Life Sciences Commons^™

Nanostructured Apatite-Mullite Glass-Ceramics For Enhanced Primary Human Osteoblast Cell Response, Gordon Cooke, Conor Dunne, Sarah Keane, Daithi De Faoite, Seamas Donnelly, Kenneth Stanton

Articles

This work investigates the difference in viability of primary human foetal osteoblast cells on a glass-ceramic surface with nanoscale topography relative to viability on a smooth glass-ceramic surface containing a bioactive phase. Apatite-mullite glass-ceramics containing bioactive fluorapatite (Ca₁₀(PO₄)₆F₂) and bioinert mullite (Si₂Al₆O₁₃) were synthesised and subsequent heat-treatment was optimised to form nano-sized fluorapatite crystals. Etching was used to selectively remove the bioactive phase, producing a surface with disordered nanoscale topography. Cells were seeded onto a smooth polished glass-ceramic substrate with the bioactive phase intact, an etched …

Characterisation Of Cold Plasma Treated Beef And Dairy Lipids Using Spectroscopic And Chromatographic Methods, Chaitanya Sarangapani, David Dorran, Julie Dunne, Paula Bourke, Patrick Cullen

Articles

The efficacy of cold plasma for inactivation of food-borne pathogens in foods is established. However, insights on cold plasma-food interactions in terms of quality effects, particularly for oils and fats, are sparse. This study evaluated plasma-induced lipid oxidation of model matrices, namely dairy and meat fats. Product characterisation was performed using FTIR, ¹H NMR and chromatographic techniques. The oxidation of lipids by cold plasma followed the Criegee mechanism and typical oxidation products identified included ozonides, aldehydes (hexanal, pentenal, nonanal and nonenal) and carboxylic acids (9-oxononanoic acid, octanoic acid, nonanoic acid), along with hydroperoxides (9- and 13-hydroperoxy-octadecadienoylglycerol species). However, these …

Efficacy And Mechanistic Insigh Endocrine Disruptor Degradation Using Atmospheric Air Plasma, Chaitanya Sarangapani, Martin Danaher, Brijesh Tiwari, Peng Lu, Paula Bourke, Patrick Cullen

Articles

Endocrine disruptors are a class of contaminants found in water and process effluents at low concentrations. They are of concern due to their high estrogenic potency. Their presence in the environment has led to the search for effective techniques for their removal in wastewater. For this purpose, an atmospheric air plasma reactor was employed for the study of the degradation of three endocrine disruptor chemicals (EDC) namely; bisphenol A (BPA), estrone (E1) and 17β- 27 estradiol (E2) within a model dairy effluent. Identification of the plasma induced active species both in the gas and liquid phases were performed. Also studied …

Evasion Of Host Innate Immunity By Emerging Viruses: Antagonizing Host Rig-I Pathways, Maureen Ferran, Gary Skuse

Articles

Viruses confront a seemingly dichotomous relationship with their host cells. They must overcome host defenses in order to complete their infectious cycles and generate new viruses yet the host must remain healthy and hospitable for that to take place. Shortly after infection, the RIGI-like receptors (RLRs) within the cytoplasm of the infected cell recognize foreign motifs present in the pathogen. The host responds by activating a signaling pathway that leads to activation of cellular transcription factors, including the NF-κB and interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), that are necessary for induction of the type 1 interferon genes. Many viruses subdue components …

The Glycosyltransferase Gnt-Iii Activates Notch Signaling And Drives Stem Cell Expansion To Promote The Growth And Invasion Of Ovarian Cancer, Heba Allam, Blake P. Johnson, Mao Zhang, Zhongpeng Lu, Martin J. Cannon, Karen L. Abbott

Articles

Glycosylation changes associated with cellular transformation can facilitate the growth and progression of tumors. Previously we discovered that the gene Mgat3 encoding the glycosyltransferase GnT-III is elevated in epithelial ovarian carcinomas (EOCs) and leads to the production of abnormal truncated N-linked glycan structures instead of the typical bisected forms. In this study, we are interested in discovering how these abnormal glycans impact the growth and progression of ovarian cancer. We have discovered using stable shRNA gene suppression that GnT-III expression controls the expansion of side-population cells, also known as cancer stem cells. More specifically, we found that GnT-III expression regulates …

Comparative Studies Of Cellular Viability Levels On 2d And 3d In Vitro Culture Matrices, Alan Casey, Hugh Byrne, Mahmoud Gargotti, Ulises Lopez Gonzalez

Articles

In this study, the cellular viability and function of immortalized human cervical and dermal cells are monitored and compared in conventional 2D and two commercial 3D membranes, Collagen and Geltrex, of varying working concentration and volume. Viability was monitored with the aid of the Alamar Blue assay, cellular morphology was monitored with confocal microscopy, and cell cycle studies and cell death mechanism studies were performed with flow cytometry. The viability studies showed apparent differences between the 2D and 3D culture systems, the differences attributed in part to the physical transition from 2D to 3D environment causing alterations to effective resazurin …

Dietary Phytochemicals As Inhibitors Of Primary Amine Oxidase, Padraig Shanahan, Jeffrey O'Sullivan, Keith F. Tipton, Gemma Kinsella, Barry J. Ryan, Gary T. Henehan

Articles

Phytochemicals such as methylxanthines, catechins and polyphenols show health benefits in a range of diseases although their mechanism of action is not fully understood. Primary Amine Oxidase (PrAO) is widely recognised as a therapeutic drug target for the treatment of inflammatory, vascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Previous work in our laboratories showed that caffeine inhibited bovine PrAO activity with a Ki of 1.0mM. In the present study we examined a range of methylxanthines and catechins as inhibitors of bovine PrAO. The methylxanthines tested were caffeine, paraxanthine, theophylline, theobromine and 7-methylxanthine. Of these, only theobromine was an inhibitor with an IC50 of …

Formulation, Characterisation And Stability Assessment Of A Food Derived 1 Tripeptide, Leucine-Lysine-Proline Loaded Chitosan Nanoparticles, M.K. Danish, Giuliana Vozza, Hugh Byrne, Jesus Maria Frias, Sinead Ryan

Articles

The chicken or fish derived tripeptide, Leucine-Lysine-Proline (LKP), inhibits the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme and may be used as an alternative treatment for pre-hypertension. However, it has low permeation across the small intestine. The formulation of LKP into a nanoparticle (NP) has the potential to address this issue. LKP-loaded NPs were produced using an ionotropic gelation technique, using chitosan (CL113). Following optimisation of unloaded NPs, a mixture amount design was constructed using variable concentration of CL113 and tripolyphosphate at a fixed LKP concentration. Resultant particle sizes ranged from 120-271 nm, zeta potential values from 29-37 mV and polydispersity values from 0.3-0.6. …

Plasmonic Gold Nanoparticle For Detection Of Fungi And Human Cutaneous Fungal Infections, Tobiloba Sojinrin, Kangze Liu, Joao Conde, Hugh Byrne, James Curtin, Daxiang Cui, Furong Tian

Articles

Fungi, which are common in the environment, can cause a multitude of diseases. Warm, humid conditions allow fungi to grow and infect humans via the respiratory, digestive and reproductive tracts, genital area and other bodily interfaces. Fungi can be detected directly by microscopy, using the potassium hydroxide (KOH) test, which is the gold standard and most popular method for fungal screening. However, this test requires trained personnel operating specialist equipment, including a fluorescent microscope and culture facilities. As most acutely infected patients seek medical attention within the first few days of symptoms, the optimal diagnostic test would be rapid and …

Industrial Grade 2d Molybdenum Disulphide (Mos2): An In-Vitro Exploration Of The Impact On Cellular Uptake, Cytotoxicity, And Inflammation, Caroline Moore, Hugh Byrne, Jonathan N. Coleman, Yuri Volkov, Jennifer Mcintyre

Articles

The recent surge in graphene research, since its liquid phase monolayer isolation and characterization in 2004, has led to advancements which are accelerating the exploration of alternative 2D materials such as molybdenum disulphide (MoS2), whose unique physico-chemical properties can be exploited in applications ranging from cutting edge electronic devices to nanomedicine. However, to assess any potential impact on human health and the environment, the need to understand the bio-interaction of MoS2 at a cellular and sub-cellular level is critical. Notably, it is important to assess such potential impacts of materials which are produced by large scale production techniques, rather than …

Knowledge Of Food Safety And Food Handling Practices Amongst Food Handlers In The Republic Of Ireland, Nora A. Moreb, Anushree Priyadarshini, Amit Jaiswal

Articles

Food safety concerns have existed for a long time, as millions of people across the globe suffer from food borne disease every year. Contamination of food owing to limited knowledge of food safety practices primarily increases the risk of food borne illnesses. In the present study, quantitative research was carried out to gauge the level of food safety knowledge amongst people living in Ireland. A total of 1069 participants from all over the Republic of Ireland contributed to the survey (of which 821 were included in this research). Results showed that the residents of Ireland overall had an average levelonknowledge …

Atmospheric Cold Plasma Dissipation Efficiency Of Agrochemicals On Blueberries, Chaitanya Sarangapani, Grainne O'Toole, Paula Bourke, Patrick Cullen

Articles

Cold plasma has emerged as a potential bio-decontamination technology for microbial and chemical risks associated with food products such as fruits and vegetables. This study investigated the efficacy of cold plasma treatment for the degradation of pesticides (boscalid and Imidacloprid) on blueberries in tandem with the need to retain critical quality attributes of a fresh high value berry product post treatment. An in-package high voltage dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor was employed for this study. The degradation efficacy of pesticides after 80 kV and 5 min of cold plasma treatment were found to be 80.18% for boscalid and 75.62% for …

Beta-Glucosidase From Streptomyces Griseus: Nanoparticle Immobilisation And Alkyl Glucoside Synthesis., Barry Ryan, Gary Henehan, Prabhash Kumar

Articles

A novel β-glucosidase from Streptomyces griseus was cloned and overexpressed in E. coli. The purified β-glucosidase (44 kDa) had a K_m of 8.6±0.5 mM and a V_max of 217±5.0 μmoles^-1min^-1mg at 37 °C, pH 7.2 with p-nitrophenyl-β-D glucopyranoside as substrate. The enzyme was characterised in terms of pH optimum (pH 6.9), temperature optimum (69 °C) and the influence of solvents and effectors. Purified S. griseus β-glucosidase was successfully immobilised, by simple absorption, onto zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles without covalent modification. It remained tightly bound even after extensive washing and could be reused …

A National Audit Of Smoking Cessation Services In Irish Maternity Units, C. Reynolds, B. Egan, S. Cawley, S. Sheehan, M. Turner

Articles

Irish Medical Journal

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Duration Of Periconceptual Folic Acid Supplementation In Women Booking For Antenatal Care, Shona Cawley, Laura Mullaney, Rachel Kennedy, Maria Farren, Daniel Mccartney, Michael J. Turner

Articles

Objective: To provide accurate estimates of the commencement time, duration and dosage of folic acid (FA) supplementation taken by Irish women in the periconceptional period. The study also aimed to establish the factors associated with optimal FA supplementation practices. Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Women’s clinical and sociodemographic details were computerised. Maternal weight and height were measured before calculating BMI. Detailed FA supplementation questionnaires were completed under the supervision of a trained researcher. Setting: A large university maternity hospital, Republic of Ireland, January 2014–April 2016. Subjects: Women (n 856) recruited at their convenience in the first trimester. Results: While almost all …

Development Of A High Throughput (Ht) Raman Spectroscopy Method For Rapid Screening Of Liquid Blood Plasma From Prostate Cancer Patients, Dinesh Medipally, Adrian Maguire, Jane Bryant, John Armstrong, Mary Dunne, Marie Finn, Fiona Lyng, Aidan Meade

Articles

Extensive research has been undertaken on the examination of tissue biopsies using vibrational spectroscopic techniques. However, fewer studies have focused on less invasive and commonly acquired blood samples. Recent studies have shown the ability of Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to discriminate between non-cancer controls and cancer cases using blood serum or plasma. Even though many studies have proposed Raman spectroscopy as a potential diagnostic tool in various cancers, the Raman spectroscopic technique has not been introduced as a routine clinical technology. This is due to multiple drawbacks with the application of the technique, including sample preparation, the …

A Natural Calcium-Rich Multi-Mineral Complex Preserves Bones Structure, Composition And Strength In An Ovariectomized Rat Model Of Osteoporosis, Orlaith Brennan, Joseph Sweeney, Brian O'Meara, Amro Widaa, Franck Bonnier, Hugh Byrne, Denise O'Gorman, Fergal O'Brien

Articles

Calcium supplements are used as an aid in the prevention of osteopenia and osteoporosis and also for the treatment of patients when used along with medication. Many of these supplements are calcium carbonate based. This study compared a calcium-rich, marine multi-mineral complex (Aquamin) to calcium carbonate in an ovariectomised rat model of osteoporosis in order to assess Aquamin’s efficacy in preventing the onset of bone loss. Animals were randomly assigned to either non-ovariectomy control (Control), ovariectomy (OVX) plus calcium carbonate, ovariectomy plus Aquamin or ovariectomy plus Aquamin delay where Aquamin treatment started 8 weeks post OVX. At the end of …

Integration Of Biological Effects, Fish Histopathology And Contaminant Measurements For The Assessment Of Fish Health: A Pilot Application In Irish Marine Waters, Michelle Giltrap, Jenny Ronan, John Bignell, Brett Lyons, Evelyn Collins, Heather Rochford, Brendan Mchugh, Evin Mcgovern, Lorraine Bull, James Wilson

Articles

This study investigates the use of a weight of evidence (WOE) approach to evaluate fish health status and biological effects (BEs) of contaminants for assessment of ecosystem health and discusses its potential application in support of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). External fish disease, liver histopathology and several BEs of contaminant exposure including 7-ethoxy resorufin O-de-ethylase (EROD), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), bile metabolites, vitellogenin (VTG) and alkali labile phosphates (ALP) were measured in two flatfish species from four locations in Ireland. Contaminant levels in fish were generally low with PCBs in fish liver below OSPAR environmental assessment criteria (EAC). There were …

Effect Of Concrete Slats, Three Mat Types And Out-Wintering Pads On Performance And Welfare Of Finishing Beef Steers, Bernadette Earley, John Mcnamara, Stephen Jerrams, Edward G. O’Riordan

Articles

The objective was to investigate the effect of placing mats on concrete slatted floors on performance, behaviour, hoof condition, dirt scores, physiological and immunological variables of beef steers, and to compare responses with animals on out-wintering pads. Continental crossbred beef steers [n = 360; mean (±SD) initial live weight 539 kg (42.2)] were blocked by breed and live weight and randomly assigned to one of five treatments; (1) Concrete slats alone, (2) Mat 1 (Natural Rubber structure) (Durapak Rubber Products), (3) Mat 2 (Natural rubber structure) (EasyFix), (4) Mat 3 (modified ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) foam structure) and (5) Out-wintering …

Where Policy And Practice Collide: Comparing Us,South African And European Union Approaches Toprotecting Children Online, Monica Bulger, Patrick Burton, Brian O'Neill, Elisabeth Staksrud

Articles

That children have a right to protection when they go online is an internationally well-established principle, upheld in laws that seek to safeguard children from online abuse and exploitation. However, children’s own transgressive behaviour can test the boundaries of this protection regime, creating new dilemmas for lawmakers the world over. This article examines the policy response from both the Global North and South to young people’s online behaviour that may challenge adult conceptions of what is acceptable, within existing legal and policy frameworks. It asks whether the ‘childhood innocence’ implied in much protection discourse is a helpful basis for promoting …

Study Of Phenolic Extractability In Grape Seeds By Means Of Atr-Ftir And Raman Spectroscopy, Julio Nogales-Bueno, Berta Baca-Bocanegra, Abigail Rooney, José Miguel Hernández-Hierro, Hugh Byrne, Francisco José Heredia

Articles

Near infrared hyperspectral imaging has been applied to grape seeds in order to select a representative subset of samples according to their spectral features in the 900-1700nm range. Afterwards, selected grape seeds have been classified according to their total phenol and flavanol extractabilities. In this way, samples were sorted in three different groups identified as low, medium and high extractability levels. In order to establish the chemical structures which can be responsible for the different extractabilities, vibrational spectroscopy has been applied to the non-extracted material after seed extractions. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and Raman spectra of non-extracted …

Fructooligosacchariedes Integrity After Atmospheric Cold Plasma And High Press, Francisca Almeida, Wesley Gomes, Rosane Souza Cavalcante, Brijesh Tiwari, Patrick Cullen, Jesus Maria Frias, Paula Bourke, Fabiano Fernandes, Sueli Rodrigues

Articles

In this study, the effect of atmospheric pressure cold plasma and high-pressure processing on the prebiotic orange juice was evaluated. Orange juice containing 7g/100g of commercial fructooligosaccharides (FOS) was directly and indirectly exposed to a plasma discharge at 70kV with processing times of 15, 30, 45 and 60s. For high-pressure processing, the juice containing the same concentration of FOS was treated at 450MPa for 5min at 11.5°C in an industrial equipment (Hyperbaric, model: 300). After the treatments, the fructooligosaccharides were qualified and quantified by thin layer chromatography. The organic acids and color analysis were also evaluated. The maximal overall fructooligosaccharides …

Highly Branched Poly(5-Amino-1-Pentanol-Co-1,4- Butanediol Diacrylate) For High Performance Gene Transfection, Ming Zeng, Dezhong Zhou, Singwei Ng, Jonathan O'Keefe Ahern, Fatma Alshehri, Yongsheng Gao, Luca Pierucci, Udo Greiser, Wenxin Wang

Articles

The top-performing linear poly(β-amino ester) (LPAE), poly(5-amino-1-pentanol-co-1,4-butanediol diacrylate) (C32), has demonstrated gene transfection efficiency comparable to viral-mediated gene delivery. Herein, we report the synthesis of a series of highly branched poly(5-amino-1-pentanol-co-1,4-butanediol diacrylate) (HC32) and explore how the branching structure influences the performance of C32 in gene transfection. HC32 were synthesized by an “A2 + B3 + C2” Michal addition strategy. Gaussia luciferase (Gluciferase) and green fluorescent protein (GFP) coding plasmid DNA were used as reporter genes and the gene transfection efficiency was evaluated in human cervical cancer cell line (HeLa) and human recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa keratinocyte (RDEBK) cells. We …

Quantification Of Trace Metals In Infant Formula Premixes Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy, Raquel Cama-Moncunill, Maria Piedad Casado-Gavalda, Xavier Cama-Moncunill, Maria Markiewicz-Keszycka, Yash Dixit, Patrick J. Cullen, Carl Sullivan

Articles

Infant formula is a human milk substitute generally based upon fortified cow milk components. In order to mimic the composition of breast milk, trace elements such as copper, iron and zinc are usually added in a single operation using a premix. The correct addition of premixes must be verified to ensure that the target levels in infant formulae are achieved. In this study, a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) system was assessed as a fast validation tool for trace element premixes. LIBS is a promising emission spectroscopic technique for elemental analysis, which offers real-time analyses, little to no sample preparation and …

The Potential Of Atmospheric Air Cold Plasma For Control Of Bacterial Contaminants Relevant To Cereal Grain Production, Agata Los, Dana Ziuzina, Daniela Boehm, Patrick J. Cullen, Paula Bourke

Articles

The aim of this work was to investigate the efficacy of dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric cold plasma (DBD ACP) against bacteria associated with grains quality and safety. ACP inactivation efficacy was tested against biofilms formed by different strains of E. coli, Bacillus and Lactobacillus in grain model media and against B. atrophaeus endospores either in grain media or attached on abiotic surfaces. Effects were dependent on bacterial strain, media composition and mode of ACP exposure. ACP treatment for 5min reduced E. coli spp., B. subtilis and Lactobacillus spp. biofilms by >3 log10, whereas insignificant reductions were achieved for B. atrophaeus. …

Evaluation Of Levels Of Antibiotic Resistance In Groundwater-Derived E. Coli Isolates In The Midwest Of Ireland And Elucidation Of Potential Predictors Of Resistance, Jean O'Dwyer, Paul Hynds, Matthieu Pot, Catherine Adley, Michael Ryan

Articles

Antibiotic-resistant (pathogenic and non-pathogenic) organisms and genes are now acknowledged as significant emerging aquatic contaminants with potentially adverse human and ecological health impacts, and thus require monitoring. This study is the first to investigate levels of resistance among Irish groundwater (private wells) samples; Escherichia coli isolates were examined against a panel of commonly prescribed human and veterinary therapeutic antibiotics, followed by determination of the causative factors of resistance. Overall, 42 confirmed E. coli isolates were recovered from a groundwater-sampling cohort. Resistance to the human panel of antibiotics was moderate; nine (21.4%) E. coli isolates demonstrated resistance to one or more …

Exploring Smoking, Mental Health And Smoking-Related Disease In A Nationally Representative Sample Of Older Adults In Ireland: A Retrospective Secondary Analysis, Annette Burns, Judith Strawbridge, Luke Clancy, Frank Doyle

Articles

Objective

Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death among individuals with mental health difficulties (MHD). The aim of the current study was to determine the impact of smoking on the physical health of older adults with MHD in Ireland and to explore the extent to which smoking mediated or moderated associations between MHD and smoking-related diseases.

Methods

Cross-sectional analysis of a nationally representative sample of 8175 community-dwelling adults aged 50 and over from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) was undertaken. Multivariate adjusted logistic regression models were used to assess the association between MHD, smoking (current/past/never) and smoking-related …

Carbon Dioxide Sources From Alaska Driven By Increasing Early Winter Respiration From Artic Tundra, Roisin Commane, Jacob Lindaas, Joshua Benmergui, Kristina Luus, Rachel Chang, Bruce Daube, Eugenie Euskirchen, John Henderson, Anna Karion, John Miller, Scot Miller, Nicholas Parazoo, James Randerson, Colm Sweeney, Pieter Tans, Kirk Thoning, Sander Veraverbeke, Charles Miller, Steven Wofsy

Articles

High-latitude ecosystems have the capacity to release large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere in response to increasing temperatures, representing a potentially significant positive feedback within the climate system. Here, we combine aircraft and tower observations of atmospheric CO2 with remote sensing data and meteorological products to derive temporally and spatially resolved year-round CO2 fluxes across Alaska during 2012-2014. We find that tundra ecosystems were a net source of CO2 to the atmosphere annually, with especially high rates of respiration during early winter (October through December). Long-term records at Barrow, AK, suggest that CO2emission rates from North Slope …

Facilitating Smart Haccp Strategies With Process Analytical Technology, Fintan Moran, Carl Sullivan, Kevin Keener, Patrick J. Cullen

Articles

The critical feature to any food management system, be it safety or quality focused, is timely and accurate product and process data. The HACCP framework is one of a systematic preventive approach that addresses hazards as a means of prevention rather than finished product inspection. The PAT initiative is a framework which also aims to change product assurance from end-product testing to preventive control through timely measurements of critical product and process parameters. The continued emergence of sensitive yet affordable sensors capable of direct measurement of biological, chemical and physical risks associated with foods during production, processing or over their …

Optimization Of Atmospheric Air Plasma For Degradation Of Organic Dyes In Wastewater, Chaitanya Sarangapani, Yash Dixit, Vladimir Milosavljevic, Carl Sullivan, Paula Bourke, Patrick Cullen

Articles

This study optimises the degradation of a cocktail of the dyes methyl orange and bromothymol blue by atmospheric air plasma. Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to investigate the efficacy of the plasma process parameters on degradation efficiency. A Box–Behnken design (BBD) was employed to optimise the degradation of dyes by air plasma discharge. A second order polynomial equation was proposed to predict process efficiency. It was observed that the predicted values are significant (p < 0.001) with coefficients of determination 0.98, 0.96, 0.98 for dye degradation, pH value and ozone concentration, respectively. The analysis of variance results showed …