Digital Commons Network^™

Increased Tolerance To Abiotic Stresses In Tobacco Plants Expressing A Barley Cell Wall Peroxidase, Philippe Pringuet, Norman Mcmillan, Greg Doyle, Stephen Smith, Sebastian Riedel

Articles

Tensiography is a technique that determines the physical and chemical properties of a liquid by illuminating a growing pendant drop from within using a source fibre. Light reflected internally at the surface of the drop is recieved by a collector fibre and is converted into an electric signal called a tensiotrace, which is a graph of reflected light as a function of drop volume. The instrument obtaining this signal is called multianalyser. A numerical model that simulates tensiotraces through a raytracing analysis (RAST - Raytracing Analysis for the Simulation of Tensiotraces) of the multianalyser as been developed to define theoretically …

Mitophagy And Mitochondrial Morphology In Human Melanoma-Derived Cells Post Exposure To Simulated Sunlight, Luciene M. Zanchetta, Amaya Garcia, Fiona Lyng, James Walsh, James E.J. Murphy

Articles

Purpose: To assess changes in mitochondrial morphology and mitophagy induced by simulated sunlight irradiation (SSI) and how these changes are modulated by mitochondrial activity and energy source. Materials and methods: Human malignant amelanotic melanoma A375 cells were pre-treated with either a mitochondrial activity enhancer, uncoupler or were either melanin or glutamine supplemented/starved for 4 hours pre-exposure to sunlight. A Q-Sun Solar Simulator (Q-Lab, Homestead, FL, USA) was employed to expose cells to simulated sunlight. Confocal microscopy imaging of A375 cells co-loaded with mitochondria and lysosome-specific fluorescent dyes was used to identify these organelles and predict mitophagic events. Results: SSI induces …

Organizational Centralization As Figurational Dynamics: Movements And Counter-Movements In The Gaelic Athletic Association, John Connolly, Paddy Dolan

Articles

In this paper we develop aspects of Elias’s figurational approach within organisational studies by using some of the core theoretical constructs as a model to explain organi­sational change through an empirical investigation of the dynamics of centralisation–decentralisation processes in an Irish sports organisation. Based on historical analysis, the paper documents the expanding interdependencies, figurational dynamics and shifting power balances which led to a gradual, non-linear movement towards greater integration and centralisation within the organisation.

The Impact Of Macular Pigment Augmentation On Visual Performance In Normal Subjects: Compass, John Nolan, James Loughman, Akkali Makunda, Jim Stack, Grainne Scanlon, Peter Davison, Stephen Beatty

Articles

This study was conducted to investigate whether augmentation of macular pigment (MP) enhances visual performance (VP). 121 normal subjects were recruited. The active (A) group consumed 12 mg of lutein (L) and 1 mg of zeaxanthin (Z) daily. MP optical density (MPOD) was assessed by customized heterochromatic flicker photometry. VP was assessed as best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), mesopic and photopic contrast sensitivity (CS), glare disability, photostress, and subjective visual function. Subjects were assessed at baseline; 3; 6; 12 months (V1, V2, V3 and V4, respectively). Central MPOD increased significantly in the A group (p < 0.05) but not in the placebo group (p > 0.05). This statistically …

Estimation Of Effective Lens Position Using A Method Independent Of Preoperative Keratometry Readings, I. Dooley, S. Charalampidou, John Nolan, James Loughman, Molly Breen, Stephen Beatty

Articles

Purpose

To evaluate the validity of a keratometry (K)-independent method of estimating effective lens position (ELP) before phacoemulsification cataract surgery.

Setting

Institute of Eye Surgery, Whitfield Clinic, Waterford, Ireland.

Design

Evaluation of diagnostic test or technology.

Methods

The anterior chamber diameter and corneal height in eyes scheduled for cataract surgery were measured with a rotating Scheimpflug camera. Corneal height and anterior chamber diameter were used to estimate the ELP in a K-independent method (using the SRK/T [ELP_rs] and Holladay 1 [ELP_rh] formulas).

Results

The mean ELP was calculated using the traditional (mean ELP_s 5.59 mm …

Supplementation With All Three Macular Carotenoids: Response, Stability, And Safety, Eithne Connolly, Stephen Beatty, James Loughman, Alan Howard, Michael Louw, John Nolan

Articles

Purpose This study was designed to investigate serum and macular response, and safety, to supplementation with meso-zeaxanthin (MZ), lutein (L) and zeaxanthin (Z), the carotenoids that constitute macular pigment (MP).

Materials and Methods 44 healthy subjects were recruited into this randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial. Subjects consumed one tablet per day containing 10.6 mg MZ, 5.9 mg L and 1.2 mg Z (Intervention, I group) or placebo (P group). The spatial profile of MP optical density (MPOD) was measured using heterochromatic flicker photometry (HFP), and serum concentrations of L and Z were quantified using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Subjects …

Prognostic Indicators And Outcome Measures For Surgical Removal Of Symptomatic Nonadvanced Cataract, Sofia Charalampidou, James Loughman, John Nolan, Jim Stack, Lorraine Cassidy, Konrad Pesudovs, Stephen Beatty

Articles

Objectives:

To report changes in perceived visual functioning after surgery for symptomatic cataract with pre-operative corrected distance visual acuity [CDVA] of 0.4 logMar or better (Snellen equivalent, 20/50) and to investigate the relationship between any observed changes and preoperative physical characteristics and psycho-physical consquences of the lens opacity and any changes in psychophysical findings after the procedure.

Minimal Analytical Characterisation Of Engineered Nanomaterials Needed For Hazard Assessment In Biological Matrices, Hans Bouwmeester, Hugh Byrne, Alan Casey, Gordon Chambers

Articles

Background: This paper presents the outcomes from a workshop of the European Network on the Health and Environmental Impact of Nanomaterials (NanoImpactNet) held in June 2008. During this workshop 45 experts in the field of safety assessment of engineered nanomaterials from academia, non-profit organizations and industry addressed a list of essential metrics of engineered nanomaterials that need to be characterized as a minimum.

Results: The group discussed the need to systematically study sets of engineered nanomaterials to generate a dataset that allows for the establishment of dose-response data related to specific metrics of engineered nanomaterials. Concomitantly the availability of analytical …

Do Organic Cherry Vine Tomatoes Taste Better Than Conventional Cherry Vine Tomatoes? A Sensory And Instrumental Comparative Study From Ireland, Clare Gilsenan, Roisin Burke, Catherine Barry-Ryan

Articles

A consumer panel was able to distinguish a perceptible difference between organically farmed and conventionally produced tomatoes, and preferred the taste of the conventional tomatoes. The sensory evaluation results of the trained panel revealed that the conventional tomatoes were sweeter and less sour than the organic tomatoes. In addition to this, the conventional tomatoes showed significant differences for ^oBrix, reducing sugars and electrical conductivity. No significant differences were observed between the organic and conventional tomato samples for color, size, firmness, pH and dry matter values.

Estimating The Efficacy Of Mild Heating Processes Taking Into Account Microbial Non-Linearities: A Case Study On The Thermisation Of A Food Simulant, Vasilis Valdramidis, Brijesh Tiwari, Patrick J. Cullen, Alain Kondjoyan, Jan Van Impe

Articles

Traditional and novel approaches for the calculation of the heat treatment efficiency are compared in this work. The Mild Heat value (MH-value), an alternative approach to the commonly used sterilisation, pasteurisation and cook value (F, P, C–value), is calculated to estimate the efficiency of a mild heat process. MH-value is the time needed to achieve a predefined microbial reduction at a reference temperature and a known thermal resistant constant, z, for log-linear or specific types of non log-linear microbial inactivation kinetics. An illustrative example is given in which microbial inactivation data of Listeria innocua CLIP 20-595 are used for estimating …

Modelling The Effect Of Asparaginase In Reducing Acrylamide Formation In Biscuits, Monica Anese, Barbara Quarta, Jesus Maria Frias

Articles

The influence of asparaginase on acrylamide formation, as well as colour development, in short dough biscuits was studied. In particular, asparaginase concentration, incubation time and temperature were changed according to an experimental design. As acrylamide formation was found to vary significantly between biscuits obtained by using the same ingredients and process, a mixed effect model was used to model variation of acrylamide concentration. By contrast a fixed effect model was used for colour polynomial analysis. Within the range of study, the overall results allowed the best conditions for minimising acrylamide formation to be found. It can be suggested that acrylamide …

Bioactive Potential And Possible Health Effects Of Edible Brown Seaweeds, Shilpi Gupta, Nissreen Abu-Ghannam

Articles

Marine macroalgae (seaweeds) are rich in bioactive compounds that could potentially be exploited as functional ingredients for both human and animal health applications. Despite the intensive efforts that are being made to isolate and identify new compounds with potential medicinal, health or pharmaceutical activities, very few compounds with real potency are available. Bioactive compounds that are most extensively researched include sulfated polysaccharides, phlorotannins and diterpenes. These compounds have been reported to possess strong anti-viral, anti-tumor and anti-cancer properties. At the same time, the prebiotic health potential of the polysaccharides from seaweeds is also increasingly being studied either by feeding whole …

Application Of Principal Component And Hierarchical Cluster Analysis To Classify Different Spices Based On In Vitro Antioxidant Activity And Individual Polyphenolic Antioxidant Compounds, M. Hossain, A. Patras, Catherine Barry-Ryan, Ana Belen Martin-Diana, N. Brunton

Articles

This study investigated the variations in antioxidant profiles between spices using pattern recognition tools; classification was achieved based on the results of global antioxidant activity assays (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl [DPPH], oxygen radical absorbance capacity [ORAC], ferric reducing antioxidant power [FRAP], microsomal lipid peroxidation [MLP] and 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) [ABTS]), levels of different polyphenolic compounds (gallic acid [GA], carnosol [CAR], carnosic acid [CRA], caffeic acid [CA], rosmarinic acid [RA], luteolin-7-O-glucoside [LOG], apigenin-7-O-glucoside [APOG] and total phenols [TP]) of spices namely rosemary, oregano, marjoram, sage, basil, thyme, fennel, celery, cumin and parsley, commonly consumed in Ireland were analyzed. Rosemary showed the highest antioxidant activity measured …

Phenolic Composition, Antioxidant Capacity And Antibacterial Activity Of Selected Irish Brassica Vegetables, Amit Jaiswal, Gaurav Rajauria, Nissreen Abu-Ghannam, Shilpi Gupta

Articles

Vegetables belonging to the Brassicaceae family are rich in polyphenols, flavonoids and glucosinolates, and their hydrolysis products, which may have antibacterial, antioxidant and anticancer properties. In the present study, phenolic composition, antibacterial activity and antioxidant capacity of selected Brassica vegetables, including York cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and white cabbage were evaluated after extraction with aqueous methanol. Results obtained showed that York cabbage extract had the highest total phenolic content, which was 33.5, followed by 23.6, 20.4 and 18.4 mg GAE/g of dried weight (dw) of the extracts for broccoli, Brussels sprouts and white cabbage, respectively. All the vegetable extracts had …

Application Of Response Surface Methodology For Studying The Influence Of Hydrothermal Processing On The Phytochemical Constituents Of Irish Edible Brown Seaweed, Sabrina Cox, Shilpi Gupta, Nissreen Abu-Ghannam

Articles

We used response surface methodology to investigate the effect of time and temperature of hydrothermal processing (blanching) on the phytochemical content, texture and colour
of a semi-dried brown seaweed ( Himanthalia elongata ). A central composite design was employed with a hydrothermal processing time of 10 – 30 min and temperature of 60 – 90 ° C. Predicted models were found to be signifi cant for total phenolic
content, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity, total fl avonoids, total condensed tannins, texture and colour. The predicted values for each of the responses were in good agreement with experimental values. Processing time had …

Effect Of Processing Conditions On Phytochemical Constituents Of Edible Irish Seaweed Himanthalia Elongata., Sabrina Cox, Nissreen Abu-Ghannam, Shilpi Gupta

Articles

Seaweed iswell recognized as an excellent source of phytochemicals. This study was a preliminary screening to investigate the effects of various food processing methods on the phytochemicals of Himanthalia elongata. Hydrothermal processing was carried out until an edible texture was achieved. The total phenolic content (TPC) of fresh H. elongata was 175.27 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 g fresh weight (FW) while boiling significantly reduced the TPC to 25.4 mg GAE/100 g FW
(P < 0.05).A drying pretreatment before boiling reduced the cooking time therefore leading to less leaching of antioxidants upon boiling. In terms of extract, drying of H. elongata followed by boiling had the most significant effect on the phytochemicals as TPC increased by 174%. Boiled extracts had the most effective 2, 2-diphenyl- 1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging activity (EC50 of 12.5 mg/mL). As a comparison, seaweed subjected to the same treatments was studied in terms of antimicrobial activity.Overall, extracts fromfresh H. elongata achieved the highest inhibition.

Assessing The Microbial Oxidative Stress Of Ozone: Significant Role Of The Oxidative Stress Proteins In The Survival Of E. Coli In Ozone Treatment, Sonal Patil, Vasilis Valdramidis, A. Katratzas, Patrick J. Cullen, Paula Bourke

Articles

Aims: To investigate the effect of the oxidative stress of ozone on microbial inactivation, cell membrane integrity, membrane permeability and morphology changes of Escherichia coli during ozone treatment.

Methods and Results: E. coli BW 25113 and its isogenic mutants in soxR, soxS, oxyR, rpoS, dnaK genes were treated with ozone at a concentration of 6 µg mL^-1 for a period up to 4 min. A significant effect of ozone exposure on microbial inactivation was observed. After ozonation, minor effects on the cell membrane integrity and permeability were observed. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis showed slightly altered cell …

Application Of Response Surface Methodology For Studying The Influence Of Hydrothermal Processing On The Phytochemical Constituents Of Irish Edible Brown Seaweed, Sabrina Cox

Articles

We used response surface methodology to investigate the effect of time and temperature of hydrothermal processing (blanching) on the phytochemical content, texture and colour of a semi-dried brown seaweed ( Himanthalia elongata ). A central composite design was employed with a hydrothermal processing time of 10 – 30 min and temperature of 60 – 90 ° C. Predicted models were found to be signifi cant for total phenolic content, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity, total fl avonoids, total condensed tannins, texture and colour. The predicted values for each of the responses were in good agreement with experimental values. Processing time had …

Evolutionary History And Spread Of Multidrug Resistant Inchi1 Plasmids In Salmonella Typhi, Kathryn Holt, Minh Duy Phan, Stephen Baker, Pham Thanh Duy, Tran Vu Thieu Nga, Satheesh Nair, Arthur Keith Turner, Ciara Walsh, Seamus Fanning, Sinead Farrell-Ward, Shanta Dutta, François-Xavier Weill, Julian Parkhill, Gordon Dougan, John Wain

Articles

Typhoid fever, infection with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi), remains a serious health concern in many parts of the world, particularly where sanitation is poor. While vaccines against S. Typhi are available, coverage in endemic regions is low, leaving antimicrobial therapy central to disease control. Unfortunately, drug resistant S. Typhi emerged in the mid-1970s and multi-drug resistance (MDR) is now a significant problem in many typhoid endemic areas. In the S. Typhi population, MDR is almost exclusively conferred by self-transmissible IncHI1 plasmids carrying a suite of antimicrobial resistance genes. We compared eight IncHI1 plasmid sequences and identified single nucleotide …

The Innocence Rights Of Sentenced Offenders, Mary Rogan

Articles

Civil orders which take effect after a person has been released from a sentence of imprisonment have become more common features of Irish law. Despite representing a major departure from the principle that when a person has served a sentence the state has no further „call‟ on that person, such orders have received limited attention. This article examines some of these new orders, in particular section 26 and section 26A of the Criminal Justice Act 2007. It argues that these orders should be of concern, suggesting that they are likely to act as barriers to reintegration of ex-prisoners, represent a …

In-Silico Hyperthermia Performance Of A Near-Field Patch Antenna At Various Positions On A Human Body Model, Sergio Curto, Terrence See, Patrick Mcevoy, Max Ammann, Zhi Ning Chen

Articles

A compact patch applicator designed to enhance targeted energy coupling at 434 MHz is a key enabler for sensitizing temperature increments in body regions containing superficial tumours. A detailed FDTD body model is used to explore simulated RF coupling and temperature increments for typical clinical conditions. The antenna impedance matching, specific absorption rate and thermal distribution parameters are evaluated to identify applied performance outcomes. The analysis reveals physiological-RF coupling patterns for an optimised closely-coupled single element applicator.

What Difference Does It Make?- The Current Role And Potential Impact Social Enterprise Can Play In The Regeneration Of Disadvantaged Communities, Gerard Doyle

Articles

At European level there is no universally accepted definition of what constitutes a social enterprise (GHK, 2006). However, the number of definitions of what constitutes a social enterprise reflects the diverse understanding of what a social enterprise actually is. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) (2002) definition is widely used: A social enterprise is a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners. Social enterprises share a number of common characteristics: they are …

Virtual Ed: Utilisation Of A Discrete Event Simulation-Based Framework In Identifying "Real-Time’ Strategies To Improve Patient Experience Times In An Emergency Department, Waleed Abo Hamad, John Mcinerney, Amr Arisha

Articles

Objectives and Backgrounds Emergency Department (ED) overcrowding and associated excessive Patient Experience Times (PETs) have proven deleterious impacts on patient mortality, morbidity and overall length of hospital stay. Health systems constantly seek cost-effective organisational strategies to reduce ED crowding and improve patient outcomes, but complex change implementation is constrained by the necessity of maintaining concurrent safe patient-care. Computer modelling in a “virtual reality” has been successfully utilised in industries outside medicine, in providing innovative “real-time” solutions to outdated practices. Therefore a bespoke “Virtual ED” computer model, based on a Discrete Event Simulation (DES) -Based Framework was constructed to determine the …

L-Arginine Is Essential For Pancreatic B-Cell Functional Integrity, Metabolism And Defense From Inflammatory Challenge, Mauricio S. Krause, Neville H. Mcclenaghan, Peter R. Flatt, Paulo I Homem De Bittencourt, Colin Murphy, Philip Newsholme

Articles

In this work, our aim was to determine whether L-arginine (a known insulinotropic amino acid) can promote a shift of b-cell intermediary metabolism favoring glutathione (GSH) and glutathione disulfide (GSSG) antioxidant responses, stimulus–secretion coupling and functional integrity. Clonal BRIN-BD11 b-cells and mouse islets were cultured for 24 h at various L-arginine concentrations (0–1.15 mmol/l) in the absence or presence of a proinflammatory cytokine cocktail (interleukin 1b, tumour necrosis factor a and interferon g). Cells were assessed for viability, insulin secretion, GSH, GSSG, glutamate, nitric oxide (NO), superoxide, urea, lactate and for the consumption of glucose and glutamine. Protein levels of …

Career Success Investigation, Sue Mulhall

Articles

This paper investigates how researchers have responded to requests to encourage a broader definition of career success by conducting research with underrepresented groups. It investigates the sample populations that are researched, and the type of work experience that is studied, by reviewing 89 articles in journals concerned with the construct of career success from 1992 to 2009. The paper finds that such research principally focuses on managers, professionals and administrators, and the work-related experience considered is almost exclusively situated in the domain of paid employment, particularly full-time employment. It argues that the definition of career success tends to only relate …

Tracking The Use Of Leed® In Facilities For Higher Education, Shannon Chance

Articles

America’s 4391 institutions of higher learning own roughly 240,000 buildings according to The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (2009) and the United States Green Building Council [USGBC] (n.d.). Most of these buildings’ designs reflect a time when energy was cheap and material abundant. Throughout the past century, building designs frequently ignored their surroundings, usurped energy at appalling rates, and did little to teach inhabitants respect for the environment

Effect Of Type 2 Diabetes On The Dynamic Response Characteristics Of Leg Vascular Conductance During Exercise, Oscar Mac Ananey, H Reilly, D O'Shea, M Egana, S Green

Articles

Abstract

In this study we tested the hypothesis that type 2 diabetes impairs the dynamic response of leg vascular conductance (LVC) during exercise. LVC (leg blood flow/mean arterial pressure) responses were studied during intermittent contractions of the calf muscle in subjects with type 2 diabetes (n = 9), heavy controls (n = 10) and lean controls (n = 8) using a biexponential function and an estimate of the mean response time (MRT). The time constant of the second phase of LVC was significantly greater in type 2 diabetes (66.4 ± 29.2 s) than the heavy (22.2 ± 13.4 s) and …

Evaluation Of Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (Aptt) Reagents For Application In Biomedical Diagnostic Device Development, Magdalena Dudek, Leanne F. Harris, Anthony J. Killard

Articles

Introduction: The most commonly used test for monitoring heparin therapy is the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). The response of available aPTT reagents to heparin varies significantly. The aim of this study was to highlight the differences between aPTT reagents stored in a dried format to select the most suitable formulations to be used for the development of point-of-care diagnostic devices used for monitoring of unfractionated heparin dose response. Methods: Ten reagents were analysed in terms of their performance in liquid and in dried form after storage for 24 h and 14 days. Performance was assessed by measurement of the …

Optimization Of Application Of Delactosed Whey Permeate Treatment To Extend The Shelf-Life Of Fresh Cut Tomato Using Response Surface Methodology., Lubna Ahmed, Ana Belen Martin-Diana, Daniel Rico, Catherine Barry-Ryan

Articles

Optimization of delactosed whey permeate (DWP) treatment for fresh-cut tomato was accomplished by evaluating different quality, nutritional and microbial markers. Response surface methodology was applied to obtain polynomial model equations. DWP concentration (0 - 5 %) and storage (0 - 10 days) were used as independent factors in order to optimize the process. The analyses showed that increases in DWP concentration extended the quality of the fresh-cut tomato significantly (p3 % were scored unacceptable by the sensory panel due to perceived off-odours. DWP treatment also improved retention of ascorbic acid and lycopene over storage. The total aerobic counts and yeast …

Determination Of The Effect Of Dairy Powders On Adherence Of Streptococcus Sobrinus And Streptococcus Salivarius To Hydroxylapatite And Growth Of These Bacteria, Rachel Halpin, D.B. Brady, E.D. O’Riordan, M. O’Sullivan

Articles

Dental caries is a highly prevalent disease caused by colonisation of tooth surfaces by cariogenic bacteria, such as Streptococcus sobrinus and Streptococcus salivarius. Reducing initial adherence of such bacteria to teeth may delay onset of caries. Many foods, such as milk, can inhibit microbial adherence. In this investigation, the effect of untreated (UT) and enzyme-treated (ET) dairy powders on adherence of S. sobrinus and S. salivarius to hydroxylapatite (HA), an analogue of tooth enamel, was examined. Untreated (UT) acid whey protein concentrate (AWPC) 80 inhibited streptococcal adherence to phosphate-buffered saline-coated HA (PBS-HA) and saliva-coated HA (S-HA) by >80% at …