assist academics and academic institutions in improving course development, organisation and management in the BEHE context. Thus, the study focused on three themes: course organisation and administration, timetabling and course communication.Design/methodology/approachA systematic approach was taken to obtain data, where a documental analysis and a close-ended questionnaire were adopted as data collection instruments. The documental analysis considered 334 mid module reviews (MMRs) generating data from architecture, construction management, civil engineering, surveying and real estate students. Content analysis was used to identify critical themes within the MMRs and develop a closed-ended questionnaire. Twenty academics from each discipline completed the questionnaire. Eight drivers were developed from the data obtained from both MMRs and questionnaires. Content analysis and interpretive structural modelling were applied to identify the relationship between the drivers. Finally, these drivers were categorised by their level of influence and reliance to highlight how they contributed to improving course organisation and management.FindingsThe study revealed eight drivers that can improve course organisation and management in the BEHE context. The study found that using virtual learning environments and communication are fundamental in course organisation and management.Practical implicationsThis research paper suggests drivers to improve how academics and academic institutions organise and manage courses. The study recommends eight drivers that could be used as a guideline and a best practice as per the level partitioning diagram developed to enhance the course organisation and management in BEHE.Originality/valueThe study proposes a set of drivers to improve course organisation and management in BEHE curricula. Furthermore, insight into how these drivers influence and rely on each driver and their relation with the national student survey theme are novel contributions to the current body of knowledge. The paper further clarifies how they should be implemented for successful course organisation and management, thus, improving the quality of courses in higher education curricula.

Voltammetric Study of Lomefloxacin Transfer at the Interface between Two Immiscible Electrolyte Solutions: Ionic Partition, Photodegradation, and Sensing Applications

AbstractThe transfer of ionizable lomefloxacin (LOM) across a polarized interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES) was studied using cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The pH values of water (ionic strength=0.02 M) interfacing with the 1,2‐dichloroethane phase were varied to investigate the transfer behavior of differently charged LOM species, including protonated, neutral, and zwitterionic forms of LOM, namely HLOM+, LOM0, and H+LOM−. An ionic partition diagram for LOM was drawn with DPV response at various pH values, and the distinctive features of LOM were compared to those of fluoroquinolone antibiotics, which have similar pKa values. Physical and thermodynamic properties, including the formal transfer potential, lipophilicity, and Gibbs free energy of transfer of LOM were also evaluated. Furthermore, the photodegradation properties of differently charged LOM species and ophthalmic LOM drop samples (pH 5.0) were investigated after exposure to a UV (λ=365 nm) source. Quantitative analysis of HLOM+ concentrations in buffer and diluted commercial eye drop solutions containing LOM was finally demonstrated using differential pulse stripping voltammetric responses at pH 3.0 and 5.0 involving the transfer of HLOM+ at a polarized microhole‐water/polyvinylchloride‐2‐nitropheyloctylether gel interface.

Brauer and partition diagram models for phylogenetic trees and forests.

We introduce a correspondence between phylogenetic trees and Brauer diagrams, inspired by links between binary trees and matchings described by Diaconis and Holmes (1998 Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 95, 14 600–14 602. (doi:10.1073/pnas.95.25.14600)). This correspondence gives rise to a range of semigroup structures on the set of phylogenetic trees, and opens the prospect of many applications. We furthermore extend the Diaconis–Holmes correspondence from binary trees to non-binary trees and to forests, showing for instance that the set of all forests is in bijection with the set of partitions of finite sets.

A New Model to Evaluate Groundwater Vulnerability that Uses a Hybrid AHP-GIS Approach

ABSTRACT Parameters like aquifer depth, aquifer replenishment rate, aquifer medium, soil medium, percolation medium, and the coefficient of permeability are considered during the preparation of a groundwater vulnerability diagram. The analytic hierarchy process is used for evaluation, and expert scoring is used to analyze and establish the judgment matrix, and then new weights have been computed for each DRASTIC parameter, such that some subjectivity can be reduced to some extent and the weight value tends to be reasonable. Various spatially referenced digital data layers are overlaid to analyse with the partition diagram in GIS spatial analysis and a comprehensive simple and straight diagram is drawn. The study area is a plain of Naiman Banner, Inner Mongolia China, and covers an area of approximately 10,700km2. The areas of lower vulnerability are mainly located in the south. Slightly higher vulnerability areas are mainly located in the north, and the others have medium vulnerability.

Blast Alleviation of Sacrificial Cladding with Graded and Uniform Cellular Materials

Graded cellular material is a superb sandwich candidate for blast alleviation, but it has a disadvantage for the anti-blast design of sacrificial cladding, i.e., the supporting stress for the graded cellular material cannot maintain a constant level. Thus, a density graded-uniform cellular sacrificial cladding was developed, and its anti-blast response was investigated theoretically and numerically. One-dimensional nonlinear plastic shock models were proposed to analyze wave propagation in density graded-uniform cellular claddings under blast loading. There are two shock fronts in a positively graded-uniform cladding; while there are three shock fronts in a negatively graded-uniform cladding. Response features of density graded-uniform claddings were analyzed, and then a comparison with the cladding based on the uniform cellular material was carried out. Results showed that the cladding with uniform cellular materials is a good choice for the optimal mass design, while the density graded-uniform cladding is more advantageous from the perspective of the critical length design indicator. A partition diagram for the optimal length of sacrificial claddings under a defined blast loading was proposed for engineering design. Finally, cell-based finite element models were applied to verify the anti-blast response results of density graded-uniform claddings.

Pattern-avoiding inversion sequences and open partition diagrams

By using the generating tree technique and the obstinate kernel method, Kim and Lin confirmed a conjecture due to Martinez and Savage which asserts that inversion sequences e=(e1,e2,…,en) containing no three indices i<j<k such that ei≥ej, ej≥ek and ei>ek are counted by Baxter numbers. In this paper, we provide a bijective proof of this conjecture via an intermediate structure of open partition diagrams, in answer to a problem posed by Beaton-Bouvel-Guerrini-Rinaldi. Moreover, we show that two new classes of pattern-avoiding inversion sequences are also counted by Baxter numbers.

Electrochemical study of ephedrine at the polarized liquid-liquid interface supported with a 3D printed cell

In this work, we have examined an electrochemical behavior of the ephedrine at the polarized liquid-liquid interface (water/1,2-dichloroethane). In this respect, we first designed and then 3D printed polyamide-based electrochemical cell that was used as the liquid-liquid interface support during electroanalytical measurements. The protonated ephedrine undergoes a reversible ion transfer reaction with the standard Galvani potential difference equal to +0.269 V. This value was used to calculate the water – 1,2-dichloroethane logP equal to -4.6. Ion transfer voltammetry was used to build the calibration curve and allowed for the ephedrine detection from concentration equal to 20 μM. By varying the pH of the aqueous phase from 2 up to 12 we were able to plot the ion partition diagram that was further analyzed and provided several pharmacochemical information. To further push this work towards practical utility, we have formulated the artificial urine and studied the interfacial behavior of all its components at the polarized liquid-liquid interface. Ephedrine detection from real spiked urine samples was also performed.

An insertion algorithm on multiset partitions with applications to diagram algebras

We generalize the Robinson–Schensted–Knuth algorithm to the insertion of two row arrays of multisets. This generalization leads to new enumerative results that have representation theoretic interpretations as decompositions of centralizer algebras and the spaces they act on. In addition, restrictions on the multisets lead to further identities and representation theory analogues. For instance, we obtain a bijection between words of length k with entries in [n] and pairs of tableaux of the same shape with one being a standard Young tableau of size n and the other being a standard multiset tableau of content [k]. We also obtain an algorithm from partition diagrams to pairs of a standard tableau and a standard multiset tableau of the same shape, which has the remarkable property that it is well-behaved with respect to restricting a representation to a subalgebra. This insertion algorithm matches recent representation-theoretic results of Halverson and Jacobson [15].

A consistent parallel isotropic unstructured mesh generation method based on multi-phase SPH

In this paper, we propose a consistent parallel unstructured mesh generator based on a multi-phase SPH method. A set of physics-motivated modeling equations are developed to achieve the targets of domain decomposition, communication volume optimization and high-quality unstructured mesh generation simultaneously. A unified density field is defined as the target function for both partitioning the geometry and distributing the mesh-vertexes. A multi-phase Smoothing Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method is employed to solve the governing equations. All the optimization targets are achieved implicitly and consistently by the particle relaxation procedure without constructing triangulation/tetrahedralization explicitly. The target of communication reduction is achieved by introducing a surface tension model between distinct partitioning sub-domains, which are characterized by colored SPH particles. The resulting partitioning diagram features physically localized sub-domains and optimized interface communication. The target of optimizing the mesh quality is achieved by introducing a tailored equation-of-state (EOS) and a smooth isotropic kernel function. The mesh quality near the interface of neighboring sub-domains is improved by gradually removing the surface-tension force once a steady state is achieved. The proposed method is developed basing on a new parallel environment for multi-resolution SPH to exploit both coarse- and fine-grained parallelism. A set of benchmarks are conducted to verify that all the optimization targets are achieved consistently within the current framework.

Moments of k-hop counts in the random-connection model

AbstractWe derive moment identities for the stochastic integrals of multiparameter processes in a random-connection model based on a point process admitting a Papangelou intensity. The identities are written using sums over partitions, and they reduce to sums over non-flat partition diagrams if the multiparameter processes vanish on diagonals. As an application, we obtain general identities for the moments of k-hop counts in the random-connection model, which simplify the derivations available in the literature.

Ion transfer voltammetry for analytical screening of fluoroquinolone antibiotics at the water – 1.2-dichloroethane interface

In this paper, the electrochemical behavior of four fluoroquinolone antibiotics (FAs) [Ciprofloxacin (Cip), Enrofloxacin (Enr), Marbofloxacin (Mar) and Ofloxacin (Ofl)] at a polarized interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES) has been studied using ion–transfer voltammetry (ITV). The measurements were conducted in the traditional macroscopic (macro-ITIES) and a recently developed miniaturized (micro-ITIES) platform. The latter was obtained from fused silica micro-capillaries having an internal diameter of 25 μm. We used macroITIES to obtain a number of analytical parameters such as: standard Galvani potential of ion transfer (ΔΦ0), diffusion coefficients (D), free Gibbs energy of ion transfer (ΔG0) and partition coefficients (logPDCE). The latter were compared with the available literature values of logPoctanol. The effect of concentration of the studied antibiotics on the electrochemical response was investigated with the microITIES platform, setting statistical parameters such as: linear dynamic ranges (LDRs – studied from 1 μM up to 50 μM), lower limit of detections (LODs – around 1 μM) and sensitivity (found in the range from 2.6·10−2 to 6.8·10−2 nA·μM−). MicroITIES were further used to study the effect of pH on the analytical signal and the results are plotted in a form of ion partition diagrams. Working with microITIES supported with the fused silica capillaries significantly reduced the volumes of consumed chemicals and expedite all analytical experiments. The provided results can be successfully applied in pharmacology and electroanalysis for testing and determination of the chosen fluoroquinolone antibiotics.

Jellyfish Partition Categories

For each positive integer n, we introduce a monoidal category $\mathcal {J}\mathcal {P}(n)$ using a generalization of partition diagrams. When the characteristic of the ground field is either 0 or at least n, we show $\mathcal {J}\mathcal {P}(n)$ is monoidally equivalent to the full subcategory of Rep(An) whose objects are tensor powers of the natural n-dimensional permutation representation of the alternating group An.

Electrochemical Behavior of Simetryn Herbicide at Water|1,2-Dichloroethane Interface

Herein, the electrochemical behavior of the simetryn herbicide at the water|1,2-dichloroethane interface was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Parameters such as transfer Gibbs energy, ionic partition coefficient, and the apparent rate constants across the interface were evaluated. According to the results, the ionic form of this herbicide is highly hydrophobic because ΔwoGSIMH+0'w → o is 3.57 kJ mol−1 and is −0.622. In addition, the ionic partition diagram for this compound shows dual behavior as a function of pH: when pH < pKa, simetryn is transferred as a whole protonated molecule across the interface; whereas, when pH > pKa, simetryn serves as a mobile proton carrier across the interface. The present study offers some important insights that help in understanding the partitioning and kinetic processes of environmentally important molecules across biological membranes.