Digital Commons Network^™

Β-Lactam Estrogen Receptor Antagonists And A Dual-Targeting Estrogen Receptor/Tubulin Ligand, Niamh O'Boyle, Jade K. Pollock, Miriam Carr, Andrew Js Knox, Seema M. Nathwani, Shu Wang, Laura Caboni, Daniela M. Zisterer, Mary Meegan

Articles

Twelve novel β-lactams were synthesised and their antiproliferative effects and binding affinity for the predominant isoforms of the estrogen receptor (ER), ERα and ERβ, were determined. β-Lactams 23 and 26 had the strongest binding affinities for ERα (IC₅₀ values: 40 and 8 nM respectively) and ERβ (IC₅₀ values: 19 and 15 nM). β-Lactam 26 was the most potent in antiproliferative assays using MCF-7 breast cancer cells, and further biochemical analysis showed that it caused accumulation of cells in G₂/M phase (mitotic blockade) and depolymerisation of tubulin in MCF-7 cells. Compound 26 also induced apoptosis and downregulation …

Dielectric Barrier Discharge Atmospheric Cold Plasma For Inactivation Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Biofilms, Dana Ziuzina, Sonal Patil, Patrick J. Cullen, Daniela Boehm, Paula Bourke

Articles

In recent years, atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) has been widely investigated for potential application as an alternative decontamination technology in biomedical and healthcare sectors. In this study, the antimicrobial efficacy of ACP against Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms was investigated. The 48-h biofilms were treated inside sealed polypropylene containers with a high-voltage dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) ACP (80 kVRMS) and subsequently stored for 24 h at room temperature. Treatment for 60 s by either the direct or indirect mode of ACP exposure (inside or outside plasma discharge, respectively) reduced bacterial populations by an average of 5.4 log cycles from an initial 6.6 …

Graduate Teaching Assistants; Critical Colleagues Or Casual Components In The Undergraduate Learning Laboratory? An Exploration Of The Role Of The Postgraduate Teacher In The Sciences., Barry Ryan

Articles

Laboratory training is key to many science subjects and those that teach the practical laboratory skills maintain a pivotal role in undergraduate science training. Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) are regularly used in higher education institutes to teach these practical lab skills. The GTA can be involved in both laboratory teaching and assessing all levels of undergraduates. This varied and challenging role requires support from the institute and if appropriately provided the learning experience can be rewarding not only for the undergraduate, but also for the GTA. In this review, the critical role of the laboratory GTA will be examined, their …

Play Hard, Work Harder. Alternative Reality Game And Scenario Based Assessments For Learning., Barry Ryan

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In this paper, an evaluative case study is detailed as an example of alternative reality game and scenario based assessments for learning. This pedagogic approach is evaluated and recommendations for practice offered. Integrating technology into the assessment process, and final student product, influenced the chosen pedagogy. The use of technology permitted this assessment approach to be adopted for a medium sized (n=40) student cohort. The use of wikis, eportfolios and digital reflective diaries were central to creating a learning environment that centralised the student and allowed them to construct and create their knowledge through scaffolded alternative reality games and scenarios. …

Safety Risk Registers: Challenges And Guidance, Nora Balfe, Maria Chiara Leva, Brian Mcaleer, Michael Rocke

Articles

A risk database, or risk register, is a central tool for organisations to use to monitor and reduce risks, both those identified during initial safety assessments and those emerging during operations (Whipple and Pitblado, 2010). The risk register should contain all analysed risks and should prioritise the areas that require managerial attention. When populated with information on each risk, including risk ranking, the risk register can be analysed to present the risk profile for different aspects of the organisation (Filippin and Dreher, 2004). When reviewed and updated over time, it can also be analysed to present trends within the risk …

Bacterial Inactivation By High Voltage Atmospheric Cold Plasma: Influence Of Process Parameters And Effects On Cell Leakage And Dna, Lu Han, Sonal Patil, Kevin M. Keener, Patrick J. Cullen, Paula Bourke

Articles

Aims: This study investigated a range of atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) process parameters for bacterial inactivation with further investigation of selected parameters on cell membrane integrity and DNA damage. The effects of high voltage levels, mode of exposure, gas mixture and treatment time against Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes were examined.

Methods and Results: 10⁸ CFU ml^-1 E. coli ATCC 25922, E. coli NCTC 12900 and L. monocytogenes NCTC11994 were ACP treated in 10ml phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Working gas mixtures used were; Air (gas mix 1), 90% N₂+10% O₂ (gas mix 2) and 65% …

Evidence-Based Sentencing And The Scientific Rationalization Of Discrimination, Sonja B. Starr

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This Article critiques, on legal and empirical grounds, the growing trend of basing criminal sentences on actuarial recidivism risk prediction instruments that include demographic and socioeconomic variables. I argue that this practice violates the Equal Protection Clause and is bad policy: an explicit embrace of otherwise- condemned discrimination, sanitized by scientific language. To demonstrate that this practice raises serious constitutional concerns, I comprehensively review the relevant case law, much of which has been ignored by existing literature. To demonstrate that the policy is not justified by countervailing state interests, I review the empirical evidence underlying the instruments. I show that …

Rate Of False Conviction Of Criminal Defendants Who Are Sentenced To Death, Samuel R. Gross, Barbara O'Brien, Chen Hu, Edward H. Kennedy

Articles

The rate of erroneous conviction of innocent criminal defendants is often described as not merely unknown but unknowable. There is no systematic method to determine the accuracy of a criminal conviction; if there were, these errors would not occur in the first place. As a result, very few false convictions are ever discovered, and those that are discovered are not representative of the group as a whole. In the United States, however, a high proportion of false convictions that do come to light and produce exonerations are concentrated among the tiny minority of cases in which defendants are sentenced to …

'Quack Corporate Governance' As Traditional Chinese Medicine – The Securities Regulation Cannibalization Of China's Corporate Law And A State Regulator's Battle Against Party State Political Economic Power, Nicholas C. Howson

Articles

From the start of the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) “corporatization ” project in the late 1980s, a Chinese corporate governance regime subject to increasingly enabling legal norms has been determined by mandatory regulations imposed by the PRC securities regulator, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC). Indeed, the Chinese corporate law system has been cannibalized by all - encompassing securities regulation directed at corporate governance, at least for companies with listed stock. This Article traces the path of that sustained intervention and makes a case — wholly contrary to the “quack corporate governance” critique much aired in the United States …

After Search Neutrality: Drawing A Line Between Promotion And Demotion, Daniel A. Crane

Articles

The Federal Trade Commission's (“FTC” or “the commission”) January 3, 2013 decision to close its longstanding investigation of Google1 brings to a close a flurry of discussion over the possibility that Google could become subject to a “search neutrality” principle in the United States. Although the Commission found against Google on several grounds, it rejected petitions from Google's critics to create a search neutrality principle as a matter of antitrust law. This essay briefly analyzes what remains of U.S. antitrust scrutiny of Internet search bias after the Google settlement. In particular, it suggests that a sensible line can be drawn …

Contemporary Practice Of The United States Relating To International Law, January 2014, Kristina Daugirdas, Julian Davis Mortenson

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• Progress Is Made Implementing U.S.-Russia Framework for Eliminating Syrian Chemical Weapons • United States Advocates for Syrian Peace Conference • United States Extends Deadline for Signing of Bilateral Security Agreement with Afghanistan • China Announces New Air Defense Identification Zone over East China Sea, Prompting U.S. Response • United States and Six Other States Reach Interim Agreement on Iranian Nuclear Program

Crowd-Classing Individual Arbitrations In A Post-Class Action Era, Myriam E. Gilles, Anthony J. Sebok

Articles

Class actions are in decline, while arbitration is ascendant. This raises the question: will plaintiffs' lawyers skilled in bringing small value, large-scale litigation-the typical consumer, employment, and antitrust claims that have made up the bulk of class action litigation over the past forty years-hit upon a viable business model which would allow them to arbitrate one-on-one claims efficiently and profitably? The obstacles are tremendous: without some means of recreating the economies of scale and reaping the fees provided by the aggregative device of Rule 23, no rational lawyer would expend the resources to develop and arbitrate individual, small-value claims against …

The Time Has Come For A Restatement Of Child Sex Abuse, Marci A. Hamilton

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No abstract provided.

Success And Failure In Adr: A Dialogue Between Partners, Lela P. Love, Joseph B. Stulberg

Articles

Love and Stulberg critically discuss policy, scholarly, and practice developments in four areas of program development in the area historically referenced as alternative dispute resolution (ADR): the range of process options; the impact of court procedures on ADR program development and practice; the nature of ADR scholarship and training; and the general public's receptiveness to or rejection of the normative principles that structure ADR collaborative processes. Their concluding remarks suggest that the promise of ADR, particularly of the mediation process, remains inspiring to many, even if its effective implementation remains uneven.

Exosomes Are Involved In Mediating Radiation Induced Bystander Signaling In Human Keratinocyte Cells, K. Kumar Jella, S. Rani, L. O'Driscoll, B. Mcclean, H. J. Byrne, F. M. Lyng

Articles

There is much evidence supporting the existence of bystander effects in cells that were never exposed to radiation. Directly irradiated cells and bystander cells can communicate with each other using gap junctional intercellular communication or by releasing soluble factors into the surrounding medium. Exosomes and microvesicles are also known to mediate communication between cells. The main aim of this study is to establish whether exosomes and microvesicles are involved in radiation induced bystander signaling. Human keratinocytes, HaCaT cells, were irradiated (0.005, 0.05 and 0.5 Gy) using γ rays produced from a cobalt 60 teletherapy unit. After irradiation, the cells were …

Cell Survival And Dna Damage In Normal Prostate Cells Irradiated Out-Of-Field, L. Shields, I. Vega-Carrascal, S. Singleton, F. M. Lyng, B. Mcclean

Articles

Interest in out-of-field radiation dose has been increasing with the introduction of new techniques, such as volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). These new techniques offer superior conformity of high-dose regions to the target compared to conventional techniques, however more normal tissue is exposed to low-dose radiation with VMAT. There is a potential increase in radiobiological effectiveness associated with lower energy photons delivered during VMAT as normal cells are exposed to a temporal change in incident photon energy spectrum. During VMAT deliveries, normal cells can be exposed to the primary radiation beam, as well as to transmission and scatter radiation. The …

Concentrated Ownership And Corporate Control: Wallenberg Sphere And Samsung Group, Hwa-Jin Kim

Articles

Samsung Group’s success cannot be attributed to its corporate governance structure, at least thus far. The corporate governance of Samsung has been rather controversial. As the group faces the succession issue the corporate governance has become as crucial as their new products and services. Samsung has discovered a role model on the other side of the planet, Wallenberg Sphere in Sweden. Much effort has been made to learn about Wallenberg’s arrangements and key to its success. However, a fundamental difference between the institutions in Sweden and Korea has made the corporate structures of the two groups radically different. Wallenberg uses …

Concern-Driven Integrated Toxicity Testing Strategies For Nanomaterials - Report Of The Nanosafety Cluster Working Group 10, Hugh Byrne, Agnes G. Oomen, Peter M.J. Bos, Teresa F. Fernandes, Kerstin Hund-Rinke, Diana Boraschi, Karin Aschberger, Stefania Gottardo, Frank Von Der Kammer, Dana Kühnel, Danail Hristozov, Antonio Marcomini, Lucia Migliore

Articles

Bringing together topic-related European Union-(EU)-funded projects, the so-called “NanoSafety Cluster” aims at identifying key areas for further research on risk assessment procedures for nanomaterials (NM). The outcome of NanoSafety Cluster Working Group 10, this commentary presents a vision for concern-driven integrated approaches for the (eco-)toxicological testing and assessment (IATA) of NM. Such approaches should start out by determining concerns, i.e. specific information needs for a given NM based on realistic exposure scenarios. Recognized concerns can be addressed in a set of tiers using standardized protocols for NM preparation and testing. Tier 1 includes determining physico-chemical properties, non-testing (e.g. structure …

Magnifying Deterrence By Prosecuting Professionals, Scott A. Schumacher

Articles

This article examines the recent series of criminal prosecutions against tax professionals and offshore bankers. These criminal cases, brought against the largest Swiss bank (UBS), the oldest Swiss bank (Wegelin), one of the largest accounting firms in the world (KPMG), as well as numerous lawyers and accountants, was a dramatic shift for the U.S. Department of Justice. After decades of tolerating abusive tax shelters and tax haven banks, the Government changed its policy. However, rather than indicting the individuals and corporations who invested in tax shelters or hid money in offshore accounts, the Justice Department indicted the lawyers, accountants, and …

Disability, Repressive Regimes, And Health Disparity: Assessing Country Conditions In North Korea, Jae-Chun Won, Janet E. Lord, Michael Ashley Stein, Yosung Song

Articles

This article examines the potential of international human rights standards to account for heightened risk and vulnerability to human rights abuses for persons with disabilities in politically repressive environments. We offer a preliminary assessment of whether and how a disability-cognizant accounting of human rights in repressive regimes can lead to a more credible and comprehensive understanding of disability in such contexts. In so doing, we make the case for a more thorough and thoughtful application of international disability rights standards to better inform human rights investigations, transitional justice approaches, and international criminal law proceedings. To illustrate this methodology, we analyze …

Mechanism Of Multiple Grating Formation In High-Energy Recording Of Holographic Sensors, Ali K. Yetisen, Yunuen Montelongo, Nicholas M. Farandos, Izabela Naydenova, Christopher R. Lowe, Seok Hyun Yun

Articles

We report numerical analyses of Bragg diffraction by Denisyuk reflection holograms recorded by a high-energy pulsed laser. An intensity threshold must be passed to pattern a multilayer reflection and transmission hologram, which exhibits a nonlinear fringe structure. Numerical evaluations are provided for the laser light intensity, readout diffraction offset angle, transmission of the layer, and thickness of the polymer matrix during hologram recording. A non-sinusoidal surface pattern is formed at the top of the multilayer structure, and its effect on the diffraction properties of the structure becomes significant when the recording tilt angle is increased. Experimental results show that the …

Bringing It All Together Through Group Learning, Shannon Chance

Articles

Interpersonal and trans-disciplinary collaboration can facilitate and amplify the benefits of learning. Drawing from ideas presented throughout this volume, this culminating chapter describes ways to enhance collaborative learning within and among various stakeholder groups.

Resilient Digital Image Watermarking For Document Authentication, Jonathan Blackledge, Oleksandr Iakovenko

Articles

Abstract—We consider the applications of the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) and then a Chirp coding method for producing a highly robust system for watermarking images using a block partitioning approach subject to a self-alignment strategy and bit error correction. The applications for the algorithms presented and the system developed include the copyright protection of images and Digital Right Management for image libraries, for example. However, the principal focus of the research reported in this paper is on the use of printscan and e-display-scan image authentication for use in e-tickets where QR code, for example, are embedded in a full colour …

A Quantitative Analysis Of The Impact Of Wind Energy Penetration On Electricity Prices In Ireland, Micheal O'Flaherty, Niall Riordan, Noel O'Neill, Ciara Ahern

Articles

The maturity of wind technology combined with availability of suitable sites means Ireland is on course to generate 40% of its electricity from the wind by 2020.This work sets out to quantify, to what degree, if any, increased wind penetration translates into reduced wholesale and retail prices for electricity. The consensus from the literature is that increasing wind penetration reduces wholesale electricity prices, but views vary as to what degree this translates into reduced retail prices for the consumer.

This work demonstrates the effect of wind energy penetration on the price of electricity in Ireland using quantitative data from the …

Trim68 Negatively Regulates Ifn-B Production By Degrading Trk Fused Gene, A Novel Driver Of Ifn-B Downstream Of Anti-Viral Detection Systems, Claire Wynne, Elisa Lazzari, Siobhan Smith, Eoghan Mccarthy, Joan Ni Gabhann, Lara Kallai, Rowan Higgs, Sally Ann Cryan, Christine Byron, Caroline Jefferies

Articles

In recent years members of the tripartite motif-containing (TRIM) family of E3 ubiquitin ligases have been shown to both positively and negatively regulate viral defence and as such are emerging as compelling targets for modulating the anti-viral immune response. In this study we identify TRIM68, a close homologue of TRIM21, as a novel regulator of Toll-like receptor (TLR)- and RIG-I-like receptor (RLR)-driven type I IFN production. Proteomic analysis of TRIM68-containing complexes identified TRK-fused gene (TFG) as a potential TRIM68 target. Overexpression of TRIM68 and TFG confirmed their ability to associate, with TLR3 stimulation appearing to enhance the interaction. TFG is …

Getting Started With Research " Beginning: Defining A Research Question And Preparing A Research Plan, Jacinta Browne

Articles

Research is the lifeblood of medicine with innovations being made in the different technologies used to diagnose and / or screen for the presence of disease or to deliver treatments with higher efficacy. Scientific publication is the network of vessels which delivers the lifeblood. The outputs of research provides us with tomorrows medicine. In this series of articles we will be discussing the different aspects of carrying out research from the conception of the research idea to publication in a peer reviewed journal with the cycle repeating again with new research ideas emerging from the research conducted.

Getting Started With Research "Carrying Out Your Research Project", Jacinta Browne

Articles

This paper gives an overview of the considerations and practical aspects of carrying out a research project which may be of use to those beginning their research career or simply carrying out a research project for the first time as part of an academic qualification. It outlines practical steps for consideration in the day to day management of a research project and highlights areas which require particular consideration for a project to be completed successfully.

Holographic Sensors: Three-Dimensional Analyte-Sensitive Nanostructures And Their Applications, Ali K. Yetisen, Izabela Naydenova, Fernando Da Cruz Vasconcellos, Jeffrey Blyth, Christopher R. R. Lowe

Articles

Holographic sensors are analytical devices that systematically diffract narrow-band light in the ultraviolet to near-infrared range for application in the detection and quantification of analytes and/or physical parameters. They can be functionalized with analyte-responsive materials to construct highly sensitive optical sensors for use in testing, where a visual readout, fast turnaround time, and reversibility are needed. Holography allows fabrication of disposable sensors that are lightweight for miniaturization and multiplexing purposes.3 Holographic sensors offer three capabilities on a single analytical device: (i) label-free analyte-responsive polymer, (ii) real-time, reversible quantification of the external stimuli, and (iii) three-dimensional visual image display.

Socioeconomic Differentials In The Immediate Mortality Effects Of The National Irish Smoking Ban, Patrick J. Goodman, Sericea Stallings-Smith, Ariana Zeka, Z. Kabir, Luke Clancy

Articles

Background: Consistent evidence has demonstrated that smoking ban policies save lives, but impacts on health inequalities are uncertain as few studies have assessed post-ban effects by socioeconomic status (SES) and findings have been inconsistent. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of the national Irish smoking ban on ischemic heart disease (IHD), stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) mortality by discrete and composite SES indicators to determine impacts on inequalities. Methods: Census data were used to assign frequencies of structural and material SES indicators to 34 local authorities across Ireland with a 2000–2010 study period. Discrete …

Through A Glass, Darkly: The Rhetoric And Reality Of Campaign Finance Disclosure, Jennifer A. Heerwig, Katherine Shaw

Articles

In Citizens United v. FEC, the Supreme Court swept away long-standing limits on corporate spending in federal elections, but it also strongly affirmed the constitutionality of robust disclosure and disclaimer requirements. In the wake of that decision, many proponents of campaign finance regulation have turned their attention to disclosure as the best remaining mechanism by which to regulate money in elections. At the same time, opponents of campaign finance regulation — including the legal team behind Citizens United — have trained their sights on disclosure, filing new challenges to existing disclosure require- ments in a number of state or federal …