Digital Commons Network^™

Predicting Quality Attributes Of Strawberry Packed Under Modified Atmosphere Throughout The Cold Chain, Kompal Joshi, Brijesh Tiwari, P. J. Cullen, Jesus Maria Frias

Articles

Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) is used commercially to extend the shelf life of strawberries. The attainment of desired gas (O2, CO2) concentrations inside MAP relies on the product respiration and the mass transfer through packaging and will affect the quality. The objective of this work is to build a mathematical model for strawberries to assess the effect of the uncertainties on headspace gas concentration and quality: 1) cold chain related temperature and relative humidity variations and 2) variability associated to product respiration and quality based on literature. Weight loss was more influenced by the cold chain storage conditions (temperature and …

Assessment Of Physicochemical Characteristics, Thermal Stability And Release Profile Of Ascorbic Acid Microcapsules Obtained By Complex Coacervation, Michele Cristina Rodrigues Da Cruz, João Luiz Andreotti Dagostin, Camila Augusto Perussello, Maria Lúcia Masson

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The aim of this study was to determine the physicochemical characteristics, thermal stability and release profile of ascorbic acid (AA) microcapsules obtained by complex coacervation. Gelatin and gum arabic were used as wall materials in concentrations of 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 g% (w/v). The coacervate microcapsules were freeze-dried and assessed for physicochemical characteristics, thermal behavior and stability during 60 days of storage. The release profile was evaluated at different pH values (1.1, 2.2, 5.4, 7.4, 9.6 and 12). The encapsulation efficiency ranged from 27.3 to 93.8%. The microcapsules of AA presented good characteristics for application in food matrices, such as …

Rapid Fabrication Of Silver Nanoparticle/Polydopamine Functionalized Polyester Fibers, Yanfen Zhou, Liang Jiang, Ya Guo, Zhenhua Sun, Zhiqing Jiang, Shaojuan Chen, Jianwei Ma, Stephen Jerrams

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In this paper, silver nanoparticles functionalized poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibers with antimicrobial activity, electrical conductivity and good coating stability are reported. Firstly, silver plated PET fibers were fabricated by rapid polydopamine (PDA) modification followed by electroless plating. Secondly, the surface morphologies and compositions of PDA modified and silver coated PET fibers were characterized by employing scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive spectrometry. Finally, the antimicrobial properties and electrical conductivity of the silver plated PET fibers were investigated. The results showed that the silver coated PET fibers exhibited excellent antimicrobial activity to both Escherichia coli and …

Study On Spinnability Of Pp/Pu Blends And Preparation Of Pp/Pu Bi-Component Melt Blown Nonwovens, Yanfen Zhou, Liang Jiang, Huiying Jia, Xiaolu Xing, Zhenhua Sun, Shaojuan Chen, Jianwei Ma, Stephen Jerrams

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Melt blown polymer blends offers a good way to combine two polymers in the same fiber generating nonwovens with new and novel properties. In this study, polypropylene (PP) and polyurethane (PU) were blended to prepare PP/PU bicomponent melt blown nonwovens. The spinnability of PP/PU composites was investigated and PP/PU bi-component nonwovens with compositions of 95/5, 90/10, 80/20 and 70/30 were prepared by using the melt blowing technique. The melt blown fibers exhibited a ‘sea-island’ structure with PP as the continuous phase and PU as the dispersed phase. When the content of PU in the blend was above 40 %, PP/PU …

Applying The Practice–Based Method In Teaching Entrepreneurship: The Case Of The Msc In Business & Entrepreneurship At Tu Dublin, Anthony Paul Buckley

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‘Since we live in an age of innovation, a practical education must prepare a [wo]man for work that does not yet exist and cannot yet be clearly defined’ - Peter Drucker Following reviews of the relevant IEET (Innovation, Entrepreneurship Education & Training) literature and after assessing current thinking and practice in the domain, it was concluded that, in the absence of empirical evidence in favour of a particular pedagogical approach, that a portfolio of coordinated practice-based methods is an appropriate approach for developing value-based learning outcomes at this time (2019). These pedagogical approaches focus on students’ attempts to discover, create …

Emerging Food Processing Technologies And Factors Impacting Their Industrial Adoption, Anushree Priyadarshini, Gaurav Rajauria, Colm. P. O'Donnell, Brijesh K. Tiwari

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Innovative food processing technologies have been widely investigated in food processing research in recent years. These technologies offer key advantages for advancing the preservation and quality of conventional foods, for combatting the growing challenges posed by globalization, increased competitive pressures and diverse consumer demands. However, there is a need to increase the level of adoption of novel technologies to ensure the potential benefits of these technologies are exploited more by the food industry. This review outlines emerging thermal and non-thermal food processing technologies with regard to their mechanisms, applications and commercial aspects. The level of adoption of novel food processing …

Third-Order Optical Nonlinearity Properties Of Cdcl2-Modifed Ge–Sb–S Chalcogenide Glasses, Xiaosong Lu, Jianhui Li, Lu Yang, Runan Zhang, Yindong Zhang, Jing Ren, Aurelian Catalin Galca, Mihail Secu, Gerald Farrell, Pengfei Wang

Articles

We developed a new type of chalcohalide glasses with physicochemical and nonlinear optical properties that are tunable by composition. It is found that more than 60 mol.% CdCl2 heavy metal halide can be dissolved into the ternary Ge–Sb–S system and forming stable glasses. The visible-light transparency range is extended to shorter wavelengths with the addition of CdCl2, which is beneficial for the optical quality control and infra-red (IR) system alignment. The third-order optical nonlinearity (TONL) is studied using the femtosecond Z-scan method. The results show that both the nonlinear refractive index and two photon absorption co-efficient decrease with CdCl2. Benefiting …

All Fibre Q-Switched Thulium-Doped Fibre Laser Incorporating Thulium–Holmium Co-Doped Fibre As A Saturable Absorber, Shi Li, Elfed Lewis, Gerald Farrell, Ahmad Haziq Aiman Rosol, A.A. Latiff, Sulaiman Wadi Harun, Bingang Guo, Pengfei Wang

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A novel all fibre Q-switched Thulium-doped fibre laser (TDFL) is reported which includes a short length of a Thulium–Holmiumco-doped fibre (THDF) as a saturable absorber. A high repetition rate (27.26 kHz) coupled with a low pulse width (19.06μs) is obtained for single wavelength Q-switched pulse operation at an output wavelength of 1911.5 nm using a pump power of 200 mW. Increasing the pump power from 200 mW to 700 mW results in the repetition rate increasing from 27.26 kHz to 99.67 kHz and the pulse width decreasing from 19.06μs to 920 ns. The centre wavelength of the single Q-switched pulse …

Distribution Of Tm 3+ And Ni 2+ In Chalcogenide Glass Ceramics Containing Ga2s3 Nanocrystals: Influence On Photoluminescence Properties, Xiaosong Lu, Zhiqiang Lai, Jing Ren, Lukas Strizik, Tomas Wagner, Yanqiu Du, Gerald Farrell, Pengfei Wang

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The distribution of Tm3+ and Ni2+ ions is unambiguously exhibited in 80GeS2-20Ga2S3 chalcogenide glass ceramics (GCs) containing Ga2S3 nanocrystals (NCs) by using advanced analytical transmission electron microscopy. Distinctively different distribution patterns of Tm3+ and Ni2+ ions are observed in the GCs obtained by controlled crystallization. The distribution of the dopants imposes strong influence on their optical properties which are revealed by absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. Detailed discussions are given of the mechanisms of the crystallization-induced PL enhancement and quenching of the Tm3+ mid-infrared and Ni2+ near-infrared emissions, respectively.

Self-Cleaning Hydrophobic Nanocoating On Glass: A Scalable Manufacturing Process, Surendra Maharjan, Kang-Shyang Liao, Alexander J. Wang, Killian Barton, Amrita Haldar, Nigel J. Alley, Hugh Byrne, Seamus A. Curran

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A method of forming a self-cleaning hydrophobic coating (SCHN) on glass substrates utilizing a scalable manufacturing process is described. The process initiates with roughening of planar glass surfaces using diamond micro-/nano-particle abrasives, which creates microscopic tortuous grooves. After cleaning the substrates, the roughened surface is vapor deposited with trichloro(1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyl)silane (TCPFOS) under enclosure with controlled humidity. TCPFOS chemically binds with the substrate via covalent linkage. Due to the greatly reduced surface tension between water and the self-cleaning surface, the water droplet slides down leaving no trail (sliding angle of 14° for 0.1 mL water droplet). Due to the reduced adhesion of …

Principal Components Analysis Of Raman Spectral Data For Screening Of Hepatitis C Infection, A. Dita, H. Nawaz, T. Mahmood, M. Tahir, N. Rashid, Muhammad Mudassar, A.A.H. Alsaadi, Hugh Byrne

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In the current study, Raman spectroscopy is employed for the identification of the biochemical changes taking place during the development of Hepatitis C. The Raman spectral data acquired from the human blood plasma samples of infected and healthy individuals is analysed by Principal Components Analysis and the Raman spectral markers of the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection are identified. Spectral changes include those associated with nucleic acidsat720 cm−1, 1077 cm−1 1678 (CO stretching mode of dGTP of RNA), 1778 cm−1 (RNA), with proteins at 1641 cm−1(amide-I), 1721 cm−1(CC stretching of proteins) and lipids at 1738 cm−1(CO of ester group in …

On The Use Of Vibrational Spectroscopy And Scanning Electron Microscopy To Study Phenolic Extractability Of Cooperage Byproducts In Wine, Berta Baca‑Bocanegra, Julio Nogales‑Bueno, Brian Gorey, Francisco José Heredia, Hugh Byrne, José Miguel Hernández‑Hierro

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Wood is an important source of phenolic compounds, which can be transferred to wine during aging process, improving its properties, from an organoleptic point of view. Therefore, understanding and optimizing the extractability of phenolic compounds from wood are crucial in the oenological field. The structural composition of oak wood samples has been evaluated using Raman and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR–FTIR) spectroscopies, and their main spectral features have been linked to phenolic compound extractabilities, as measured by classic chemical analyses. To support the analysis, microscopic images of the samples were also recorded using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The …

Traversing States: A Reflection On Digital Technology And Simondon's Critique Of Hylomorphism, Michael O'Hara

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In this article, I examine Simondon's concept of the technical object reflecting on its analogous relationship to digital technology. Intrinsic to such an analysis is Simondon's distinction between the abstract and concrete and his specific critique of the hylomorphic model. In a deeply rich example, Simondon, contra Aristotle, mobilises the process of mould-making as an exemplar of the modulated ensemble of forces that prefigure any formations of matter through form. I analyse Simondon's paradigmatic criticism while at the same time carving out the potential intersections that emerge through the kinaesthetic awareness of the body. By doing so I highlight the …

Evaluation Of Skin-Mounted Sensor For Head Impact Measurement, Stephen Tiernan, Gary Byrne, David Michael O’Sullivan

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Background: The requirement to measure the number and severity of head impacts in sports has led to the development of wearable sensors.

Aim: The objective of this study was to determine the reliability and accuracy of a wearable head impact sensor: xPatch, X2Biosystems Inc.

Methods: The skin mounted sensor, xPatch, was fixed onto a Hybrid III headform, and dropped using an impact test rig. Four hundred impacts were performed, ranging from 20 to 200g linear acceleration, and impact velocities of 1.2m/s to 3.9m/s. During each impact, the peak linear acceleration, angular velocity and angular acceleration, were recorded and compared to …

Design And Development Of Artificial Spinal Ligaments For Paediatric Synthetic Spine, Nor Amalina Muhayudin, Khairul Salleh Basaruddin, Fiona Mcevoy, Anthony Tansey

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A synthetic spine is a model fabricated from artificial materials consisting of the vertebrae, intervertebral discs and ligaments for spinal testing. The synthetic spine overcomes many difficulties associated with biological specimens such as handling, biohazard concerns, high costs, and limited availability of specimens, quality and large inter-specimen variability. This paper presents the design and development of spinal ligaments to mimic the stiffness of the paediatric ligaments for use in the synthetic spine. Spinal ligaments are uniaxial structures in the spine that carry tensile loads along the direction of the fibres. Early in the research, silicone materials were used to cover …

Interpreting And Reporting Principal Component Analysis In Food Science Analysis And Beyond, D. Cozzolino, A. Power, J. Chapman

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Principal component analysis (PCA) is one of the most widely used data mining techniques in sciences and applied to a wide type of datasets (e.g. sensory, instrumental methods, chemical data). However, several questions and doubts on how to interpret and report the results are still asked every day from students and researchers. This brief communication is inspired in relation to those questions asked by colleagues and students. Please note that this article is a focus on the practical aspects, use and interpretation of the PCA to analyse multiple or varied data sets. In summary, the application of the PCA provides …

A New Era For Reuse Social Enterprises In Ireland? The Capacities Required For Achieving Sustainability, Gerard Doyle

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The conventional linear relationship between production and consumption is no longer sustainable. A key component of the transition towards a more sustainable society is the continuation in use of products for longer and the development of a repair and reuse culture. Reuse social enterprises contribute to addressing a range of environmental, economic and social issues facing urban areas. This paper is concerned with, firstly, the motivations for citizens to establish reuse social enterprises in Ireland. Secondly, the paper examines the factors that contribute to reuse social enterprises in Ireland becoming sustainable.

The research points to the necessity of reuse social …

Discrimination By Design?, June Carbone, Naomi Cahn, Nancy Levit

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No abstract provided.

Demystifying Patent Holdup, Tom Cotter

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No abstract provided.

Women, Rule-Breaking, And The Triple Bind, June Carbone

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No abstract provided.

Wicked Crypto, Alan Rozenshtein

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No abstract provided.

External And Internal Networks And Access To Hrd Resources In Small Professional Service Firms, Ciara Nolan Dr, Thomas Garavan

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A key challenge facing small professional service firms (PSFs) in the context of implementing human resource development (HRD) is access to resources. The use of external and internal networks represents an important means of identifying and acquiring needed resources. We utilize resource dependency and network theories to explore the types of networks used by owner-managers to acquire HRD resources and the types of resources that are acquired. We investigate these issues utilizing three case study organizations located in the Republic of Ireland and interview data from owner-managers and employees. We found that small PSFs derived resources from both coercive and …

Ionic Liquid Based Polymer Gel Electrolytes For Use With Germanium Thin Film Anodes In Lithium Ion Batteries, Louise M. Mcgrath, John Jones, Edwin Carey, James F. Rohan

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Thermally stable, flexible polymer gel electrolytes with high ionic conductivity are prepared by mixing the ionic liquid 1‐butyl‐1‐methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (C₄mpyrTFSI), LiTFSI and poly(vinylidene difluoride‐co‐hexafluoropropylene (PVDF‐HFP). FT‐IR and Raman spectroscopy show that an amorphous film is obtained for high (60 %) C₄mpyrTFSI contents. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirms that the polymer gels are stable below ∼300 °C in both nitrogen and air environments. Ionic conductivity of 1.9×10⁻³ S cm⁻² at room temperature is achieved for the 60 % ionic liquid loaded gel. Germanium (Ge) anodes maintain a coulombic efficiency above 95 % after 90 cycles in …

Fluorescence Quenching-Based Mechanism For Determination Of Hypochlorite By Coumarin-Derived Sensors, Karolina Starzak, Arkadiusz Matwijczuk, Bernadette Creaven, Alicja Matwijczuk, Sławomir Wybraniec, Dariusz Karcz

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A fluorescence quenching-based mechanism for the determination of hypochlorite was proposed based on spectroscopic and chromatographic studies on the hypochlorite-sensing potency of three structurally similar and highly fluorescent coumarins. The mode of action was found to rely upon a chlorination of the coumarin-based probes resulting from their reaction with sodium hypochlorite. Importantly, the formation of chlorinated derivatives was accompanied by a linear decrease in the fluorescence intensities of the probes tested. The results obtained suggest the applicability of a coumarin-dependent hypochlorite recognition mechanism for the detection of, as well as for quantitative determination of, hypochlorite species in vitro.

Spheroid-3d And Monolayer-2d Intestinal Electrochemical Biosensor For Toxicity/Viability Testing: Applications In Drug Screening, Food Safety, And Environmental Pollutant Analysis, Evangelia Flampouri, Shahzad Imar, Kieran O'Connell, Baljit Singh

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The rise of three-dimensional cell culture systems that provide in vivo-like environments for pharmaco-toxicological models has prompted the need for simple and robust viability assays suitable for complex cell architectural structures. This study addresses that challenge with the development of an in vitro enzyme based electrochemical sensor for viability/cytotoxicity assessment of two-dimensional (2D) monolayer and three-dimensional (3D) spheroid culture formats. The biosensor measures the cell viability/toxicity via electrochemical monitoring of the enzymatic activity of nonspecific esterases of viable cells, through the hydrolysis of 1-naphthyl acetate to 1-naphthol. The proposed sensor demonstrated strong correlation (r = 0.979) with viable …

A Review Of The Putative Causal Mechanisms Associated With Lower Macular Pigment In Diabetes Mellitus, Grainne Scanlon, James Loughman, Donal Farrell, Daniel Mccartney

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Macular pigment (MP) confers potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects at the macula, and may therefore protect retinal tissue from the oxidative stress and inflammation associated with ocular disease and ageing. There is a body of evidence implicating oxidative damage and inflammation as underlying pathological processes in diabetic retinopathy. MP has therefore become a focus of research in diabetes, with recent evidence suggesting that individuals with diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes, have lower MP relative to healthy controls. The present review explores the currently available evidence to illuminate the metabolic perturbations that may possibly be involved in MP’s depletion. Metabolic co-morbidities …

Coastal Dune Vegetation Mapping Using A Multispectral Sensor Mounted On An Uas, Chen Suo, Eugene Mcgovern, Alan Gilmer

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Vegetation mapping, identifying the type and distribution of plant species, is important for analysing vegetation dynamics, quantifying spatial patterns of vegetation evolution, analysing the effectsof environmental changes and predicting spatial patterns of species diversity. Such analysis can contribute to the development of targeted land management actions that maintain biodiversity and ecological functions. This paper presents a methodology for 3D vegetation mapping of a coastal dune complex using a multispectral camera mounted on an unmanned aerial system with particular reference to the Buckroney dune complex in Co. Wicklow, Ireland. Unmanned aerial systems (UAS), also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or …

Adapting The Surveying Curriculum To New Dimensions Of The Profession, Fahria Masum, Reinfried Mansberger, Audrey Martin, Gerhard Navratil, Anthony Mushinge

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Today the surveying profession is very different from what it was twenty years ago. Recent technological innovations, globalization, and global land-related challenges have allowed a wide range of advances in the surveying profession. The vision is to promote surveying practices that can enhance the quality of services in a variety of tracks in the land profession. According to the new adjacent professional areas and the needs of the labor market, academic courses for surveyors have to be adapted to meet the broader scope of the surveying profession and to supply highly qualified land professionals. This paper outlines the new challenges …

When Ais Outperform Doctors: Confronting The Challenges Of A Tort-Induced Over-Reliance On Machine Learning, A. Michael Froomkin, Ian Kerr, Joelle Pineau

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Someday, perhaps soon, diagnostics generated by machine learning (ML) will have demonstrably better success rates than those generated by human doctors. What will the dominance of ML diagnostics mean for medical malpractice law, for the future of medical service provision, for the demand for certain kinds of doctors, and in the long run for the quality of medical diagnostics itself?

This Article argues that once ML diagnosticians, such as those based on neural networks, are shown to be superior, existing medical malpractice law will require superior ML-generated medical diagnostics as the standard of care in clinical settings. Further, unless implemented …

Private Standards And The Benzene Case: A Teaching Guide, Cary Coglianese, Gabriel Scheffler

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No abstract provided.