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Controlled Cytotoxicity Of Plasma Treated Water Formulated By Open-Air Hybrid Mode Discharge, Peng Lu, Daniela Boehm, Paula Bourke, Patrick J. Cullen

Articles

Plasma‐activated liquids (PAL) attract increasing interest with demonstrated biological effects. Plasma exposure in air produces stable aqueous reactive species which can serve as chemical diagnostics of PAL systems. Here, we tailor aqueous reactive species inside plasma‐activated water (PAW) through treating water with AC air spark and glow discharges in contact with water. Chemical probing demonstrated species specificity between two types of PAW. Spark discharge PAW contains urn:x-wiley:14381656:media:ppap201600207:ppap201600207-math-0006 and urn:x-wiley:14381656:media:ppap201600207:ppap201600207-math-0007, while urn:x-wiley:14381656:media:ppap201600207:ppap201600207-math-0008and urn:x-wiley:14381656:media:ppap201600207:ppap201600207-math-0009 are generated in glow discharge PAW. Species formation in different PAWs have been discussed in terms of discharge mechanisms and liquid phase chemistry process. Species specificity can provide …

Determination Of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate In Human Plasma Using Liquid Chromatography Coupled With Q-Tof Mass Spectrometry, Emmanuel Egom, Ross Fitzgerald, Rebecca Canning, Rebabonye B. Pharithi, Colin Murphy, Vincent Maher

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Evidence suggests that high-density lipoprotein (HDL) components distinct from cholesterol, such as sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), may account for the anti-atherothrombotic effects attributed to this lipoprotein. The current method for the determination of plasma levels of S1P as well as levels associated with HDL particles is still cumbersome an assay method to be worldwide practical. Recently, a simplified protocol based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for the sensitive and specific quantification of plasma levels of S1P with good accuracy has been reported. This work utilized a triple quadrupole (QqQ)-based LC-MS/MS system. Here we adapt that method for the determination of plasma …

Microbiological Interactions With Cold Plasma, Paula Bourke, Dana Ziuzina, Lu Han, Patrick J. Cullen, Brendan Gilmore

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ere is a diverse range of microbiological challenges facing the food, healthcare and clinical sectors. The increasing and pervasive resistance to broad-spectrum antibiotics and health-related concerns with many biocidal agents drives research for novel and complementary antimicrobial approaches. Biofilms display increased mechanical and antimicrobial stability and are the subject of extensive research. Cold plasmas (CP) have rapidly evolved as a technology for microbial decontamination, wound healing and cancer treatment, owing to the chemical and bio-active radicals generated known collectively as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. This review outlines the basics of CP technology and discusses the interactions with a range …

A Rational Design Of A Selective Inhibitor For Kv1.1 Channels Prevalent In Demyelinated Nerves That Improves Their Impaired Axonal Conduction, Ahmed Al-Sabi, Declan Daly, Patrick Hoefer, Gemma K. Kinsella, Charles Metais, Mark Pickering, Caroline Herron, Seshu Kumar Kaza, Kieran Nolan, J. Oliver Dolly

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K+ channels containing Kv1.1 α subunits, which become prevalent at internodes in demyelinated axons, may underlie their dysfunctional conduction akin to muscle weakness in multiple sclerosis. Small inhibitors were sought with selectivity for the culpable hyper-polarizing K+ currents. Modeling of interactions with the extracellular pore in a Kv1.1-deduced structure identified diaryldi(2-pyrrolyl)methane as a suitable scaffold with optimized alkyl ammonium side chains. The resultant synthesized candidate [2,2′-((5,5′(di-p-topyldiaryldi(2-pyrrolyl)methane)bis(2,2′carbonyl)bis(azanediyl)) diethaneamine·2HCl] (8) selectively blocked Kv1.1 channels (IC50 ≈ 15 μM) recombinantly expressed in mammalian cells, induced a positive shift in the voltage dependency of K+ current activation, and slowed its kinetics. It …

Studying The Drug Delivery Kinetics Of A Nanoporous Matrix Using A Mip-Based Thermal Sensing Platform, Christopher J. Pawley, Ariane Perez-Gavilan, Kaelin S. Foley, Sarah Lentink

Articles

The implementation of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) into sensing systems has been demonstrated abundantly over the past few decades. In this article, a novel application for an MIP-based thermal sensing platform is introduced by using the sensor to characterize the drug release kinetics of a nanoporous silver-organic framework. This Ag nanoporous matrix was loaded with acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) which was used as a model drug compound in this study. The drug elution properties were studied by placing the nanoporous matrix in phosphate buffered saline solution for two days and measuring the drug concentration at regular time intervals. To this extent, …

An Ionic Liquid Based Sensor For Diclofenac Determination In Water, Emma Brennan, Pauline Futvoie, John Cassidy, Benjamin Schazmann

Articles

This paper details a miniaturised, solid state ion-selective electrode selective for diclofenac. The sensor comprises a novel ionic liquid electroactive material – an imidazolium–diclofenac ion associate. The ion associate is present in a plasticised poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane on planar carbon electrodes, with an intermediate poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) layer. The sensitivity and selectivity of the sensor were determined using chronopotentiometric methods. In response to diclofenac, a slope of −53.3 ± 3.6 mV/dec was observed. A limit of detection of 2.90 × 10−3 g L−1 is reported, with a linear range of 3.18 × 10−3 g L−1 to 3.18 g L−1. …

Precision Control Of Flow Rate In Microfluidic Channels Using Photoresponsive Soft Polymer Actuators, Colm Delaney, Peter Mccluskey, Simon Coleman, Jeffrey Whyte, Nigel Kent, Dermot Diamond

Articles

A novel approach that allows control of flow in microfluidic channels with unsurpassed performance using light is described. Valve structures have been created using photoresponsive hydrogels based on spiropyran-functionalised pNIPAAm hydrogels photopolymerised around pillar structures within the channels. Valve actuation is controlled from outside the fluidic system using externally located LEDs. Highly precise and accurate flow rates can be selected by passing real-time flow rate measurements into a PID algorithm. The optimised algorithm also minimises overshoot of the selected flow rate, eliminates flow rate drift, and improves the system response time. In addition to the dramatic improvements in flow rate …

Criminalization As Governance In The American Racial State, Charlton C. Copeland

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No abstract provided.

From Law Reform To Lived Justice: Marriage Equality, Personal Praxis, And Queer Normativity In The United States, Francisco Valdes

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No abstract provided.

Label-Free, High Content Screening Using Raman Microspectroscopy: The Toxicological Response Of Different Cell Lines To Amine-Modified Polystyrene Nanoparticles, Esen Efeoglu, Alan Casey, Hugh Byrne, Marcus A. Maher

Articles

Nanotoxicology has become an established area of science due to growing concerns over the production and potential use of nanomaterials in a wide-range of areas from pharmaceutics to nanomedicine. Although different cytotoxicity assays have been developed and are widely used to determine the toxicity of nanomaterials, the production of multi-parametric information in a rapid and non-invasive way is still challenging, when the amount and diversity of physicochemical properties of nanomaterials are considered. High content screening can provide such analysis, but is often prohibitive in terms of capital and recurrent costs in academic environments. As a label-free technique, the applicability of …

Thermostability Of The Coating, Antigen And Immunostimulator In An Adjuvanted Oral Capsule Vaccine Formulation, Stephanie Longet, Vincenzo Aversa, Daire O'Donnell, Joshua Tobias, Monica Rosa, Jan Holmgren, Ivan Coulter, Ed Lavelle

Articles

Oral vaccines present an attractive alternative to injectable vaccines for enteric diseases due to ease of delivery and the induction of intestinal immunity at the site of infection. However, susceptibility to gastrointestinal proteolysis, limited transepithelial uptake and a lack of clinically acceptable adjuvants present significant challenges. A further challenge to mass vaccination in developing countries is the very expensive requirement to maintain the cold chain. We recently described the effectiveness of a Single Multiple Pill® (SmPill®) adjuvanted capsule approach to enhance the effectiveness of a candidate enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) oral vaccine. Here it was demonstrated that this delivery system …

Graphene Toxicity As A Double-Edged Sword Of Risks And Exploitable Opportunities: A Critical Analysis Of The Most Recent Trends And Developments, Yuri Volkov, Jennifer Mcintyre, Adriele Prina-Mello

Articles

Increased production volumes and a broadening application spectrum of graphene have raised concerns about its potential adverse effects on human health. Numerous reports demonstrate that graphene irrespective of its particular form exerts its effects on a widest range of living organisms, including prokaryotic bacteria and viruses, plants, micro-and macro-invertebrates, mammalian and human cells and whole animals in vivo. However, the available experimental data is frequently a matter of significant divergence and even controversy. Therefore, we provide here a critical analysis of the most recent (2015-2016) reports accumulated in the graphene-related materials biocompatibility and toxicology field in order to elucidate the …

Stress Hardiness And Lawyers, Pamela Bucy Pierson, Ashley Hamilton, Michael Pepper, Megan Root

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This article empirically analyzes original data to look at stress and stress hardiness in the legal profession A number of studies address stress in the legal profession and its impact on the mental health of lawyers Our study is the first to examine stress hardiness in the legal profession Drawing on quantitative data gathered from 20132016 in surveys of 530 law students and lawyers and qualitative data from 106 indepth interviews with lawyers and building on the work of research psychologists Salvatore Maddi and Suzanne Kobasa we look at whether some lawyers more stress hardy than others and if so …

Raman Spectroscopic Analysis Of Oral Cells In The High Wavenumber Region, Fiona Lyng, Luis Felipe C.S Carvalho, Franck Bonnier, Cláudio Tellez, Laurita Dos Santos, Kate O´Callaghan, Jeff O'Sullivan, Luis Eduardo S. Soares, Hugh Byrne

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No abstract provided.

An Insight Into The Superior Performance Of A Heterogeneous Gold Nanocatalyst Supported By A Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes Compared To Titanium Dioxide And Amorphous Carbon For The Green Aerobic Oxidation Of Aromatic Alcohols, Anne Shanahan, Mary Mcnamara, Hugh Byrne, James A. Sullivan

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Gold nanocomposites based on three supports, single wall carbon nanotubes, carbon black and TiO2, were prepared using an in-situ reduction technique and characterized. They were tested for their suitability as heterogeneous catalysts in the green aerobic oxidation of 1-phenylethanol, 2-phenylethanol and benzylalcohol of industrial importance. For all reactions, the use of single wall carbon nanotubes as supports resulted in superior reaction efficiency and specificity for aldehyde to that of TiO2 and carbon black. The gold nanocatalysts can be reused over several reaction cycles with a minimal degeneration in catalytic activity. The activity of the gold nanoparticle catalyst was related to …

The Cost Of Inexperience, Mirit Eyal-Cohen

Articles

Free market entry is vital in preventing concentration of market power and eliminating large deadweight losses Yet in recent years studies show that newcomers are less successful than existing firms that have diversifies their products in the market What might explain this phenomenonThis Article unveils a regulatory catch 22 It reveals that although a regulation may be efficient in correcting a certain market failure its distributional effects may create another It exposes the degree to which "economies of experience" in regulation create significant disadvantages to newcomers and provide substantial advantages to oldtimers Being wellversed in their marketplace oldtimers possess knowledge …

There's No Place Like Home: Reshaping Community Interventions And Policies To Eliminate Environmental Hazards And Improve Population Health For Low-Income And Minority Communities, Emily A. Benfer, Allyson E. Gold

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Substandard housing and environmental conditions threaten the health and wellbeing of individuals residing throughout the United States Empirical evidence on the relationship between housing and health has increased exponentially However despite the growth in research residents continue to be exposed to environmental health hazards Minorities and people in poverty are exposed to environmental health hazards at a disproportionately high rate Hazards such as lead mold pest infestation radon and carbon monoxide among others threaten individual safety and health and limit one's ability to access opportunity in society Moreover the effects of exposure can be farreaching Common approaches to healthy communities …

To Be Or Not To Be T4: Evidence Of A Complex Evolutionary Pathway Of Head Structure And Assembly In Giant Salmonella Virus Spn3us, Bazla Ali, Maxim Desmond, Sara Mallory, Andrea Benitez, Larry J. Buckley, Susan T. Weintraub, Michael V. Osier, Lindsay W. Black, Julie A. Thomas

Articles

Giant Salmonella phage SPN3US has a 240-kb dsDNA genome and a large complex virion composed of many proteins for which the functions of most are undefined. We recently determined that SPN3US shares a core set of genes with related giant phages and sequenced and characterized 18 amber mutants to facilitate its use as a genetic model system. Notably, SPN3US and related giant phages contain a bolus of ejection proteins within their heads, including a multi-subunit virion RNA polymerase (vRNAP), that enter the host cell with the DNA during infection. In this study, we characterized the SPN3US virion using mass spectrometry …

Maternal Nutrient Intakes From Food And Drinks Consumed In Early Pregnancy In Ireland, Laura Mullaney, Shona Cawley, Rachel Kennedy, Amy C. O'Higgins, Daniel Mccartney, Michael J. Turner

Articles

Background: The aim of this observational study was to measure food, macronutrient and micronutrient intakes of women presenting for antenatal care and assess compliance with current nutritional recommendations.

Vitamin D Receptor Variants And Uncontrolled Asthma, Conor Kerley, Katrina Hutchinson, John Faul, Peter Greally, David Coghlan, Basil Elnazir, Michael Louw, Yury Rochev

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BACKGROUND: Asthma is a common childhood respiratory disease, affecting around 20% of Irish children. In other populations, vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms have been associated with asthma risk. We aimed to investigate the association between 2 VDR polymorphisms and uncontrolled paediatric asthma. METHODS: 44 asthmatic children and 57 healthy volunteers were studied. The VDR TaqI gene variant in exon 9 (T/C) (rs731236) and ApaI (rs7975232) in intron 8 (C/T) were determined, using TaqMan®Assays. The lung function, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels and other biomarkers of allergy, immunity, airway and systemic inflammation were assessed. RESULTS: The distribution of T and C …

Duration Of Periconceptual Folic Acid Supplementation In Women Booking For Antenatal Care, Shona Cawley, Laura Mullaney, Rachel Kennedy, Maria Farren, Daniel Mccartney, Michael J. Turner

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Objective: To provide accurate estimates of the commencement time, duration and dosage of folic acid (FA) supplementation taken by Irish women in the periconceptional period. The study also aimed to establish the factors associated with optimal FA supplementation practices. Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Women’s clinical and sociodemographic details were computerised. Maternal weight and height were measured before calculating BMI. Detailed FA supplementation questionnaires were completed under the supervision of a trained researcher. Setting: A large university maternity hospital, Republic of Ireland, January 2014–April 2016. Subjects: Women (n 856) recruited at their convenience in the first trimester. Results: While almost all …

Broad-Scale Redistribution Of Mrna Abundance And Transcriptional Machinery In Response To Growth Rate In Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhimurium, Andrew D. S. Cameron, Shane Dillon, Carsten Kröger, Laurens Beran, Charles Dorman

Articles

We have investigated the connection between the four-dimensional architecture of the bacterial nucleoid and the organism's global gene expression programme. By localizing the transcription machinery and the transcriptional outputs across the genome of the model bacterium Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium at different stages of the growth cycle, a surprising disconnection between gene dosage and transcriptional output was revealed. During exponential growth, gene output occurred chiefly in the Ori (origin), Ter (terminus) and NSL (non-structured left) domains, whereas the Left macrodomain remained transcriptionally quiescent at all stages of growth. The apparently high transcriptional output in Ter was correlated with an enhanced …

Sarcopenia: Prevalence, And Impact On Operative And Oncologic Outcomes In The Multimodal Management Of Locally Advanced Esophageal Cancer, Jessie Elliott, Suzanne Doyle, Conor Murphy, Sinead King, Emer Guinan, Peter Beddy, Narayanasamy Ravi, John Reynolds

Articles

Objective: The aim of this article was to study the prevalence and significance of sarcopenia in the multimodal management of locally advanced esophageal cancer (LAEC), and to assess its independent impact on operative and oncologic outcomes.

Summary of background data: Sarcopenia in cancer may confer negative outcomes, but its prevalence and impact on modern multimodal regimens for LAEC have not been systematically studied.

Methods: Two hundred fifty-two consecutive patients were studied. Lean body mass (LBM), skeletal muscle index (SMI), and fat mass (FM) were determined pre-treatment, preoperatively, and 1 year postoperatively. Sarcopenia was defined by computed tomography (CT) at L3 …

Outcomes Of Exclusive Enteral Nutrition In Paediatric Crohn's Disease, L. Lafferty, M. Tuohy, A. Carey, Sheila Sugrue, M. Hurley, Seamus Hussey

Articles

Background/objectives: Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) is a safe and effective treatment modality for inducing remission in paediatric Crohn's disease (CD). The primary aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of EEN to corticosteroid (CS) therapy in newly diagnosed, treatment-naïve patients with CD. A secondary aim was to describe the outcomes of EEN in a national cohort of paediatric CD patients over a 10-year period.

Subjects/methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted at the Irish national referral centre for paediatric CD. A case-matched analysis was conducted on two cohorts matched for age, gender, disease location, disease behaviour and disease …

Sinapinic And Protocatechuic Acids Found In Rapeseed: Isolation, Characterisation And Potential Benefits For Human Health As Functional Food Ingredients, Leah Quinn, Steven G. Gray, Steve Meaney, Steven Fiinn, Owen Kenny, Maria Hayes

Articles

Rapeseed is a globally valuable crop, and its production has steadily grown over the past 20 yr. Rapeseed is cultivated in China, India, Canada and Europe; however, in terms of rapeseed production, Europe is the largest producer (Carre, 2014). In the year 2013/2014, the European Union (EU) produced 9.93 million t of rapeseed oil, while China produced 6.58 million t (List, 2015). A by-product of the rapeseed oil industry, rapeseed meal contains bioactive constituents, such as the phenolics sinapinic acid (SA) and protocatechuic acid (PCA), which have potential uses as functional food ingredients and for use in cosmetic and pharmaceutical …

Preferences Of Women For Web-Based Nutritional Information In Pregnancy, Rachel Ak Kennedy, Laura Mullaney, C.M.E. Reynolds, Shona Cawley, Daniel Mccartney, M.J. Turner

Articles

Objectives During pregnancy, women are increasingly turning to web-based resources for information. This study examined the use of web-based nutritional information by women during pregnancy and explored their preferences. Study design Cross-sectional observational study. Methods Women were enrolled at their convenience from a large maternity hospital. Clinical and sociodemographic details were collected and women's use of web-based resources was assessed using a detailed questionnaire. Results Of the 101 women, 41.6% were nulliparous and the mean age was 33.1 years (19–47 years). All women had internet access and only 3% did not own a smartphone. Women derived pregnancy-related nutritional information from …

Extraction And Quantification Of Sinapinic Acid From Irish Rapeseed Meal And Assessment Of Angiotensin-I Converting Enzyme (Ace-I) Inhibitory Activity, Leah Quinn, Steven Gray, Steve Meaney, Stephen Finn, Padraig Mcloughlin, Maria Hayes

Articles

Phenolic compounds, including phenolic acids, are known to play a protective role against the development of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this work was to generate a phenolic acid extract from Irish rapeseed meal, to determine the quantity of sinapinic acid (SA) in this fraction and to assess the ability of this fraction to inhibit the enzyme angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE-I; EC 3.4.15.1). A crude phenolic extract (fraction 1), free phenolic acid containing extract (fraction 2), and an extract containing phenolic acids liberated from esters (fraction 3) were generated from Irish rapeseed meal using a methanol:acetone:water solvent mixture (7:7:6). The …

Cd10 − /Aldh − Cells Are The Sole Cisplatin-Resistant Component Of A Novel Ovarian Cancer Stem Cell Hierarchy, Brendan Ffrench, Claudia Gasch, Karsten Hokamp, Cathy Spillane, Gordon Blackshields, Thamir Mahmoud Mahgoub, Mark Bates, Louise Kehoe, Aoibhinn Mooney, Ronan Doyle, Brendan Doyle, Dearbhaile O ’ Donnell, Noreen Gleeson, Bryan T Hennessy, Britta Stordal, Ciaran O ’ Riain, Helen Lambkin

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No abstract provided.

Advances In Control Of Food Mixing Operations, Patrick J. Cullen, Serafim Bakalis, Carl Sullivan

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Mixing is a ubiquitous unit operation within the food industry and employed not only to combine multiple ingredients, but also to control reactions and modify the structure of foods. Failure of the mixing process may result in poor quality, organoleptic or functional attributes of foods along with product safety concerns. The industry is increasingly adopting automation and advanced control strategies such as Process Analytical Technology. Sensors can provide both insights into the complex mechanisms of mixing along with effective control. Here we discuss some recent advances in the control of food mixing operations.

Controlling Brochothrix Thermosphacta As A Spoilage Risk Using In Package Atmospheric Cold Plasma, Apurva Patange, Daniela Boehm, Carmen Bueno-Ferrer, Patrick J. Cullen, Paula Bourke

Articles

Brochothrix thermosphacta is a predominant spoilage microorganism in meat and its control in processing environments is important to maintain meat product quality. Atmospheric cold plasma is of interest for control of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms in foods. This study ascertained the potential of dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric cold plasma (DBD-ACP) for control of B. thermosphacta in response to key parameters such as treatment time, voltage level, interactions with media composition and post treatment storage conditions. Challenge populations were evaluated as suspensions in PBS, as biofilms in meat model medium and surface attached on raw lamb chops under MAP.

ACP treatment …