Digital Commons Network^™

Infrared Based Saliva Screening Test For Covid-19, Bayden R. Wood, Kamila Kochan, Diana E. Bedolla, Natalia Salazar‐Quiroz, Samantha L. Grimley, David Perezguaita, Matthew J. Baker, Jitraporn Vongsvivut, Mark J. Tobin, Keith R. Bambery, Dale Christensen, Shivani Pasricha, Anthony K. Eden, Aaron Mclean

Articles

Abstract: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has resulted in an unprecedented need for diagnostic testing that is critical in controlling the spread of COVID-19. We propose a portable infrared spectrometer with purpose-built transflection accessory for rapid point-of-care detection of COVID-19 markers in saliva. Initially, purified virion particles were characterized with Raman spectroscopy, synchrotron infrared (IR) and AFM-IR. A data set comprising 171 transflection infrared spectra from 29 patients testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-qPCR and 28 testing negative, was modeled using Monte Carlo Double Cross Validation with 50 randomized test and model sets. The testing sensitivity was 93 % …

From Bench To Worktop: Rapid Evaluation Of Nutritional Parameters In Liquid Foodstuffs By Ir Spectroscopy, David Perezguaita

Articles

We evaluated the use of attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy for simultaneous in situ quantification of the nutritional composition of liquid food stuffs in the industrial kitchen context. Different methodologies were compared, including dry and wet acquisition along with instrument parameters and measurement times of 4 and 60 s. The most effective technique was 1-minute measurement, with prediction errors of 2.6, 0.7, 1.0, 2.2, 0.8, 2.4 g/100 mL and 150 Kcal, for carbohydrates, proteins, fat, sugars, saturated fat, water and energy values, respectively.The 4-second method resulted in larger errors but was more applicable for inline measurements. Dry measurements successfully predicted …

Atmospheric Pressure Dry Etching Of Polysilicon Layers For Highly Reverse Bias-Stable Topcon Solar Cells, Bishal Kafle, Sebastian Mack, Christopher Teßmann, Sattar Bashardoust, Laurent Clochard, Edward Duffy, Andreas Wolf, Marc Hofmann, Jochen Rentsch

Articles

Single-sided etching (SSE) of a-Si/poly-Si is typically considered a challenge for realizing a cost-efficient TOPCon production sequence, as there is a certain degree of unwanted wrap-around for poly-Si deposition technologies such as low pressure chemical vapor deposition, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition. To date, alkaline or acidic wet-chemical solutions in either inline or batch configurations are used for this purpose. Herein, an alternative SSE process is proposed using an inline dry etching tool, which applies molecular fluorine as the etching gas under atmospheric pressure conditions. The developed etching process performs complete etching of both as-deposited …

Ice-Breaking Fleets Of The United States And Canada : Assessing The Current State Of Affairs And Future Plans, Megan Drewniak, Dimitrios Dalaklis, Anastasia Christodoulou, Rebecca Sheehan

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In recent years, a continuous decline of ice-coverage in the Arctic has been recorded, but these high latitudes are still dominated by earth’s polar ice cap. Therefore, safe and sustainable shipping operations in this still frozen region have as a precondition the availability of ice-breaking support. The analysis in hand provides an assessment of the United States’ and Canada’s polar ice-breaking program with the purpose of examining to what extent these countries’ relevant resources are able to meet the facilitated growth of industrial interests in the High North. This assessment will specifically focus on the maritime transportation sector along the …

Perspectives On Cyber Security For Offshore Oil And Gas Assets, Iosif Progoulakis, Nikitas Nikitakos, Paul Rohmeyer, Barry Bunin, Dimitrios Dalaklis, Stavros Karamperidis

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In an ever-evolving technological industry, the oil and gas sector is already moving forward through the adaptation of Industry 4.0 and the adaptation of advanced cyber technologies through Oil and Gas 4.0. As IT/OT (information technology/operational technology) systems are evolving technologically, so are the cyber security threats faced by the offshore oil and gas assets. This paper aims to raise the awareness of cyber security threats and the organizational and technical measures that need to be adopted by the oil and gas industry for remote and complex assets in the upstream sector. A comprehensive literature review covering the areas of …

Perspectives On Cyber Security For Offshore Oil And Gas Assets, Iosif Progoulakis, Nikitas Nikitakos, Paul Rohmeyer, Barry Bunin, Dimitrios Dalaklis, Stavros Karamperidis

Articles

In an ever-evolving technological industry, the oil and gas sector is already moving forward through the adaptation of Industry 4.0 and the adaptation of advanced cyber technologies through Oil and Gas 4.0. As IT/OT (information technology/operational technology) systems are evolving technologically, so are the cyber security threats faced by the offshore oil and gas assets. This paper aims to raise the awareness of cyber security threats and the organizational and technical measures that need to be adopted by the oil and gas industry for remote and complex assets in the upstream sector. A comprehensive literature review covering the areas of …

The Northwest Passage In The Arctic : A Brief Assessment Of The Relevant Marine Transportation System And Current Availability Of Search And Rescue Services, Rebecca Sheehan, Dimitrios Dalaklis, Anastasia Christodoulou, Megan Drewniak, Peter Raneri, Angelos Dalaklis

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No abstract provided.

Liquefied Natural Gas As Ship Fuel : A Maltese Regulatory Gap Analysis, Mark Philip Cassar, Dimitrios Dalaklis, Fabio Ballini, Seyedvahid Vakili

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With water covering almost three-quarters of the Earth’s surface and by factoring in that the maritime transport industry is holding a comparative advantage in relation to all other means, activities associated with the seas and oceans of our planet are extremely vital for a normal functioning of global trade. Furthermore, evaluating the opportunities of the so-called “Blue Economy” and possibilities for further growth should be at the epicentre of future development plans. Indicative examples - apart from various endeavours of maritime transport - include other sectors, like shipbuilding and repairs, fishing activities and related processes, as well as oil and …

Can Market-Based Measures Stimulate Investments In Green Technologies For The Abatement Of Ghg Emissions From Shipping? A Review Of Proposed Market-Based Measures, Anastasia Christodoulou, Dimitrios Dalaklis, Aykut Ölcer, Fabio Ballini

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In order for the maritime sector to align itself with the targets set by the Paris Agreement, it should reduce its GHG emissions by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008 with the ultimate aim to phase them out entirely. It is along these lines that in April 2018 the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) developed a strategy, consisting of a range of potential technical and operational measures to reduce GHG emissions from international shipping, ranking from improvements on ship design to the employment of alternative fuels. In order to stimulate the adoption of these policies, the IMO also considers …

Cr Cybermar As A Solution Path Towards Cybersecurity Soundness In Maritime Logistics Domain, Monica Canepa, Fabio Ballini, Dimitrios Dalaklis, Seyedvahid Vakili, Luis Miguel Colmenares Hernandez

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Cybersecurity is now considered as one of the main challenges for the maritime sector. At the same time, the maritime transport industry remains one of the most relevant and driving sectors for the global economy in terms of both the number and operations of active companies, and infrastructure and investments, thanks to the policies pushed to attract the latter. Maritime information systems, whether on board ships or in ports, are numerous, built with standard components available on the market and in many cases designed without factoring in well the ever-growing cyber risk. Digital infrastructure has become essential in operating and …

Repercussions Of A Weak Ocean Governance And A Non-Existent Maritime Security Policy : The Resurgence Of Piracy And Armed Robbery In The Gulf Of Mexico, Adriana Avila-Zúñiga Nordfjeld, Dimitrios Dalaklis

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Piracy and armed robbery attacks against vessels at anchoring areas of ports in the Southern Gulf of Mexico and oil platforms located in the region have increased significantly during the last three years. Only during the first seven months of 2020, research efforts have documented 14 piratical attacks, but only 3 of them were officially reported to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) by the attacked vessel’s flag jurisdiction and not by Mexico, the State where these incidents occurred.

Maritime Robotics And Autonomous Systems Operations : Exploring Pathways For Overcoming International Techno-Regulatory Data Barriers, Tafsir Martin Johansson, Dimitrios Dalaklis, Aspasia Pastra

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The current regulatory landscape that applies to maritime service robotics, aptly termed as robotics and autonomous systems (RAS), is quite complex. When it comes to patents, there are multifarious considerations in relation to vessel survey, inspection, and maintenance processes under national and international law. Adherence is challenging, given that the traditional delivery methods are viewed as unsafe, strenuous, and laborious. Service robotics, namely micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) or drones, magnetic-wheeled crawlers (crawlers), and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), function by relying on the architecture of the Internet of Robotic Things. The aforementioned are being introduced as time-saving apparatuses, accompanied by the …

Parents' Experiences Of A Language-Focused Home Visiting Scheme In Ireland, Aisling Ni Dhiorbhain Dr, Maire Mhic Mhathuna, Padraig Ó Duibhir Dr

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This article reports parents’ experiences of the Tús Maith (Good Start) home visiting scheme in South-West Ireland. The goal of Tús Maith is to support parents who wish to speak Irish to their children at home in the Kerry Gaeltacht, an Irish-speaking heartland area. Home visitors spend an hour a week, over a period of six weeks, interacting with children and parents with varying levels of competency in Irish. Home visitors who are native speakers of Irish, offer individualised guidance on how to promote the use of Irish as a home language, while encouraging families to engage in activities …

Thoughts On The Future Of Higher Education In The Uk: A Personal View With A Historical Context, Jonathan Blackledge

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Before the effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic, there had been continued debate about the future of Higher Education (HE) in the UK. It is now accepted that the effect of the pandemic will have a long-lasting effect on HE in the UK and elsewhere. This paper addresses the changes that are currently taking place, based on a strategy that aims to develop a future knowledge-based economy, following the UK governments 2019 landmark review of HE. It explores the underlying parallels between the current situation and certain historical events that catalysed the development of a new approach to HE in the …

Super Twisting Sliding-Mode Control Of Dvr With Frequency-Adaptive Brockett Oscillator, Samet Biricik, Hasan Komurcugil, Hafiz Ahmed, Ebrahim Babaei

Articles

This paper presents a super twisting sliding mode control (ST-SMC) for single-phase dynamic voltage restorers (DVRs). Unlike the conventional first-order sliding mode controller, the proposed ST-SMC technique eliminates the need for differentiating the compensation voltage in the sliding surface function while keeping the merits of first-order SMC. As a consequence of employing ST-SMC, a continuous control signal is achieved from which the pulse width modulation (PWM) signals can be generated. In this case, the inverter operates at constant switching frequency. The stability analysis of ST-SMC is also presented. The reference compensation voltage needed in ST-SMC is estimated by using Brockett …

The Discrete Fourier Transform - A Practical Approach, David Dorran

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These notes on the Discrete Fourier Transform include numerous practical examples that make use of audio signals.

Examination Of Driver Visual And Cognitive Responses To Billboard Elicited Passive Distraction Using Eye-Fixation Related Potential, Yongxiang Wang, William Clifford, Charles Markham, Catherine Deegan

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Distractions external to a vehicle contribute to visual attention diversion that may cause traffic accidents. As a low-cost and efficient advertising solution, billboards are widely installed on side of the road, especially the motorway. However, the effect of billboards on driver distraction, eye gaze, and cognition has not been fully investigated. This study utilises a customised driving simulator and synchronised electroencephalography (EEG) and eye tracking system to investigate the cognitive processes relating to the processing of driver visual information. A distinction is made between eye gaze fixations relating to stimuli that assist driving and others that may be a source …

Machine Learning Augmented Near-Infrared Spectroscopy: In Vivo Follow-Up Of Cartilage Defects, J. K. Sarin, N. C.R. Te Moller, A. Mohammadi, M. Prakash, J. Torniainen, H. Brommer, E. Nippolainen, R. Shaikh, J. T.A. Mäkelä, R. K. Korhonen, P. R. Van Weeren, I. O. Afara, J. Töyräs

Articles

Objective: To assess the potential of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for in vivo arthroscopic monitoring of cartilage defects. Method: Sharp and blunt cartilage grooves were induced in the radiocarpal and intercarpal joints of Shetland ponies and monitored at baseline (0 weeks) and at three follow-up timepoints (11, 23, and 39 weeks) by measuring near-infrared spectra in vivo at and around the grooves. The animals were sacrificed after 39 weeks and the joints were harvested. Spectra were reacquired ex vivo to ensure reliability of in vivo measurements and for reference analyses. Additionally, cartilage thickness and instantaneous modulus were determined via computed tomography …

Beyond Charge Transfer: The Impact Of Auger Recombination And Fret On Pl Quenching In An Rgo-Qds System, Anton Babaev, Anastasiia Sokolova, Kevin Berwick, Alexander Baranov, Anatoly Fedorov, Aleksandr P. Litvin

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PL intensity quenching and the PL lifetime reduction of fluorophores located close to gra‐ phene derivatives are generally explained by charge and energy transfer processes. Analyzing the PL from PbS QDs in rGO/QD systems, we observed a substantial reduction in average PL lifetimes with an increase in rGO content that cannot be interpreted solely by these two processes. To explain the PL lifetime dependence on the rGO/QD component ratio, we propose a model based on the Auger recombination of excitations involving excess holes left in the QDs after the charge transfer process. To validate the model, we conducted additional experiments …

Using Case Studies In Engineering Ethics Education: The Case For Immersive Scenarios Through Stakeholder Engagement And Real Life Data, Diana Adela Martin, Eddie Conlon, Brian Bowe

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Our contribution is part of a broader study conducted in cooperation with the national accreditation body Engineers Ireland that examined the conceptualisation and education of ethics in engineering programmes in Ireland. The paper is a qualitative examination of the use of case studies in engineering ethics education and includes 23 engineering programmes from 6 higher education institutions in Ireland. The qualitative study aims to determine (RQ1) how cases are selected, (RQ2) the goals envisioned for engineering ethics case instruction, (RQ3) the characteristics of the scenarios employed and (RQ4) the preferred application by instructors. A first finding notes the diverse set …

Day-Ahead Offering Strategy In The Market For Concentrating Solar Power Considering Thermoelectric Decoupling By A Compressed Air Energy Storage, Shitong Sun, S. Mahdi Kazemi-Razi, Lisa G. Kaigutha, Mousa Marzband, Hamed Nafisi, Ameena Saad Al-Sumaiti

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Due to limited fossil fuel resources, a growing increase in energy demand and the need to maintain positive environmental effects, concentrating solar power (CSP) plant as a promising technology has driven the world to find new sustainable and competitive methods for energy production. The scheduling capability of a CSP plant equipped with thermal energy storage (TES) surpasses a photovoltaic (PV) unit and augments the sustainability of energy system performance. However, restricting CSP plant application compared to a PV plant due to its high investment is a challenging issue. This paper presents a model to assemble a combined heat and power …

How To Promote Exclusive Breastfeeding In Ireland: A Qualitative Study On Views Of Chinese Immigrant Mothers, Haoyue Chen, Qianling Zhou, Tanya M. Cassidy, Katherine Younger, Siao Shen, John M. Kearney

Articles

Background The exclusive breastfeeding rate in Ireland is very low with extremely slow annual growth.The population of immigrants in Ireland is increasing. Improving exclusive breastfeeding practice amongimmigrants may contribute to the overall improvement of exclusive breastfeeding rates in Ireland. Thisstudy was conducted to elicit recommendations on improving exclusive breastfeeding rate for six monthsamong Chinese immigrants in Ireland. Methods Fourteen semi-structured in-depth individual interviewswere conducted with Chinese immigrant mothers resident in Ireland, who breastfed exclusively for four to six months.

Emerging Avenues Immunotherapy For The Management Of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma, Steven G. Gray

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Background: The role of immunotherapy in cancer is now well-established, and therapeutic options such as checkpoint inhibitors are increasingly being approved in many cancers such as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare orphan disease associated with prior exposure to asbestos, with a dismal prognosis. Evidence from clinical trials of checkpoint inhibitors in this rare disease, suggest that such therapies may play a role as a treatment option for a proportion of patients with this cancer. Main text: While the majority of studies currently focus on the established checkpoint inhibitors (CTLA4 and PD1/ PDL1), there …

Application Of Plasma Technology In Bioscience And Biomedicine, Daniela Boehm, Christina Canal

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Plasma technology has been an integral part of research in life sciences for decades through its role in the manufacture and modification of material surface characteristics of many common laboratory consumables, and it is still of interest in many fields, including the treatment of biomaterials and implants. In recent years, the use of plasma at room temperature and atmospheric pressure (cold atmospheric plasma) has led to a shift in the field by putting the focus on biomedicine due to its applicability to heat-sensitive materials, including biomaterials, and expanding the traditional applicability of plasmas to cells and tissues. Consequently, biomedical applications …

Doctors Can’T Be Doctors All Of The Time’: A Qualitative Study Of How General Practitioners And Medical Students Negotiate Public-Professional And Private-Personal Realms Using Social Media, Megan Marshal

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Objective The objective of this study is to explore the experiences and perspectives of general practitioners’ and medical students’ use of, and behaviour on, social media and to understand how they negotiate threats to professional and personal life on social media. Design A two-phase qualitative design was used, consisting of semistructured interviews and follow-up vignettes, where participants were asked to respond to vignettes that involved varying degrees of unprofessional behaviour. Data were analysed using template analysis. Setting and participants Participants were general practitioner tutors and third year medical students who had just completed placement on the University of Limerick longitudinal …

Antiracism, Reflection, And Professional Identity, Monte Mills, Eduardo R.C. Capulong, Andrew King-Ries

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Intent on more systematically developing the emerging professional identities of law students, the professional identity formation movement is recasting how we think about legal education. Notably, however, the movement overlooks the structural racism imbedded in American law and legal education. While current models of professional development value diversity and cross-cultural competence, they do not adequately prepare the next generation of legal professionals to engage in the sustained work of interrupting and overthrowing race and racism in the legal profession and system. This article argues that antiracism is essential to the profession’s responsibility to serve justice and therefore key to legal …

Taxing Parents: Welfarist Theories, Shannon Weeks Mccormack

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The Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”) taxes parents inequitably. Couples with a sole earner are under-taxed compared to couples with dual earners or single parents. Previous scholarship has identified these inequities and then argued that this sole earner bias should be eliminated. These arguments, however, have often been incomplete. Simply establishing that an inequity exists does not create a full argument for legal reform. After all, the Code plays favorites all the time. Scholars have traditionally turned to theories of distributive justice when evaluating whether tax preferences are warranted. These theories offer competing visions about the way resources should be …

Protecting Patients From Physicians Who Inflict Harm: New Legal Resources For State Medical Boards, Elizabeth Pendo, Tristan Mcintosh, Heidi A. Walsh, Kari Baldwin, James M. Dubois

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State medical boards (SMBs) protect the public by ensuring that physicians uphold appropriate standards of care and ethical practice. Despite this clear purpose, egregious types of wrongdoing by physicians are alarmingly frequent, harmful, and under-reported. Even when egregious wrongdoing is reported to SMBs, it is unclear why SMBs sometimes fail to promptly remove seriously offending physicians from practice. Legal and policy tools that are targeted, well-informed, and actionable are urgently needed to help SMBs more effectively protect patients from egregious wrongdoing by physicians.

Past reviews of SMB performance have identified features of SMBs associated with higher rates of severe disciplinary …

The Right To Benefit From Big Data As A Public Resource, Mary D. Fan

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The information that we reveal from interactions online and with electronic devices has massive value—for both private profit and public benefit, such as improving health, safety, and even commute times. Who owns the lucrative big data that we generate through the everyday necessity of interacting with technology? Calls for legal regulation regarding how companies use our data have spurred laws and proposals framed by the predominant lens of individual privacy and the right to control and delete data about oneself. By focusing on individual control over droplets of personal data, the major consumer privacy regimes overlook the important question of …

Public (Ai)Ccomodations, Jevan Hutson, Deepak George, Aj Kidd, Sulaf Al-Saif, Mandy (Meiyun) Ku, Devin Glaser, Devin Glaser

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This Note discusses the use of Al surveillance in places of public accommodations and its implications for civil rights and antidiscrimination law. Part I documents the extensive Al surveillance employed in areas of public accommodation, where American antidiscrimination laws explicitly provide for elevated protection. Part II uses critical race theory to explore how contemporary antidiscrimination law marries two approaches to antidiscrimination in a way that undercuts its own ability to remedy injustice. Part III reveals how antidiscrimination law fails to address issues implicated by Al surveillance in areas of public accommodations, and Part IV proposes a simple solution: abolish it.