Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

On The Peakon And Soliton Solutions Of An Integrable Pde With Cubic Nonlinearities, Rossen Ivanov, Tony Lyons

Conference papers

The interest in the singular solutions (peakons) has been inspired by the Camassa-Holm (CH) equation and its peakons. An integrable peakon equation with cubic nonlinearities was first discovered by Qiao. Another integrable equation with cubic nonlinearities was introduced by V. Novikov . We investigate the peakon and soliton solutions of the Qiao equation.

Required Features Of A Virtual Classroom Tool For Use In Higher Education, Arnold Hensman

Articles

The integration of virtual-classroom systems into the arsenal of e-learning tools represents a major evolution in the landscape of modern distance education. For many courses, standard virtual learning environments (VLEs) provide only a foundation upon which to base a distance learning programme. However, synchronous live online-teaching software such as Microsoft Office Communicator and Adobe Connect allow educators to simulate a real-time classroom environment over the internet like never before. Since these tools are being used more and more within higher education, questions must be asked about how effective they ultimately can be in meeting student learning requirements. More importantly, what …

A Service Oriented Architecture For Spatial And Business Data Applications: An Ecampus Case Study, James Carswell, Thanh Thoa Pham Thi, Linh Truong- Hong, Junjun Yin

Conference papers

Location-dependent queries of geospatial data are indispensable for users in today's era of "Smart" environments. At general scales, Google Maps and Google Earth with satellite and street views have provided some utilities for users to query specific locations. However, at local scales, where detailed 3D geometries and linked business data are needed, there is a general lack of related information for in depth exploration of an area. For instance, the following kinds of questions cannot be answered when interacting with Google Maps/Earth on a typical university campus: what classes are scheduled in that room over there? Whose office window is …

Preparation And Characterization Of Conducting Polymer Materials For Electrochromic Devices, Lavina Astratine

Doctoral

An attempt has been made to improve the physical-chemical properties of conducting polymers by switching from aqueous solutions towards ionic liquids as novel electrolytic media in order to fabricate novel electrochromic materials. Formation and electrochemical characterization of Poly (2,3,5,6- Tetrafluoroaniline) (PTFA) was performed in aqueous solutions. The optical response was observed in order to establish the electrochromic properties of this material. Electrochromic activity of PTFA conducting polymer in aqueous conditions was investigated. Results indicated a slow colour change of 40 seconds, from delicate orange to a much intense orange colour. Electrochemical copolymerization of two monomers pyrrole (Py) and 3,4- ethylenedioxythiophene …

Dark Solitons Of The Qiao's Hierarchy, Rossen Ivanov, Tony Lyons

Articles

We obtain a class of soliton solutions of the integrable hierarchy which has been put forward in a series of works by Z. Qiao. The soliton solutions are in the class of real functions approaching constant value fast enough at infinity, the so-called 'dark solitons'.

Unlocking The Knowledge: The Key To Delivering The Compliance And Business Benefits Outlined In Ich Q10 For Medicinal Product Manufacture, Nuala Calnan (Editor)

Conference Papers

This paper presents the challenges of delivering a holistic approach to the Pharmaceutical Quality System (Q10) expectations for medicinal product manufacture. It reviews the key findings from the recent ‘Operational Excellence in the Pharmaceutical Industry’ St. Gallen Uni. benchmarking report and explores the theme of 'Knowledge as the Key'. It explores how can we utilise familiar OPEX, Lean/ Six Sigma tools to capture this knowledge and deliver the expectations and opportunities for ICH Q10 and discusses this researchers study in the area of knowledge management and operational excellence.
It also includes a review of both the Regulatory Drivers and recent …

G-Strands, Darryl Holm, Rossen Ivanov, James Percival

Articles

A G-strand is a map g(t,s): RxR --> G for a Lie group G that follows from Hamilton's principle for a certain class of G-invariant Lagrangians. The SO(3)-strand is the G-strand version of the rigid body equation and it may be regarded physically as a continuous spin chain. Here, SO(3)_K-strand dynamics for ellipsoidal rotations is derived as an Euler-Poincar'e system for a certain class of variations and recast as a Lie-Poisson system for coadjoint flow with the same Hamiltonian structure as for a perfect complex fluid. For a special Hamiltonian, the SO(3) …

Spectral Cross Correlation As A Supervised Approach For The Analysis Of Complex Raman Datasets: The Case Of Nanoparticles In Biological Cells, Mark Keating, Franck Bonnier, Hugh Byrne

Articles

Spectral Cross-correlation is introduced as a methodology to identify the presence and subcellular distribution of nanoparticles in cells. Raman microscopy is employed to spectroscopically image biological cells previously exposed to polystyrene nanoparticles, as a model for the study of nano-bio interactions. The limitations of previously deployed strategies of K-means clustering analysis and principal component analysis are discussed and a novel methodology of Spectral Cross Correlation Analysis is introduced and compared with the performance of Classical Least Squares Analysis, in both unsupervised and supervised modes. The previous study demonstrated the feasibility of using Raman spectroscopy to map cells and identify polystyrene …

Nitrogen And Copper Doped Solar Light Active Tio2 Photocatalysts For Water Decontamination, Mike Fisher, Donal Keane, Pilar Fernandez-Ibanez, John Colreavy, Stephen Hinder, Kevin Mcguigan, Suresh Pillai

Articles

A novel class of photocatalytic coating capable of degrading bacterial and chemical contaminants in the presence of visible sunlight wavelengths was produced by depositing a stable photocatalytic TiO

2 film on the internal lumen of glass bottles via a sol–gel method. This coating was prepared in either undoped form or doped with nitrogen and/or copper to produce visible light-active TiO2 films which were annealed at 600 ◦C and were characterized by Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The presence of doped and undoped TiO2 films was found to accelerate the degradation of methylene blue in the presence of natural sunlight, while …

Cyclic Universe With An Inflationary Phase From A Cosmological Model With Real Gas Quintessence, Rossen Ivanov, Emil Prodanov

Articles

Phase-plane stability analysis of a dynamical system describing the Universe as a two-fraction uid containing baryonic dust and real virial gas quintessence is presented. Existence of a stable periodic solution experiencing in ationary periods is shown. A van der Waals quintessence model is revisited and cyclic Universe solution again found.

The Effect Of Genetic Background And Dose On Non-Targeted Effects Of Radiation, Sarah Irons, Virginia Sierra, Deborah Bowler, Kim Chapman, Stefania Militi, Fiona Lyng, Munira Kadhim

Articles

Purpose: This work investigates the hypothesis that genetic background plays a significant role in the signalling mechanisms underlying induction and perpetuation of genomic instability following radiation exposure.

Materials and methods: Bone marrow from two strains of mice (CBA and C57) were exposed to a range of X-ray doses (0, 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 3 Gy). Different cellular signalling endpoints: Apoptosis, cytokine levels and calcium flux, were evaluated at 2 h, 24 h and 7 d post-irradiation to assess immediate and delayed effects.

Results: In CBA (radiosensitive) elevated apoptosis levels were observed at 24 h post X-irradiation, and …

The Influence Of Auxiliary Ligands On The Photophysical Characteristics Of A Series Of Ruthenium (Ii) Polypyridyl Complexes, Luke O'Neill, Laura Perdisatt, Christine O'Connor

Articles

A series of ruthenium polypyridyl complexes were studied using UV/Vis absorption and luminescence spectroscopy as well as luminescence lifetime determination by time correlated single photon counting (TCSPC). The complexes were characterised with regard to the variation in the electronic band-gap as a result of the sequential variation of the auxiliary ligand 2,2’-bipyridine (bpy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) and 2,2’-biquinoline (biq) ligands while the main ligand remained constant for three different main ligand types. Luminescence yields were calculated and correlated with structural and electronic variation. It was found that both the absorption and emission characteristics could be tailored through the systematic variation of …

A Theoretical Framework For Serious Game Design: Exploring Pedagogy, Play And Fidelity And Their Implications For The Design Process, Pauline Rooney

Articles

It is widely acknowledged that digital games can provide an engaging, motivating and “fun” experience for students. However an entertaining game does not necessarily constitute a meaningful, valuable learning experience. For this reason, experts espouse the importance of underpinning serious games with a sound theoretical framework which integrates and balances theories from two fields of practice: pedagogy and game design (Kiili, 2005; Seeney & Routledge, 2009). Additionally, with the advent of sophisticated, immersive technologies, and increasing interest in the opportunities for constructivist learning offered by these technologies, concepts of fidelity and its impact on student learning and engagement, have emerged …

Evaluation Of Cirs String Doppler Phantom As A Test Tool For Use In A Doppler Ultrasound Quality Assurance Program, Jacinta Browne, S. Cournane, Andrew Fagan

Articles

Ultrasound Doppler systems are routinely used to perform blood flow velocity measurements which assist in the clinical assessment and diagnosis of vascular. Doppler measurements of peak velocities for vascular applications provide an indication of the degree of the stenosis which will ultimately assist in deciding how a patient is managed. It is imperative that Doppler systems are capable of accurately measuring blood flow velocities to ensure correct diagnosis and appropriate patient treatment; therefore such systems should be evaluated regularly as part of a Quality Assurance program. Although a range of Doppler test phantoms have been developed for quality control (QC) …

Modifications Of Existing Doppler Ultrasound Test Devices For The Evaluations Of Colour Doppler Spatial Resolution, Nisma Arshad, Jacinta Browne

Articles

No abstract provided.

Characterisation Of The Colour Doppler "Twinkle" Artefact, Deirdre Cassidy, Andrew Fagan, Jacinta Browne

Articles

This investigation involved the development of a range of Colour Doppler Twinkle Artefact phantoms to characterise and quantify the “Twinkle” artefact which is often present when an irregular structure is encountered in the imaged field of view. The artefact occurs in both colour and power Doppler ultrasound imaging and manifests as a false depiction of colour velocity information in stationary soft tissue and therefore can cause significant misdiagnosis of areas of flow within the patient. It has been hypothesised that it is generated due to a strongly reflecting medium composed of individual reflectors and therefore becomes a clinical concern when …

Dynamic Estimation Of Rater Reliability In Regression Tasks Using Multi-Armed Bandit Techniques, Alexey Tarasov, Sarah Jane Delany, Brian Mac Namee

Conference papers

No abstract provided.

Software Process Improvement To Assist Medical Device Software Development Organisations To Comply With The Amendments To The Medical Device Directive, Martin Mchugh, Fergal Mccaffery, Valentine Casey

Articles

A recent revision to the European Medical Device Directive (MDD) 2007/47/EC made fourteen amendments to the original directive (93/42/EEC). A number of these changes directly affect the development of software for use in healthcare. The most significant change in relation to medical device software development is that standalone software is now seen as an active medical device and should be developed following state of the art medical device software development processes. State of the art medical device software processes is understood within the industry as developing software in accordance with IEC 62304 and standards that are aligned with it. This …

A Review On The Visible Light Active Titanium Dioxide Photocatalysts For Environmental Applications, Miguel Pelaez, Nicholas Nolan, Suresh Pillai, Michael Seery, Polycarpos Falaras, Athanassios G. Kontos, Patrick S.M. Dunlop, Jeremy W.J. Hamiltone, J. Anthony Byrne, Kevin O’Shea, Mohammad H. Entezari, Dionysios D. Dionysiou

Articles

Development of visible light active (VLA) titania photocatalysts

Fujishima and Honda (1972) demonstrated the potential of titanium dioxide (TiO 2) semiconductor mate-rials to split water into hydrogen and oxygen in a photo-electrochemical cell. Their work triggered the development of semiconductor photocatalysis for a wide range of environmental and energy applica-tions. One of the most significant scientific and commercial advances to date has been the development of visible light active (VLA) TiO2 photocatalytic materials. In this review, a background on TiO2 struc-ture, properties and electronic properties in photocatalysis is presented. The development of different strategies to modify TiO2 for the utilization …

Comparative Review Of Imaging Methods Used For Diagnosing Renal Artery Stenosis (Ras), Deirdre King, Carmel Moran, Jacinta Browne

Articles

This comparative review examines the efficacy of different imaging methods to detect and quantify renal artery stenosis (RAS). Detection of RAS is important because it can lead to renovascular hypertension which is the most common form of secondary hypertension. Furthermore, it is important that a RAS is detected as early as possible as it is a potentially correctable cause of hypertension.¹ If detected at an early stage RAS can potentially be treated using a minimally invasive drug treatment regimen rather than the more invasive percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty without or with stent placement or surgery. Currently there are a …

The 2-Component Dispersionless Burger's Equation Arising In The Modelling Of Bloodflow, Tony Lyons

Articles

This article investigates the properties of the solutions of the dispersionless two-component Burgers (B2) equation, derived as a model for blood- ow in arteries with elastic walls. The phenomenon of wave breaking is investigated as well as applications of the model to clinical conditions.

Barriers To Using Agile Software Development Practices Within The Medical Device Industry, Martin Mchugh, Fergal Mccaffery, Valentine Casey

Conference papers

Non-safety critical software developers have been reaping the benefits of adopting agile practices for a number of years. However, developers of safety critical software often have concerns about adopting Agile practices. Through a literature review this research identified the perceived barriers to following agile practices when developing medical device software. A questionnaire based survey was also conducted with medical device software developers in Ireland to determine what the actual barriers are to adopting agile practices. In addition a comparison is performed between the perceived and actual barriers and the results are reported.

Integrating Agile Practices With A Medical Device Sdlc., Martin Mchugh, Fergal Mccaffery, Valentine Casey, Minna Pikkarainen

Conference papers

The rate at which agile software development practices are being adopted is growing rapidly. Agile software development practices and methodologies appear to offer the silver bullet which can solve the problems associated with following plan driven software development lifecycles. Agile software development practices offer the possibility of achieving lower development costs, increased efficiency and improved software quality. However, there is currently a low rate of publicly available information that suggests there is widespread adoption of agile practices within the medical device software domain. This is largely due to the fact that software developed for medical devices includes challenges not faced …

Mobile Spatial Interaction In The Future Internet Of Things, James Carswell, Junjun Yin

Conference papers

Research and development of mobile information systems in the Future Internet of Things is about delivering technologies built around management and access to real-time heterogeneous datasets. Analyzing these enormous volumes of disparate data on mobile devices requires context-aware smart applications and services. 3DQ (Three Dimensional Query) is our novel mobile spatial interaction (MSI) prototype for data mining and analysis on today’s location and orientation aware “smartphones” within such 3D sensor web environments. Our application tailors a military style threat dome query calculation using MSI with “hidden query removal” functionality to reduce information overload and heighten situation awareness on these commercial …

A Life Cycle Assessment Of Emissions Reduction Potential In The Existing Irish Housing Stock: A Perspective Of International And Domestic Sources, Albert Famuyibo, Aidan Duffy, Paul Strachan

Conference Papers

As the volume of imported materials increases, the magnitude of the imported environmental impacts becomes a greater factor in the energy demand and related CO₂ emissions from the residential sector. As supply chains of goods within the global arena expands across country and region, domestic consumption of imported goods results in CO₂ emissions in countries of production. Given that these emissions are attributable to countries of import, directing information towards environmental policy experts on a complete view of total emissions of retrofitting along international and domestic sources will have an impact on decision making, and for the first …

Barriers To Adopting Agile Practices When Developing Medical Device Software, Martin Mchugh, Fergal Mccaffery, Valentine Casey

Conference papers

Agile methodologies such as XP and Scrum are founded upon the four values and twelve principles of agile software development. A software development project is only considered to be truly agile if these values and principles are followed. However, software developed for use in medical devices must be regulatory compliant and this can make the process of following a single agile methodology such as XP difficult to achieve. This paper outlines how we identified the barriers to agile adoption in the medical device software domain through performing a survey. These barriers include: lack of documentation; maintaining traceability; regulatory compliance; lack …

Analysing Domestic Electricity Smart Metering Data Using Self Organising Maps, Fintan Mcloughlin, Aidan Duffy, Michael Conlon

Conference Papers

This paper investigates a method of classifying domestic electricity load profiles through Self Organising Maps (SOMs). Approximately four thousand customers are divided into groups based on their electricity demand patterns. Dwelling and occupant characteristics are then investigated for each group. The results show that SOMs are an effective way of classifying customers into groups in terms of their electrical load profile and that certain dwelling and occupant characteristics are significant factors in determining which group they end up in.

An Investigation Of The Bioactivity Of Irish Seaweeds And Potential Applications As Nutraceuticals., Sabrina Cox

Doctoral

The primary goals of this research were to; identify the bioactivity of a range of edible Irish seaweeds, to examine the current technological procedures currently applied with respect to seaweed processing and in light of this information, to examine the potential of incorporating seaweeds into traditional food products in order to enhance their nutraceutical properties. Currently most Irish seaweeds are washed, dried and packaged, with little done to increase consumer appeal or interest and dried seaweed may appear inaccessible and unfamiliar to consumers. Seaweeds possess an excellent nutritional quality, such as high fibre and phytochemical content, low cholesterol and low …

Mathematical And Computational Modelling For Biosensors: A Modular Approach, Yupeng Liu

Doctoral

Biosensors are analytic devices which detect biochemical and physiological changes and represent an emerging technology for low-cost, rapid and simple-to-operate biomedical diagnostic tools. Biosensor design and functionality are based on well understood physical and chemical processes which can be easily translated into mathematical models involving ordinary and partial di erential equations. Using mathematical and computational modelling techniques to characterize the biosensor response as a function of its input parameters in a wide range of physical contexts can guide the experimental work, thus reducing development time and costs.
This thesis is based on a close collaboration with Biochemistry researchers at the …

Effect Of Reduction Of Breath-Holding Time In The Single-Breath Method To Assess Carbon Monoxide Diffusing Capacity, Elsa Magro

Masters

Measurement of the diffusing capacity of the lung is part of the routine pulmonary function assessment in every patient and the single breath method is the most commonly used method. This method requires a subject to inspire a gas mixture followed by a 10 second (s) breath-hold. However dyspnoea may preclude measurement in patients with advanced pulmonary disease. We sought to determine if breath-hold time reduction had a significant effect on measured DLco values.
Forced spirometry and CO-diffusion by the single breath method were
performed by a respiratory scientist with a Jaeger master-screen PFT equipment, in duplicate with breath-holding of …