Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Incidence And Prevalence Of Keratoconus Based On Scheimpflug Imaging, Elsie Chan, Elaine W. Chong, Samantha Sze-Yee Lee, Maria Franchina, Seyhan Yazar, Peter Eastwood, Nigel Mcardle, David A. Mackey, Gareth Lingham

Articles

The prevalence of keratoconus (Belin/Ambrόsio Enhanced Ectasia Display Score ≥2.6 on Scheimpflug imaging) in a longitudinal, community cohort study from Western Australia was 3.4% (n=26/755). Keratoconus incidence over an 8-year period was 2.2% (n=15/669).

Subfoveal Choroidal Imaging In High Myopic Nepalese Cohort, Parash Gyawali, Ashutosh Jnawali, Anish Kharal, Manish Subedi, Sandeep Kandel, Prajjol Raj Puri, Nabin Paudel

Articles

Current image captioning models produce fluent captions, but they rely on a one-size-fits-all approach that does not take into account the preferences of individual end-users. We present a method to generate descriptions with an adjustable amount of content that can be set at inference-time, thus providing a step toward a more user centered approach to image captioning.

Novel Therapeutic Approaches To Treat Brain Cancer Combining 3d Cell Culture Models, Cold Atmospheric Plasma And Airborne Acoustic, Janith Wanigasekara

Doctoral

Glioblastoma (GBM), an adult-type diffuse grade 4 glioma (IDH wild type), is the most prevalent, aggressive, fatal, highly vascularized, malignant primary brain tumour in adults with a poor prognosis. Despite existing therapies such as surgical resection, radiation therapy and chemotherapy such as temozolomide (TMZ), patient survival remains largely unchanged over the last three decades. There is an urgent need for novel and effective therapeutic strategies that can overcome drug resistance, cross the blood brain barrier, and minimise off-target side effects that can negatively impact a patient's quality of life. The high failure rate of clinical trials is due to inefficient …

An Investigation Into Use Of Natural Mistletoe Extracts And Their Formulations As Potential Anti-Cancer Treatments In Human Carcinomas, Rebecca Healy, Anne M. Friel

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

Cancer is a prevalent disease that is responsible for around 10 million deaths a year. Cases and deaths will continue to rise daily if nothing is done to find the most effective treatment. Mistletoe is an evergreen, semi-parasitic plant that grows on trees. This plant contains a number of biologically active compounds that contribute to its anti-cancer properties e.g., lectins. Mistletoe is obtained from nature and has been shown to be safe, potent, and effective in treating cancer. Herein we review the biological effects of mistletoe on cancer cells, formulations that can be used in cancer treatment and discuss the …

Plasma Induced Reactive Oxygen Species-Dependent Cytotoxicity In Glioblastoma 3d Tumourspheres, Janith Wanigasekara, Carlos Barcia, Patrick J. Cullen, Brijesh Tiwari, James F. Curtin

Articles

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a pin‐to‐plate cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) on U‐251 MG three‐dimensional (3D) glioblastoma spheroids under different conditions. 3D tumorspheres showed higher resistance to the CAP treatment compared to 2D monolayer cells. A single CAP treatment was able to induce cytotoxicity, while multiple CAP treatments augmented this effect. CAP was also able to induce cytotoxicity throughout the tumoursphere, and we identified that reactive oxygen species(ROS) plays a major role, while H2O2plays a partial role in CAP‐induced cytotoxicity in tumour-spheres. We conclude that ROS‐dependent cytotoxicity is induced uniformly throughout glioblastoma and epidermoid …

Use And Awareness Of Heated Tobacco Products In Europe, Silvano Gallus, Alessandra Lugo, Xiaoqiu Liu, Elisa Borroni, Luke Clancy, Giuseppe Gorini, Maria José Lopez, Anna Odone, Krzysztof Przewozniak, Olena Tigova, Piet A. Van Den Brandt, Constantine Vardavas, Esteve Fernandez, Tackshs Project Investigators

Articles

Background: Heated tobacco products (HTP) are new forms of tobacco consumption with limited information available on their use among the general population. Our objective was to analyze the prevalence and associations of use of HTP across 11 countries in Europe.

Methods: Within the TackSHS Project, in 2017-2018 we conducted a cross-sectional study with information on HTP use in the following countries: Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Spain. In each country, face-to-face interviews were performed on a representative sample of around 1,000 subjects aged ≥15 years, for a total of 10,839 subjects.

Results: Overall, 27.8% …

Identification Of Biomarkers For The Prediction Of Radiation Toxicity In Prostate Cancer Patients, Daniel Cullen

Doctoral

The success of radiotherapy in tumour control depends on the total dose given. However, the tolerance of the normal tissues surrounding the tumour limits this dose. It is not known why some patients develop radiation toxicity and, currently, it is not possible to predict before treatment which patients will experience adverse effects. Thus, there is an unmet clinical need for a new test to identify patients at risk of radiation toxicity. The aim of this study was to determine if spectral variations in blood lymphocytes from PCa patients may suggest Raman spectral bands that could be used in future research …

Application Of Big-Data For Epidemiological Studies Of Refractive Error, Michael Moore, James Loughman, John Butler, Arne Ohlendorf, Siegfried Wahl, Daniel Ian Flitcroft

Articles

Purpose

To examine whether data sourced from electronic medical records (EMR) and a large industrial spectacle lens manufacturing database can estimate refractive error distribution within large populations as an alternative to typical population surveys of refractive error.

Subjects

A total of 555,528 patient visits from 28 Irish primary care optometry practices between the years 1980 and 2019 and 141,547,436 spectacle lens sales records from an international European lens manufacturer between the years 1998 and 2016.

Methods

Anonymized EMR data included demographic, refractive and visual acuity values. Anonymized spectacle lens data included refractive data. Spectacle lens data was separated into lenses …

Direct Multiplexing Of Low Order Aberration Modes In A Photopolymerbased Holographic Element For Analog Holographic Wavefront Sensing, Emma Branigan, Suzanne Martin, Matthew Sheehan, Kevin Murphy

Conference Papers

The fabrication of an analog holographic wavefront sensor, capable of detecting the low order defocus aberration, was achieved in an acrylamide-based photopolymer. While other implementations of holographic wavefront sensors have been carried out digitally, this process utilises a recording setup consisting only of conventional refractive elements so the cost and complexity of holographic optical element (HOE) production could be much reduced. A pair of diffraction spots, corresponding to a maximum and minimum amount of defocus, were spatially separated in the detector plane by multiplexing two HOEs with different carrier spatial frequencies. For each wavefront with a known aberration that was …

Application Of Big-Data For Epidemiological Studies Of Refractive Error, James Loughman

Articles

To examine whether data sourced from electronic medical records (EMR) and a large industrial spectacle lens manufacturing database can estimate refractive error distribution within large populations as an alternative to typical population surveys of refractive error.

Effect Of Hemolysis On Fourier Transform Infrared And Raman Spectra Of Blood Plasma, Dinesh Medipally, Daniel Cullen, Valérie Untereiner, Jane Bryant, Ganesh D. Sockalingum, Thi Nguyet Que Nguyen, Emma Noone, Shirley Bradshaw, Marie Finn, Mary Dunne, Aoife M. Shannon, John Armstrong, Aidan Meade, Fiona Lyng

Articles

Hemolysis is a very common phenomenon and is referred as the release of intracellular components from red blood cells to the extracellular fluid. Hemolyzed samples are often rejected in clinics due to the interference of hemoglobin and intracellular components in laboratory measurements. Plasma and serum based vibrational spectroscopy studies are extensively applied to generate spectral biomarkers for various diseases. However, no studies have reported the effect of hemolysis in blood based vibrational spectroscopy studies. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of hemolysis on infrared and Raman spectra of blood plasma. In this study, prostate cancer plasma samples (n …

Dynamic Blood-Brain Barrier Regulation In Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Eoin O'Keeffe, Eoin Kelly, Yuzhe Liu, Chiara Giordano, Eugene Wallace, Mark Hynes, Stephen Tiernan, Aidan Meagher, Chris Greene, Stephanie Hughes, Tom Burke, John Kealy, Niamh Doyle, Alison Hay, Michael Farrell, Gerald A. Grant, Alon Friedman, Ronel Veksler, Michael G. Molloy, James F. Meaney, Niall Pender, David Camarillo, Colin P. Doherty, Matthew Campbell

Articles

Whereas the diagnosis of moderate and severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is readily visible on current medical imaging paradigms (magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] and computed tomography [CT] scanning), a far greater challenge is associated with the diagnosis and subsequent management of mild TBI (mTBI), especially concussion which, by definition, is characterized by a normal CT. To investigate whether the integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is altered in a high-risk population for concussions, we studied professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters and adolescent rugby players. Additionally, we performed the linear regression between the BBB disruption defined by increased gadolinium contrast …

Optimisation Of The Performance Of Holographic Beam-Shaping Diffractive Diffusers Through Refinement Of The Recording Process, Cara Jones, Suzanne Martin, Sanjay Keshri, Dervil Cody, Kevin Murphy

Conference Papers

Optical diffusers have uses in laser applications and machine vision. Typical fabrication at a commercial level requires master production and the stamping/copying of individual elements at scale. This expensive, indirect process inhibits custom diffusers at reasonable cost. Previously the authors published a novel, direct, single beam method of recording customizable and controllable volume holographic diffusers by manipulating laser speckle and recording the pattern in photopolymer. This method allows for beam-shaping to produce diffusion patterns of various sizes and shapes. In this work, the direct method of recording controllable holographic diffusers is refined to improve diffuser performance (i.e., a decrease in …

Preoperative Exercise To Improve Fitness In Patients Undergoing Complex Surgery For Cancer Of The Lung Or Oesophagus (Pre-Hiit): Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial, Grainne Sheill, Emer Guinan, Linda O'Neill, Charles Normand, Suzanne Doyle, Sarah Moore, John Newell, Granne Mcdermott, Ronan Ryan, John V. Reynolds, Juliette Hussey

Articles

Patients with cancer of the lung or oesophagus, undergoing curative treatment, usually require a thoracotomy and a complex oncological resection. These surgeries carry a risk of major morbidity and mortality, and risk assessment, preoperative optimisation, and enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways are modern approaches to optimise outcomes. Pre-operative fitness is an established predictor of postoperative outcome, accordingly, targeting pre-operative fitness through exercise prehabilitation has logical appeal. Exercise prehabilitation is challenging to implement however due to the short opportunity for intervention between diagnosis and surgery. Therefore, individually prescribed, intensive exercise training protocols which convey clinically meaningful improvements in cardiopulmonary fitness …

Pre-Clinical Models Of Small Cell Lung Cancer And The Validation Of Therapeutic Targets, Jane S.Y. Sui, Petra Martin, Steven G. Gray

Articles

Introduction: Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive form of lung cancer that has a dismal prognosis. One of the factors hindering therapeutic developments for SCLC is that most SCLC is not surgically resected resulting in a paucity of material for analysis. To address this, significant efforts have been made by investigators to develop pre-clinical models of SCLC allowing for downstream target identification in this difficult to treat cancer.

Areas covered: In this review, we describe the current pre-clinical models that have been developed to interrogate SCLC, and outline the benefits and limitations associated with each. Using examples …

The Efficacy Of Warm Compresses In The Treatment Of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction And Demodex Folliculorum Blepharitis, Orla Murphy, Veronica O'Dwyer, Aoife Lloyd-Mckernan

Articles

Purpose: To investigate and compare the effect of warm compresses on meibomian gland dysfunction and Demodex folliculorum blepharitis.

Methods: Forty-two subjects (13 males, 29 females; mean age of 56.45 years) enrolled and completed the two-month warm compress treatment study. Three warm compress therapies were compared: Warm face cloth, MGDRx EyeBag® and OPTASETM Moist Heat Mask. Subjects attended for four visits: baseline, two weeks, four weeks, and eight weeks. Subjective symptoms, osmolarity, non-invasive tear break-up time, ocular surface staining, Schirmer I test, meibum expressibility and clarity, and eyelash manipulation and epilation to assess for the presence of Demodex folliculorum, …

A Review Of The Influence Of Fathers On Children's Eating Behaviours And Dietary Intake, Stephanie Rahill, Aileen Kennedy, John Kearney

Articles

The role of fathers in child rearing has changed in recent years due to an increase in maternal employment. Despite this, the majority of research has focused on maternal influences and behaviours in relation to child feeding. Therefore, the aims of the narrative review were: 1) to examine the role and responsibility of fathers in child feeding and the factors associated with paternal responsibility in child feeding; 2) to establish how paternal modelling, paternal diets, and paternal feeding practices relate to children's eating behaviours and dietary intake; and 3) to explore the role of maternal perceptions on paternal feeding roles, …

Phenology Of Cupressaceae Urban Infrastructure Related To Its Pollen Content And Meteorological Variables, A. Monroy-Colín, J. M. Maya-Manzano, I. Silva-Palacios, R. Tormo-Molina, R. Pecero-Casimiro, Á. Gonzalo-Garijo, S. Fernández-Rodríguez

Articles

Cupressaceae pollen is one of the major airborne allergens of the Mediterranean region and in other regions around the world. Pollen production of these species causes considerable allergic problems during winter, being this type of pollen the most abundant in this period of the year. This work aims to relate phenology, meteorology and airborne pollen records in these species. Aerobiological sampling was carried out in Badajoz (SW Spain) from 2016 to 2018 using Hirst-type volumetric sampler. Pollination phenology was studied in 50 specimens, ten of Cupressus macrocarpa, ten of Cupressus arizonica, 15 of Cupressus sempervirens and 15 of …

Hysplit As An Environmental Impact Assessment Tool To Study The Data Discrepancies Between Olea Europaea Airborne Pollen Records And Its Phenology In Sw Spain, Alejandro Monroy-Colín, J. M. Maya-Manzano, Rafael Tormo-Molina, Raúl Pecero-Casimiro, María Ángeles Gonzalo-Garijo, Santiago Fernández-Rodríguez

Articles

The olive tree (Olea europaea) is a native evergreen tree in the Mediterranean region, being one of the most important causes of seasonal respiratory allergies in Mediterranean countries. This work aims to relate flowering phenology, source tree distribution, meteorology, and airborne pollen records for this species and to analyse the possible arrival of air masses from distant areas during days when differences between the phenological and pollen peaks. Aerobiological sampling was carried out in Badajoz (SW Spain) for 4 years (2016–2019) using a Hirst volumetric sampler. Trees were geolocalized in the city and surrounding areas. The pollination phenology of 15 …

The Performance Effect Of Scheduled Carbohydrate And Caffeine Intake During Simulated Team Sport Match-Play, John Keane, Aidan Shovlin, Simon Devenney, Shane Malone, Damien Young, Giuseppe Coratella, Kieran Collins, Marcus Shortall

Articles

The aim of the current investigation was to identify the effects of scheduled carbohydrate (CHO) and caffeine (CAF) supplementation on simulated team sport match-play performance. Ten male hurling players completed three hurling match-play simulation protocols (HSP) performed 7 days apart in a double-blind, randomized design. Supplementation included CHO, CHO + CAF, and placebo (PLA). In a randomized order, participants ingested either a 6% CHO solution, a PLA solution of similar taste, or a combined intake of 6% CHO solution + 200 mg CAF capsule. At specific time points (Pre-0 min; half time (HT)-30 min; full time (FT)-60 min), participants completed …

Association Between Eccentric Knee Flexor Strength And Hamstring Injury Risk In 185 Elite Gaelic Football Players, Mark Roe, Eamonn Delahunt, Malachy Mchugh, Conor Gissane, Shane Malone, Kieran Collins, Catherine Blake

Articles

Hamstring strains are the most common time-loss injury in elite Gaelic football affecting over 20% of players per season. Thus, there is a need to identify factors contributing to the onset of hamstring injuries in order to inform injury risk management strategies. The current study investigated whether eccentric knee flexor strength and between-limb imbalances were associated with increased risk of sustaining a timeloss hamstring injury in elite Gaelic football players. A total of 185 elite male players (26.9 ± 2.7 years, 86.4 ± 6.2 kg, 183.4 ± 5.6) were prospectively followed for 12 weeks from the day of testing. Injury …

Urban Aerobiological Risk Mapping Of Ornamental Trees Using A New Index Based On Lidar And Kriging: A Case Study Of Plane Trees, Raúl Pecero-Casimiro, Santiago Fernández-Rodríguez, Rafael Tormo-Molina, Alejandro Monroy-Colín, Inmaculada Silva-Palacios, Juan Pedro Cortés-Pérez, Ángela Gonzalo-Garijo, J. M. Maya-Manzano

Articles

Ornamental trees bring benefits for human health, including reducing urban pollution. However, some species, such as plane trees (Platanus sp.), produce allergenic pollen. Consequently, urban maps are a valuable tool for allergic patients and allergists, but they often fail to include variables that contribute to the “building downwash effect”, such as the width and shape of streets and the height of buildings. Other factors that directly influence pollen dispersion (slopes and other geographical features) also have not traditionally been discussed. The LiDAR (Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) technique enables one to consider these variables with high accuracy. This work proposes …

Dna Damage And Cytokine Production In Non-Target Irradiated Lymphocytes, Jane Bryant, Laura Shields, Christopher Hynes, Orla L. Howe, Brendan Mcclean, Fiona Lyng

Articles

In advanced radiotherapy, treatment of the tumor with high-intensity modulated fields is balanced with normal tissue sparing. However, the non-target dose delivered to surrounding healthy tissue within the irradiated volume is a potential cause for concern. Whether the effects observed are caused after exposure to out-of-field radiation or bystander effects through neighboring irradiated cells is not fully understood. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of exposure to out-of-field radiation in lymphocyte cell lines and primary blood cells. The role of cellular radiosensitivity in altering bystander responses in out-of-field exposed cells was also investigated. Target cells were …

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 …

Subjective And Objective Assessment Of Taste And Smell Sensation In Advanced Cancer, Niamh Mcgettigan, Pauline Uí Dhuibhir, Michelle Barrett, Jessica Sui, Lucy Balding, Stephen Higgins, Norma O'Leary, Aileen Kennedy, Declan Walsh

Articles

Context: Taste and smell abnormalities (TSA) occur throughout the cancer trajectory regardless of cancer primary site and contribute to cancer-associated malnutrition. TSA etiology is poorly understood. Tumor-related inflammation is a possible cause. Objective: This study examined the prevalence, characteristics, and severity of TSA in advanced cancer and explored the relationship between TSA and nutritional status. No previous study combined subjective and objective measures for both taste and smell assessment in this population. Method: Consecutive advanced cancer hospice patients were recruited. A modified version of the “Taste and Smell Survey” assessed subjective TSA. Validated taste strips and “Sniffin’ …

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 …

Risk Factors Associated With Myopia In Schoolchildren In Ireland, Síofra Harrington, Jim Stack, Veronica O'Dwyer

Articles

Aim To examine the demographic and social factors associated with myopia in schoolchildren in Ireland.

Methods Thirty-seven schools participated, representing a mix of urban and rural schools and schools in socioeconomically disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged areas in Ireland. Examination included cyclopleged autorefraction (1% cyclopentolate hydrochloride). Height and weight of participants were measured. Parents filled in a participant’s lifestyle questionnaire, including questions on daily screen time use and daylight exposure. Myopia was defined as spherical equivalent ≤−0.50 D.

Results Data from 1626 participants (881 boys, 745 girls) in two age groups, 6–7 years (728) and 12–13 years (898), were examined. Myopia prevalence …

The Maternal Health Behaviours Of Non-Irish Nationals During Pregnancy And The Effect Of Time Living In Ireland, R. Palmer, R. Layte, John Kearney

Articles

Objectives Maternal health behaviours (MHBs) can influence pregnancy outcomes. Despite efforts internationally to encourage positive MHBs, women often fail to comply with pregnancy guidelines. International studies show differences in MHBs between nationalities and an effect of time spent in the host country. There is limited Irish data in this area, with no previous research relating to the effect of time in Ireland.

Study design This study is a cross-sectional analysis of the Growing Up in Ireland infant cohort, a nationally representative longitudinal study. Methods Examination of the MHBs of non-Irish nationals during pregnancy and the effect of time in Ireland …

A Custom Radiopaque Thermoresponsive Chemotherapy-Loaded Hydrogel For Intratumoural Injection: An In Vitro And Ex Vivo Assessment Of Imaging Characteristics And Material Properties, Seóna M. Rossi, Timothy E. Murray, John Cassidy, Michael J. Lee, Helena M. Kelly

Articles

Purpose Thermoresponsive hydrogels are gels which have different properties at varying temperatures. The objective of this study was to assess the material characteristics, imaging properties and chemotherapeutic drug release profile of a novel radiopaque thermoresponsive hydrogel in vitro, which is liquid at room temperature but solidifies at body temperature, to determine potential suitability for intratumoural delivery. Materials and Methods An iodinated radiopaque thermoresponsive hydrogel was formulated using iodixanol at a range of concentrations and assessed for sol–gel transition, radiopacity and imaging using CT and US. A lead formulation containing iodixanol at a concentration of 9.22% weight by weight (w/w, g …

Ocular Demodex Folliculorum: Prevalence And Associated Symptoms In An Irish Population, Orla Murphy, Veronica O'Dwyer, Aoife Lloyd-Mckernan

Articles

Purpose To investigate the prevalence of ocular Demodex folliculorum (DF) in an Irish population. To validate a modified Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire and employ it to evaluate the relationship between dry eye symptoms and the presence of DF. Methods One hundred and fifty-six subjects were enrolled in an epidemiological cross-sectional prevalence study. Each subject completed a novel questionnaire on ocular symptoms and was assessed for the presence of DF. Data was analysed to assess prevalence and to search for significant links between each symptom and DF. Results An overall prevalence of 68% was found. Total mean number of DF …