Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Raman Spectroscopic Analysis Of Human Serum Samples Of Convalescing Covid-19 Positive Patients, Hugh Byrne, Naomi Jackson, Jaythoon Hassan

Articles

Rapid screening, detection and monitoring of viral infection is of critical importance, as exemplified by the rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2, leading to the worldwide pandemic of COVID-19. This is equally the case for the stages of patient convalescence as for the initial stages of infection, to understand the medium and long terms effects, as well as the efficacy of therapeutic interventions. Optical spectroscopic techniques potentially offer an alternative to currently employed techniques of screening for the presence, or the response to infection. In this study, the ability of Raman spectroscopy to distinguish between samples of the serum of convalescent COVID-19 …

Determining The Proportionality Of Ischemic Stroke Risk Factors To Age, Elizabeth Hunter, John D. Kelleher

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While age is an important risk factor, there are some disadvantages to including it in a stroke risk model: age can dominate the risk score and lead to over-or under-predictions in some age groups. There is evidence to suggest that some of these disadvantages are due to the non-proportionality of other risk factors with age, eg, risk factors contribute differently to stroke risk based on an individual’s age. In this paper, we present a framework to test if risk factors are proportional with age. We then apply the framework to a set of risk factors using Framingham heart study data …

Public Ownership And The Wto In A Post Covid-19 Era: From Trade Disputes To A 'Social' Function, Paolo Davide Farah, Davide Zoppolato

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Public ownership is closely bound to the need of the government to protect and guarantee the well-being of its citizens. Where the market cannot, or does not want to, provide goods and services, the State uses different tools to intervene, influence, and control some aspects of the private sphere of expression of its citizens in the name and interest of the collectivity. Although, in the past century, this behavior was accepted as one of the expressions of the public authority and part of the social contract, this perception has shifted partially in accordance with the wave of privatization programs initiated …

Voices From A Prison Pandemic: Lives Lost From Covid-19 At Lakeland Correctional, Kimberly Thomas

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Coronavirus tore through jails and prisons like wildfire. In some states, more than half of the people incarcerated there tested positive for COVID-19; nearly 400,000 people in prison across the United States have tested positive. For people in prison, COVID-19 brought the loss of close friends, solitary confinement, loss of connection with family and programming, lack of information, and fear of contracting the virus. It has also reminded those who are incarcerated of the one-dimensional way in which people in prison are perceived. As stated by one collaborator, Cory Souders, "[s]o many men and women who come to prison are …

Using A Hybrid Agent-Based And Equation Based Model To Test School Closure Policies During A Measles Outbreak, Elizabeth Hunter, John D. Kelleher

Articles

Background

In order to be prepared for an infectious disease outbreak it is important to know what interventions will or will not have an impact on reducing the outbreak. While some interventions might have a greater effect in mitigating an outbreak, others might only have a minor effect but all interventions will have a cost in implementation. Estimating the effectiveness of an intervention can be done using computational modelling. In particular, comparing the results of model runs with an intervention in place to control runs where no interventions were used can help to determine what interventions will have the greatest …

A Hybrid Agent-Based And Equation Based Model For The Spread Of Infectious Diseases, Elizabeth Hunter, Brian Mac Namee, John D. Kelleher

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Both agent-based models and equation-based models can be used to model the spread of an infectious disease. Equation-based models have been shown to capture the overall dynamics of a disease outbreak while agent-based models are able to capture heterogeneous characteristics of agents that drive the spread of an outbreak. However, agent-based models are computationally intensive. To capture the advantages of both the equation-based and agent-based models, we create a hybrid model where the disease component of the hybrid model switches between agent-based and equation-based. The switch is determined using the number of agents infected. We first test the model at …

A Model For The Spread Of Infectious Diseases In A Region, Elizabeth Hunter, Brian Mac Namee, John D. Kelleher

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In understanding the dynamics of the spread of an infectious disease, it is important to understand how a town’s place in a network of towns within a region will impact how the disease spreads to that town and from that town. In this article, we take a model for the spread of an infectious disease in a single town and scale it up to simulate a region containing multiple towns. The model is validated by looking at how adding additional towns and commuters influences the outbreak in a single town. We then look at how the centrality of a town …

Covid-19: A Simple Curve Approximation Tool, Jane Courtney

Articles

In the current COVID-19 pandemic, much focus is put on ‘flattening the curve’. This ‘curve’ refers to the cases versus time graph, which shows the rise of a disease to its peak before descending. The aim in a pandemic is to flatten this curve by reducing the peak and spreading out the timeline. However, the models used to predict this curve are often not clearly outlined, no model parameters are given, and models are not tested against real data. This lack of detail makes it difficult to recreate the curve from these models. What is much needed is a simple …

Optimisation Of Estrogen Receptor Subtype-Selectivity Of A 4-Aryl-4h-Chromene Scaffold Previously Identified By Virtual Screening, Miriam Carr, Andrew Knox, Daniel Nevin, Niamh O'Boyle, Shu Wang, Billy Egan, Thomas Mccabe, Brendan Twamley, Daniela Zisterer, David Lloyd, Mary Meegan

Articles

4-Aryl-4H-Chromene derivatives have been previously shown to exhibit anti-proliferative, apoptotic and anti-angiogenic activity in a variety of tumor models in vitro and in vivo generally via activation of caspases through inhibition of tubulin polymerisation. We have previously identified by Virtual Screening (VS) a 4-aryl-4H-chromene scaffold, of which two examples were shown to bind Estrogen Receptor α and β with low nanomolar affinity and <20-fold selectivity for α over β and low micromolar anti-proliferative activity in the MCF-7 cell line. Thus, using the 4-aryl-4H-chromene scaffold as a starting point, a series of compounds with a range of basic arylethers at C-4 and modifications at the C3-ester substituent of the benzopyran ring were synthesised, producing some potent ER antagonists in the MCF-7 cell line which were highly selective for ERα (compound 35; 350-fold selectivity) or ERβ (compound 42; 170-fold selectivity).

Seaweeds As Nutraceuticals For Health And Nutrition, Emer Shannon, Nissreen Abu-Ghannam

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Throughout human history, seaweeds have been used as food, folk remedies, dyes, and as mineral-rich fertilisers. Seaweeds as nutraceuticals or functional foods with dietary benefits beyond their fundamental macronutrient content are now a major research and industrial development concept. The occurrence of dietary and lifestyle related diseases, notably type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer, and metabolic syndrome has become a health epidemic in developed countries. Global epidemiological studies have shown that countries where seaweed is consumed on a regular basis have significantly fewer instances of obesity and dietary-related disease. This review outlines recent developments in seaweed applications for human health from …

Recent Advances In The Vibrational Spectroscopic Diagnosis Of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Declan O'Dea, Fiona Lyng, Siobhan Nicholson, Finbar O'Connell, Aoife Maguire, Alison Malkin

Articles

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide accounting for 1.69 million deaths in 2015. Studies have indicated a 5 year survival rate of 8%–15% in western countries, although a survival rate as low as 1% has been demonstrated for late stage diagnosis. With the advent of targeted therapies, it is imperative to accurately differentiate non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) subtypes in order to ensure efficacy of treatment for patients. Immunohistochemistry and molecular techniques for the diagnosis of NSCLC are increasingly part of the diagnostic algorithm and clinical work-up of lung cancer patients, however due to the limitation …

Heterogeneity Of Disease-Causing Variants In The Swedish Galactosemia Population: Identification Of 16 Novel Galt Variants, Annika Ohlsson, Mary Hunt, Anna Wedell, Ulrika Von Döbeln

Articles

The aim was to determine disease-causing variants in the GALT gene which codes for the enzyme galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase. Loss of activity of this enzyme causes classical galactosemia-a life threatening, treatable disorder, included in the Swedish newborn screening program since 1967. A total of 66 patients with the disease are known in Sweden and 56 index patients were investigated. An additional two patients with Duarte galactosemia were included. The disease-causing variants were identified in all patients. As reported from other countries only a few variants frequently recur in severe disease. The two variants p.(Gln188Arg) (c.563A>G) and p.(Met142Lys) (c.425T>A) are …

Effect Of Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation On Preoperative Pulmonary Physiology, Postoperative Respiratory Complications And Quality Of Life In Patients With Oesophageal Cancer, J. A. Elliott, L. O'Byrne, G. Foley, C. F. Murphy, Suzanne Doyle, S. King, E. M. Guinan, N. Ravi, V. Reynolds

Articles

Background: It remains controversial whether neoadjuvant chemoradiation (nCRT) for oesophageal cancer influences operative morbidity, in particular pulmonary, and quality of life. This study combined clinical outcome data with systematic evaluation of pulmonary physiology to determine the impact of nCRT on pulmonary physiology and clinical outcomes in locally advanced oesophageal cancer.

Methods: Consecutive patients treated between 2010 and 2016 were included. Three-dimensional conformal radiation was standard, with a lung dose–volume histogram of V20 less than 25 per cent, and total radiation between 40 and 41⋅4Gy. Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and diffusion capacity …

Myopia Outcome Study Of Atropine In Children (Mosaic): Design And Methodology, Saoirse Mccrann, Daniel Ian Flitcroft, John Butler, James Loughman

Articles

Purpose

The Myopia Outcome Study of Atropine in Children (MOSAIC) aims to explore the efficacy, safety, acceptability and mechanisms of action of 0.01% atropine for myopia control in a European population.

Methods

MOSAIC is an investigator-led, double-masked, placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trial investigating the efficacy, safety and mechanisms of action of 0.01% atropine eyedrops in myopic progression management. During phase 1 of the trial, 250 children aged 6-16 years with progressive myopia apply eye drops once nightly in both eyes from randomisation to month 24. No treatment is given during phase 2 from month 24 to 36 (washout period) for those …

A Comparison Of Agent-Based Models And Equation Based Models For Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Elizabeth Hunter, Brian Mac Namee, John D. Kelleher

Articles

There are two main methods that are used to model the spread of an infectious disease: agent-based modelling and equation based modelling. In this paper, we compare the results from an example implementation of each method, and show that although the agent-based model takes longer to setup and run, it provides additional information that is not available when using an equation based model. Specifically, the ability of the agent-based model to capture heterogeneous mixing and agent interactions enables it to give a better overall view of an outbreak. We compare the performance of both models by simulating a measles outbreak …

Identifying A Novel Role For Fractalkine (Cx3cl1) In Memory Cd8(+) T Cell Accumulation In The Omentum Of Obesity-Associated Cancer Patients, Melissa J. Conroy, Stephen G. Maher, Ashanty M. Ashanty, Suzanne Doyle, Emma K. Foley, John V. Reynolds, Aideen Long, Joanne Lysaght

Articles

The omentum is enriched with pro-inflammatory effector memory CD8+ T cells in patients with the obesity-associated malignancy, esophagogastric adenocarcinoma (EAC) and we have identified the chemokine macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha as a key player in their active migration to this inflamed tissue. More recently, others have established that subsets of memory CD8+ T cells can be classified based on their surface expression of CX3CR1; the specific receptor for the inflammatory chemokine fractalkine. CD8+ T cells expressing intermediate levels (CX3CR1INT) are defined as peripheral memory, those expressing the highest levels (CX3CR1HI) are effector memory/terminally differentiated and those lacking CX3CR1 (CX3CR1NEG) are classified …

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 …

Pcr-Ribotype Distribution Of Clostridium Difficile In Irish Pigs, Katharina Stein, Sarah Egan, Helen Lynch, Celine Harmanus, Lorraine Kyne, Celine Herra, Sinead Mcdermott, Ed Kuijper, Fidelma Fitzpatrick, Susan Fitzgerald, Lynda Fenelon, Denise Drudy

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Clostridium difficile is an important enteric pathogen in humans causing infections in the healthcare environment and the community. Carriage of C. difficile and C. difficile-related enterocolitis has been reported in piglets worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the rates of C. difficile isolation from pigs in Ireland. Faecal samples from piglet litters and sows were collected from six farms in 2015. The sows were non-diarrhoeal at the time of sampling. The diarrhoeal status of the piglets was unknown. C. difficile was isolated from 34/44 (77%) of piglet litter samples and from 33/156 (21%) of sow samples. The …

Macular Pigment Is Associated With Glare-Affected Visual Function And Central Visual Field Loss In Glaucoma, James Loughman, We Fong Siah, Colm O’Brien

Articles

Aim

To evaluate the relationship between macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and glare disability in open-angle glaucoma.

Methods A cross-sectional analysis of baseline data (88 subjects; median age, 67 (range 36–84) years) collected during the Macular Pigment and Glaucoma Trial (ISRCTN registry number: 56985060). MPOD at 0.25°, 0.5° and 1° of retinal eccentricity was measured using customised heterochromatic flicker photometry. Mesopic contrast sensitivity with glare (mCSg), photostress recovery time (PRT) and self-reported glare symptoms were evaluated. Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography was used to analyse ganglion cell complex (GCC) and identify foveal involvement.

Results Low spatial frequency (f) mCSg was significantly …

Screening For Peripheral Arterial Disease And Carotid Artery Disease In Patients With Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, Cleona Gray, Patrick J. Goodman, Paul Cullen, Stephen Badger, Kevin O'Malley, Martin K. O'Donohoe, Ciarán O. Mcdonnell

Articles

Screening for concomitant atherosclerotic disease is important in cardiovascular risk reduction. This study assessed the prevalence of carotid artery disease (CAD) and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in patients with known abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). All patients with AAA attending the vascular laboratory between the January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2009, were eligible for a carotid ultrasound and measurement of ankle brachial indices. A total of 389 (305 males) patients were identified on the AAA surveillance program with a mean (±standard deviation) age of 76 (±8) years. The mean age of the males was 75.4 (±7.8) years, and the mean …

Endovascular Aneurysm Repair Increases Aortic Arterial Stiffness When Compared To Open Repair Of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms, Cleona Gray, Patrick J. Goodman, Stephen Badger, M. Kevin O'Malley, Martin K. O'Donohoe, Ciarán O. Mcdonnell

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Objectives: The initial survival advantage seen with endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) over open repair does not persist in the long term. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a measure of arterial stiffness, and increased PWV is an independent risk factor for increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This prospective comparative pilot study examined the effect of implantation of an aortic graft on PWV in patients undergoing open or endovascular aortic aneurysm repair. Patients and Methods: Thirty-four patients (15 open and 19 EVAR) were recruited. Patient demographics were similar in both the groups. Pulse wave velocity was calculated for all patients …

Functional Conservation Of An Ancestral Pellino Protein In Helminth Species, Christopher Cluxton, Brian Caffrey, Gemma Kinsella, Paul Moynagh, Mario Fares, Padraic Fallon

Articles

The immune system of H. sapiens has innate signaling pathways that arose in ancestral species. This is exemplified by the discovery of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathway using free-living model organisms such as Drosophila melanogaster. The TLR pathway is ubiquitous and controls sensitivity to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) in eukaryotes. There is, however, a marked absence of this pathway from the plathyhelminthes, with the exception of the Pellino protein family, which is present in a number of species from this phylum. Helminth Pellino proteins are conserved having high similarity, both at the sequence and predicted structural protein level, with that …

Bacteria On Shared Mobile Phones Can Lead To Infections, Roberta Basol, Jean Beckel, Judy Gilsdorf-Gracie, Amy Hilleren-Listerud, Terri Mccaffrey, Sherri Reischl, Pamela Rickbeil, Mary Schimnich, Kirsten Skillings, Mary A. Struffert

Articles

It's now a common practice for hospital-owned mobile phones to be shared among healthcare employees from shift to shift. Despite the benefit of increased, timely communication between caregivers, sharing mobile devices can lead to the spread of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) if they aren't properly disinfected. The Guidelines for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities describe "non-critical environmental surfaces" as items that are frequently touched by the hand and may pose a risk of secondary infection transmission.

Pilot Data On Brain-To-Blood Efflux Of B-Amyloid Peptides In Man, Steve Meaney, Maura Heverin, Ingemar Bjorkhem,, Dorotea Religa, John Wahren, Ulf Diczfalusy

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• Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia and affects nearly 40,000 individuals in Ireland. • The b-amyloid peptide (Ab) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of the AD and the presence of Ab plaques in the brain is diagnostic. •The hypothesis posits that Ab deposition is a critical factor in the disease process and that production and clearance of Ab are key drivers of the disease1. •Flux of Ab from the brain is believed to contribute to the overall level of Ab within in brain2 and antibody mediated brain-to-blood efflux has been observed in animal …

Raman Spectroscopic Analysis Of Human Skin Tissue Sections Ex-Vivo: Evaluation Of The Effects Of Tissue Processing And Dewaxing, Syed Mehmood Ali, Franck Bonnier, Ali Tfayli, Helen Lambkin, Kathleen Flynn, Vincent Mcdonagh, Claragh Healy, Thomas Lee, Fiona Lyng, Hugh Byrne

Articles

Raman spectroscopy coupled with K-means clustering analysis (KMCA) is employed to elucidate the biochemical structure of human skin tissue sections, and the effects of tissue processing. Both hand and thigh sections of human cadavers were analysed in their unprocessed and formalin fixed paraffin processed (FFPP) and subsequently dewaxed forms. In unprocessed sections, KMCA reveals clear differentiation of the stratum corneum, intermediate underlying epithelium and dermal layers for sections from both anatomical sites. The stratum corneum is seen to be relatively rich in lipidic content; the spectrum of the subjacent layers is strongly influenced by the presence of melanin, while that …

Oxysterols And Parkinson´S Disease. Evidence That Levels Of 24s-Hydroxycholesterol In Cerebrospinal Fluid Correlates With The Duration Of The Disease., Steve Meaney, Anita Lovgren-Sandblom, Lovisa Brodin, Lisette Salveson, Valerio Leoni, Kristian Winge, Sven Palhagen, Per Svenninson

Articles

Oxysterols are important for cholesterol homeostasis in the brain and may be affected in neurodegenerative diseases. The levels of the brain-derived oxysterol 24S-hydroxycholesterol (24S-OH) have been reported to be markedly reduced in the circulation of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) (Lee et al., Antioxid. Redox Signal. 11 (2009) 407–420). The finding is surprising in view of the fact that other neurodegenerative diseases are associated with relatively modest effects on the circulating levels of 24S-OH. We determined the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of 24S-OH and 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-OH) in patients with PD with different disease duration using a highly accurate …

Development And Validation Of A Novel Reporter Assay For Human Papillomavirus Type 16 Late Gene Expression, Beatrice Orru, Ciaran Cunniffe, Fergus Ryan, Stefan Schwartz

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To facilitate the investigations of HPV-16 late gene expression HPV-16 reporter plasmids were generated using previously described sub-genomic HPV-16 plasmids, named pBEL and pBELM, that, similar to the full viral genome, produce primarily HPV-16 early mRNAs and very little, if any, late mRNAs in cervical cancer cells. The HPV-16 late L1 gene was replaced by the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene, or green fluorescent protein (GFP), preceded by the poliovirus internal ribosome entry site (IRES). Results show that the reporter genes mimic the expression of L1 from these plasmids. For example, overexpression of adenovirus E4orf4 protein (E4orf4), polypyrimidine tract binding …

Bi-Lateral Changes To Hippocampal Cholesterol Levels During Epileptogenesis And In Chronic Epilepsy Following Focal-Onset Status Epilepticus In Mice, Steve Meaney, Maura Heverin, Tobias Engel, Eva Jimenez-Mateosa, Reza Al-Aaudia, David Henshall

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Brain cholesterol homeostasis has been shown to be disrupted in neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's and Huntington's diseases. Investigations in animal models of seizure-induced brain injury suggest that brain cholesterol levels are altered by prolonged seizures (status epilepticus) and are a feature of the pathophysiology of temporal lobe epilepsy. The present study measured hippocampal sterol levels in a model of unilateral hippocampal injury triggered by focal-onset status epilepticus, and in chronically epileptic mice. Status epilepticus was induced by intra-amygdala microinjection of kainic acid and ipsilateral and contralateral hippocampus analyzed. No significant changes were found for ipsilateral or contralateral hippocampal levels …

One Student One Family And The Mozambique Eyecare Project, Stephen Thompson, Aoife Phelan, Tatiana Santana, Elizebete Catarino, Vivien Ocampo, Cesar Faria, James Loughman

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Background - The Mozambique Eyecare Programme is funded by Irish Aid and designed to address the need for optometric education in Lusophone Africa. It is a multi-partner collaboration between Universidade Lúrio, Mozambique, Technological University Dublin, Ireland, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, and The International Centre for Eyecare Education (ICEE) an international Non Government Organisation. A key output from the programme is the development of an optometry school based at Universidade Lúrio, the first of its kind in Mozambique. The aim is to address unmet eye care needs through human resource development.

All students enrolled at Universidade Lúrio, including the optometry …

Genetic Connections Between Neurological Disorders And Cholesterol Metabolism, Ingemar Bjorkhem, Valerio Leoni, Steve Meaney

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Cholesterol is an essential component of both the peripheral and central nervous systems of mammals. Over the last decade, evidence has accumulated that disturbances in cholesterol metabolism are associated with the development of various neurological conditions. In addition to genetically defined defects in cholesterol synthesis, which will be covered in another review in this Thematic Series, defects in cholesterol metabolism (cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis) and intracellular transport (Niemann Pick Syndrome) lead to neurological disease. A subform of hereditary spastic paresis (type SPG5) and Huntington's disease are neurological diseases with mutations in genes that are of importance for cholesterol metabolism. Neurodegeneration is generally …