Digital Commons Network^™

Bringing The Environment In From The Cold, Thomas Power

Articles

The aim of this essay is to present an overview of some of the basic concepts underlying the mainstream approach to the role of economics in the analysis of the causes and treatment of environmental degradation. It evaluates the mainstream view depicted by Helm and Pearce and analyses economic externalities in context, conventional economic approaches and imperfect information.

Child Sexual Abuse In Sub-Saharan Africa: A Literature Review, Kevin Lalor

Articles

Objective. This article reviews the English-language literature on child sexual abuse in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The focus is on the sexual abuse of children in the home/community, as opposed to the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Method. English language, peer-reviewed papers cited in the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) are examined. Reports from international and local NGOs and UN agencies are also examined. Results. Few published studies on the sexual abuse of children have been conducted in the region, with the exception of South Africa. Samples are predominantly clinical or University based. A number of studies report that approximately five …

Liquid Crystal Based Optical Switches, Yuliya Semenova, S. Dovgalets, Yuri Panarin, Gerald Farrell

Articles

Optical switches using two electro-optical effects in liquid crystals are proposed and investigated for incorporation in a switch matrix for optical networks. These two devices employ selective reflection in cholesteric layers and total reflection at the border between glass and nematic liquid crystal. Prototypes of these switches have been designed and their parameters have been investigated. Initial results suggest the switching contrast ratio of 38.5 and 42 dB, respectively, with insertion loss about 2.3…2.9 dB for polarized light.

Architectural Registration And It's Diversity Vortex., Shannon Chance

Articles

Architects: take a serious look at your demographics. While other professions are making strides to represent the diversity of America's population, yours lags markedly behind. Most U.S. architecture schools began admitting women and minorities between 1965 and 1972, but many who completed architecture degrees in the interim haven't yet received professional licensure. The ranks of licensed architects remain mainly white and mainly male, which denies society fair representation in shaping the built environment. Consider that African-American females comprise roughly 7% of the U.S. population but less than 0.2% of licensed architects; they've achieved proportionally higher success in law, medicine, and …

A Simple Phase-Shifting Lateral Shearing Interferometer, Emilia Mihaylova, Maurice Whelan, Vincent Toal

Articles

A phase-shifting electronic speckle pattern shearing interferometer with a very simple shearing device is proposed. Two partially reflective glass plates are used to introduce the shear in this new interferometer. The reflection coefficients of the coatings on the two plates are 0.3 and 0.7. The distance between the two glass plates controls the size of the shear. The proposed new interferometric system is simple, flexible, and low cost.

Mechancial Characterization Of Unplasticised Polyvinylchloride Thick Pipes Using Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry, Emilia Mihaylova, Benjamin Potelon, Guntaka Tulasi Sridhar Reddy, Vincent Toal, Ciaran Smith

Articles

In this work a number of techniques (electronic speckle pattern interferometry, holographic interferometry, strain gauge and finite element method) are brought to bear in order to establish consistency in the results of strain measurement. This is necessary if optical nondestructive testing methods, such as those used here, are to gain acceptance for routine industrial use. The FE model provides a useful check. Furthermore, ESPI fringe data facilitates the extension of FE models, an approach that is of growing importance in component testing. The use of in-plane and out-of-plane sensitive electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI) for non-destructive material characterization of thick …

Mobile And Accessible Dublin: An Application Of The Prospective Methodology In Developing A Vision For The Future Integration Of Transportation And Land Use In Dublin, Elzbieta Krawczyk

Articles

Contemporary cities can be characterised by a high pace of change and the growing complexity of their systems. Technological, economic and social evolution brings transformation that needs to be dealt with and accommodated in order to sustain consistent harmonious growth. Many cities are not prepared to adapt to these changes. This results in a vast range of urban problems. The rapid growth of Dublin during the last decade has intensified infrastructural and transportation problems. A number of institutions have been addressing these difficulties through the application of various solutions. This paper presents an attempt to address the lack of efficient …

Soap Opera, Com Mercialisation An D The Proletarian Isation Of Cultural Production, Edward Brennan

Articles

Abstract This article is based in a broader study of the production of Fair City, Ireland’s most popular television soap opera. The study argues that such shows are potentially important in civil society. They can promote discussion and debate on hidden or taboo social issues. They may thus inform public opinion. Until recently the potential role of soap opera in civil society has largely been overlooked. The research examined the social issues that Fair City could introduce to public discussion by examining its production process. It found the main limits on what the show could and could not say to …

Detection Of Five Common Cftr Mutations By Rapid-Cycle Real Time Amplification Refractory Mutation System Pcr., Eugene Dempsey, David Barton, Fergus Ryan

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No abstract provided.

The History Of Seafood In Irish Cuisine And Culture, Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire

Articles

Fish is one of the most abundant wild foods available to a small island nation. Certain species of seafood have moved from being ‘poor man’s food’ to ‘luxury food’ over time. It may be said that the Irish do not behave as island people since we have little or no history of exploiting the sea compared to our European partners. Ireland was late developing its fishing industry and now suffers reduced EU fish quotas, the unfortunate but necessary result of decades of over-fishing on European waters. This paper investigates the historical role seafood has played in Irish cuisine and culture …

Ionizing Radiation Induces A Stress Response In Primary Cultures Of Rainbow Trout Skin, Fiona Lyng, M. Lyons-Alcantara, P. Owell, Sharon Ni Shuilleabhain, Colin Seymour, D. Cottell, Carmel Mothersill

Articles

Fish skin is very vulnerable to damage from physical and chemical pollutants because it is in direct contact with the aquatic environment. In this study, the effect of g radiation on primary cultures of rainbow trout skin was investigated. Primary cultures containing two cell types, epidermal cells and goblet mucous cells, were exposed to doses ranging from 0.5–15 Gy 60Co g radiation. Expression of PCNA, c-myc and BCL2 was investigated as well as growth and levels of apoptosis and necrosis. Morphological and functional changes were also studied. The irradiated cultures showed evidence of a dose-dependent increase in necrosis and enhanced …

Assessment Of Obesity And Fear Of Fatness Among Inner-City Dublin Schoolchildren In A One-Year-Follow-Up Study, Anne Griffin, Katherine Younger, Mary Flynn

Articles

Background: Positive secular trends in adolescent obesity and an increased prevalence of fear of fatness, particularly among girls, have been documented world-wide. There is a lack of consensus about assessment criteria for childhood obesity and no standard exists for assessing Irish children. In 1990, the Irish National Nutrition Survey used body mass index (BMI) $26 kgm22 to describe the prevalence of overweight among Irish adolescents.

Objectives: (1) To examine the range in classification of Dublin schoolchildren as overweight according to four standard assessment methods; (2) to assess changes in weight status, prevalence of fear of fatness and accompanying slimming practices …

Validation Of A Sensitivity Performance Index Test Protocol And Evaluation Of Colour Doppler Sensitivity For A Range Of Ultrasound Scanners, Jacinta Browne, Amanda Watson, Peter Hoskins, Alex Elliott

Articles

The ability to detect flow is the most crucial aspect of an ultrasound (US) system because, if flow cannot be detected, no other aspect of performance matters. The objectives of this study were to validate a Doppler “sensitivity performance index,” a figure of merit, and to determine if it could be used to differentiate colour Doppler sensitivity performance in scanners of varying complexity. The sensitivity performance index was developed to give a combined measure of related aspects of sensitivity, such as the lowest detectable velocity, the vessel size and the penetration depth. The colour Doppler sensitivity was evaluated objectively as …

A Neural Network Approach To Key Frame Extraction, Rajesh Narasimha, Andreas Savakis, Raghuveer M. Rao, Ricardo De Queiroz

Articles

We present a neural network based approach to key frame extraction in the compressed domain. The proposed method is an amalgamation of both the MPEG-7 descriptors namely motion intensity descriptor and spatial activity descriptor. Shot boundary detection and block motion estimation techniques are employed prior to the extraction of the descriptors. The motion intensity (“pace of action”) is obtained using a fuzzy system that classifies the motion intensity into five categories proportional to the intensity. The spatial activity matrix determines the spatial distribution of activity (“active regions”) in a frame. A neural network is used to pick those frames as …

Library Support For Faculty Research, Margaret A. Leary

Articles

This article, aimed at faculty rather than librarians, explains the genesis, purpose, and present methods by which the University of Michigan Law Library provides research service and document delivery to the law school faculty, and describes the benefits to the entire law school community. I hope to inspire other law schools to develop similar programs.

Information Production And Rent-Seeking In Law School Administration: Rules And Discretion, Stewart E. Sterk

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No abstract provided.

The Admissibility Of Expert Testimony About Cognitive Science Research On Eyewitness Identification, Edward D. Stein

Articles

Eyewitness identifications are important to jurors, especially in criminal trials. Psychological research has shown, however, that eyewitness testimony is systematically fallible in ways that undermine the goals of the rules of evidence. This article assesses the arguments for and against admitting expert testimony concerning cognitive science research about eyewitness identification. The article concludes that experts should in many instances be allowed to testify about the problems with eyewitness identification testimony.

Beware Of Lawyers Bearing Ggifts: A Critical Evaluation Of The Report Of Wg Ii To The European Convention On Incorporation Of The Eu Charter Of Fundamental Rights And Accession To The European Convention Of Human Rights., Stephen Carruthers

Articles

This article undertakes a critical analysis of the fundamental rights provisions of the draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe as presented to the President of the European Council in Rome on 18 July 2003, and in particular the Articles in Parts I and II of the draft Constitution incorporating proposals made in the final Report of Working Group II on “Incorporation of the Charter/Accession to the ECHR”.

Mature Students - An Examination Of Dit’S Policy And Practice, Dáire Mag Cuill

Articles

This paper examines the current position of mature students in the Technological University Dublin, the largest third-level institute in Ireland. It also deals with the treatment of mature applicants, and the position of mature students in the Republic of Ireland in general. The focus of the paper is on equity issues, and in all discussions of equity the underpinning principle is equality of opportunity. Where places on a third-level course are limited, for example, all applicants must be treated equally and the places allocated in a ‘fair’ manner. This does not mean that one cannot discriminate in the true sense …

To Catch A Thief: What To Do With Plagiarists In The Language, Literature Or Culture Classroom, Sue Norton

Articles

This paper looks at why students in Higher Education, particularly in language, literature and culture couses, plagiarise. It considers some of the ways assessors respond.

Turning An Articulated Truck On A Spreadsheet, Jim Mcgovern

Articles

This paper describes how a standard office spreadsheet application was used to set up an engineering model for the simulation and analysis of the turning of articulated trucks

Information Literacy Programmes And Course Curricula: The Case For Integration, Anne Ambrose, Brian Gillespie

Articles

The advent of the Internet and the profusion, complexity and haphazard nature of the information available through electronic and digital resources has highlighted the issue of information literacy in third level institutions worldwide. How do we deal with the information explosion to which we are subjected on a daily basis? In particular how do our students learn to exploit the range of resources available to advance their studies and research? Can these students become fully independent learners as proposed by the new teaching and learning methodologies without the necessary foundation skills? The authors argue, based on international standards and benchmarking …

Ecotoxicological Research At Dit, Maria Davoren, Colm O'Dowd, Sharon Ni Shuilleabhain

Articles

The term ecotoxicology first defined by Rene Truhart in 1969, essentially describes the study of the harmful effects of chemicals upon ecosystems.

Defects In Death-Inducing Signalling Complex Formation Prevent Jnk Activation And Fas-Mediated Apoptosis In Du 145 Prostate Carcinoma Cells, James Curtin, Thomas Cotter

Articles

Androgen-independent prostate carcinomas are resistant to chemotherapy and cell lines derived from androgen-independent prostate carcinomas such as DU 145 cells are highly resistant to Fas-mediated apoptosis. The incubation of DU 145 cells with anti-Fas IgM agonistic antibody of Fas receptor fails to activate JNK, a stress kinase involved in regulating apoptosis. We have previously shown that JNK activation is sufficient and necessary to promote Fas-mediated apoptosis in DU 145 cells. We investigate the mechanisms by which JNK activation and apoptosis are abrogated. HSP27 is overexpressed in DU 145 cells and has previously been reported to sequester DAXX and prevent JNK …

Dit And Student Retention, Frank Costello

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No abstract provided.

Live And Let Die: Regulatory Mechanisms In Fas-Mediated Apoptosis, James Curtin, Thomas Cotter

Articles

Activation of Fas receptor by Fas ligand causes caspase 8 activation and apoptosis in cells and is an important mechanism by which normal tissue homeostasis and function are maintained. Activation of caspase 8 is preceded by the formation of a death-inducing signalling complex (DISC), and a number of redundant mechanisms regulate DISC formation in vivo. Fas receptor is widely expressed in tissues, and dysfunction of the regulatory mechanisms in Fas receptor signalling has been reported in several diseases including autoimmune disease and cancer. This review aims to identify and discuss the various mechanisms employed by cells to alter their sensitivity …

Plug Beebee Station Into Producing Hydrogen Power, Roman Press, Marianne Buehler

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No abstract provided.

How Instantaneous Is A Slaved Flash?, Andrew Davidhazy

Articles

Photographers use slaved electronic flashes as a matter of course but seldom question the delay between the firing of a main flash and that of the second, slaved, flash. Find out how such small time delays are determined using a Cordin rotating mirror streak camera.

A Two Phase Approach To Bayesian Network Model Selection And Comparison Between The Mdl And Dgm Scoring Heuristics, Michael Kane, Sahin Ferat, Andreas Savakis

Articles

This paper presents an efficient algorithm for learning a Bayesian belief network (BBN) structure from a database, as well as providing a comparison between two BBN structure fitness functions. A Bayesian belief network is a directed acyclic graph representing conditional expectations. In this paper, we propose a two-phase algorithm. The first phase uses asymptotically correct structure learning for efficient search space exploration, while the second phase uses greedy model selection for accurate search space exploration. The minimum description length (MDL) structure fitness function is also compared with the database given model probability (DGM) fitness function in the second phase. The …

Framework For Evaluation Of Tribal Water Settlements, Barbara Cosens

Articles

No abstract provided.