Digital Commons Network^™

Point Of Care Diagnostics: Status And Future, Vladimir Gubala, Leanne Harris, Antonio J. Ricco, Ming X. Tan, David Williams

Articles

The most commonly used test for monitoring heparin therapy is the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). The response of available aPTT reagents to heparin varies significantly. The aim of this study was to highlight the differences between aPTT reagents stored in a dried format to select the most suitable formulations to be used for the development of point-of-care diagnostic devices used for monitoring of unfractionated heparin dose response.

METHODS:

Ten reagents were analysed in terms of their performance in liquid and in dried form after storage for 24 h and 14 days. Performance was assessed by measurement of the clotting …

Effects Of Four Commercially Available Fxa Proteins On The Fluorogenic Anti-Fxa Assay When Monitoring Unfractionated Heparin, Vanessa Castro-Lopez, Brian Murray, Leanne F. Harris, James S. O'Donnell, Anthony J. Killard

Articles

Four commercially available Factor Xa (FXa) reagents were evaluated in a fluorogenic anti-FXa assay. The four reagents - of which three were of human origin and the fourth was bovine - were compared in terms of the resulting assay dynamic ranges, lag times, CV and R2 values, sum of squares as well as their sensitivity to unfractionated heparin (UFH) within the therapeutic range of 0-1.2 U mL-1. Based on a balance of performance characteristics, an optimum reagent was selected which had the best combination of all parameters. The best performing serine endopeptidase in the fluorogenic anti-FXa assay was found to …

The Impact Of Macular Pigment Augmentation On Visual Performance Using Different Carotenoid Formulations., James Loughman, J M. Nolan, Alan Howard, E Connolly, K Meagher, S Beatty

Articles

To investigate changes in macular pigment optical
density (MPOD) and visual performance following supplementation
with different macular carotenoid formulations.

Should Any Workplace Be Exempt From Smoke-Free Law: The Irish Experience, M. Mccaffrey, Patrick J. Goodman, A. Gavigan, C. Kenny, C. Hogg, L. Byrne, J. Mcloughlin, Luke Clancy

Articles

Background.

In 2004, the Irish Government introduced national legislation banning smoking in workplaces; with exemptions for “a place of residence”. This paper summarises three Irish studies of exempted premises; prisons, psychiatric hospitals and nursing homes. Methods. PM2.5 and nicotine were measured in nursing homes and psychiatric hospitals, in addition to ultrafine particles in the hospitals. In the prisons, officers (n = 30) completed exhaled breath Carbon Monoxide (CO) measurements. Questionnaires determined officers’ opinion on introducing smoking prohibitions in prisons. Nursing home smoking policies were examined and questionnaires completed by staff regarding workplace secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure. Findings. Ultrafine particle concentrations …

Effect On Diagnostic Image Quality Of 3d Warping Registration Algorithms For Mr Angiography In The Lower Legs, Andrew Fagan, Daniel Foley, Jacinta Browne, Barry Sheane, Dearbhail O'Driscoll, Niall Sheehy, James Meaney

Articles

No abstract provided.

Impaired Cleanance And Enhanced Pulmonary Inflammatory/Fibrotic Response To Carbon Nanotubes In Myeloperoxidase-Deficient Mice, Anna A. Shvedova, Alexandr A. Kapralov, Wei Hong Feng, Elena R. Kisin, Ashley R. Murray, Robert R. Mercer, Claudette M. St. Croix, Megan A. Lang, Simon C. Watkins, Nagarjun V. Konduru, Brett L. Allen, Jennifer Conroy, Gregg P. Kotchey, Bashir M. Mohamed, Aidan Meade, Yuri Volkov, Alexander Star, Bengt Fadeel, Valerian E. Kagan

Articles

Advancement of biomedical applications of carbonaceous nanomaterials is hampered by their biopersistence and pro-inflammatory action in vivo. Here, we used myeloperoxidase knockout B6.129X1-MPO (MPO k/o) mice and showed that oxidation and clearance of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) from the lungs of these animals after pharyngeal aspiration was markedly less effective whereas the inflammatory response was more robust than in wild-type C57Bl/6 mice. Our results provide direct evidence for the participation of MPO – one of the key-orchestrators of inflammatory response – in the in vivo pulmonary oxidative biodegradation of SWCNT and suggest new ways to control the biopersistence …

Characterisation Of The Acoustic Output Of Three Sonoporation Drug Delivery Ultrasound Systems Using An Acoustic Radiation Force Balance, Tapihwa Mabvaro, Jacinta Browne

Articles

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Fatty Desposits On The Accuracy Of The Fibroscan Liver Transient Elastography Ultrasound System, S. Cournane, Jacinta Browne, Andrew Fagan

Articles

A new generation of ultrasound transient elastography (TE) systems have emerged which exploit the well-known correlation between the liver’s pathological and mechanical properties through measurements of the Young’s elastic modulus; however, little work has been carried out to examine the effect that fatty deposits may have on the TE measurement accuracy. An investigation was carried out on the effects on the measurement accuracy of a transient elastography ultrasound system, the Fibroscan®, caused by overlaying fat layers of varying thickness on healthy liver-mimicking phantoms, simulating in vivo conditions for obese patients. Furthermore, a steatosis effect similar to that in non-alcoholic fatty …

Examining The Role Of The University In Creating Jobs, Mike Murphy, Michael Dyrenfurth

Articles

This paper begins by setting out the rationale for why today’s university must be involved with job creation in terms of institutional mission and global competitiveness. We present a review of recent literature, from both sides of the Atlantic, regarding universities, technology and science parks and job creation. Measuring the impact of university actions is reviewed in terms of general criteria, impact of incubators, and where jobs are being created. A case study of Silicon Valley is reviewed as well as a discussion of roles that government might play. The paper concludes with the presentation of findings from the literature …

An Improved Flood Forecasting Model Of The Blue Nile River In Sudan, Gamal Abdo, Ahmed Nasr

Articles

Reliable flood predictions with a reasonable lead time in the Blue Nile River in Sudan are vitally important to avoid catastrophic damages due to flooding of this river and the main River Nile. A HEC-RAS model was initially applied to the Blue Nile by representing the river as a single reach. The resulting original model was subsequently improved by including the two tributaries of the river, Rahad and Dindir, and also the two existing reservoirs, Rosaries and Sinnar, to the model. The original and the improved models were calibrated using 1988 flood data for the period from June to September …

Occupational Noise Exposure Of Nightclub Bar Employees In Ireland, Gary Henehan, Aoife Kelly, Sara Boyd, Gordon Chambers

Articles

Due to the transposition of the EU Directive 2003/10/EC into Irish Law, the entertainment sector was obligated to comply with the requirements of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007, Chapter 1 Part 5: Control of Noise at Work since February 2008. Compliance with the Noise Regulations was examined in 9 nightclubs in Ireland. The typical daily noise exposure of 19 bar employees was measured using 2 logging dosimeters and a Type 1 fixed position sound level meter. Physical site inspections identified nightclub noise control measures. Interviews and questionnaires were used to assess the managers and …

Enhanced Refractometer Based On Periodically Tapered Small Core Singlemode Fiber, Pengfei Wang, Gilberto Brambilla, Ming Ding, Timothy Lee, Lin Bo, Yuliya Semenova, Qiang Wu, Gerald Farrell

Articles

Abstract—An all-fiber 1 refractive index (RI) sensor with a 2 simple configuration of periodical tapers is proposed and inves3 tigated experimentally. The proposed fiber RI sensor consists of 4 a small core fiber sandwiched between two standard singlemode 5 fibers, with tapers periodically fabricated along the small core 6 fiber using a focused CO2 laser beam. Such a structure can be 7 used for RI sensing by measuring the dip wavelength shift of 8 the multimode interference within the small core fiber cladding. 9 An average sensitivity of 226.6 nm/RIU (RI Unit) has been 10 experimentally achieved in the RI …

Trust In The Information Society, Brian O'Neill

Articles

Trust is an important feature for all users of the Internet who rely on the safety and security of network technologies and systems for their daily lives. Trust, or the lack of it, has also been identified by the European Commission’s Digital Agenda as a major barrier to further development of the information society in Europe. One of the areas in which concerns have been raised is in relation to children’s safety online. As a result, substantial efforts have been made by policymakers and by the industry to build greater trust and confidence in online digital safety. This paper examines …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Oral Communciations Apprehension, Marann Byrne, Barbara Flood, Dan Shanahan

Articles

Prior research has identified communication apprehension, or fear of communicating, as a major factor which inhibits an individual’s willingness to communicate and his/her capability to develop effective communication skills. While many prior studies have measured oral communication apprehension of students, there has been little qualitative exploration of the phenomenon. This study was conducted by interviewing first-year business and accounting students at a higher education institution in Ireland who were identified as encountering varying levels of oral communication apprehension. The experiences of the students in communicating in different contexts are analysed and the impact of factors such as fear of peer …

Education Is Positively Associated With Macular Pigment: The Irish Longitudinal Study On Ageing (Tilda), John Nolan, Joanne Feeney, Rose Anne Kenny, Hilary Cronin, Claire O'Regan, George Savva, James Loughman, Ciaran Finucane, Eithne Connolly, Katie Meagher, Stephen Beatty

Articles

The three carotenoids lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin, are found at the macula and referred to as macular pigment (MP). This study was undertaken to investigate determinants of MP in a large randomly selected sample from the Republic of Ireland (as part of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing [TILDA]).

METHODS:

MP optical density (MPOD) was measured using customized heterochromatic flicker photometry in 4373 participants. Sociodemographic and self reported health data was obtained using computer assisted personal interview (CAPI).

RESULTS

Mean (SD) MPOD for the study group was 0.203 (0.156) with a range of 0 to 1.01. MPOD was higher for …

Macular Carotenoid Supplementation In Subjects With Atypical Spatial Profiles Of Macular Pigment, John Nolan, Mukunda Akkali, James Loughman, Alan Howard, Stephen Beatty

Articles

This study was designed to investigate the impact of macular carotenoid supplementation on the spatial profile of macular pigment (MP) in subjects where the profile does not exhibit the typical central peak (i.e. peaked MP at foveal epicentre). Thirty one healthy subjects with such atypical MP spatial profiles were assigned to one of three intervention groups: Group 1: (n = 10), 20 mg/day lutein (L), 2 mg/day zeaxanthin (Z); Group 2: (n = 10), 10 mg/day meso-zeaxanthin (MZ), 10 mg/day L, 2 mg/day Z; Group 3: (n = 10), 17 mg/day MZ, 3 mg/day L, 2 mg/day Z. Subjects were …

Nonlinear Optical Properties Of Carbon Nanotube Hybrids In Polymer Dispersions, Jun Wang, Kang-Shyang Liao, Daniel Früchtl, Ying Tian, Aisling Gilchrist , T, Nigel Alley, Enrico Andreoli, Brad Aitchison, Albert Nasibulin, Hugh Byrne, Esko I. Kauppinen, Long Zhang, Werner Blau, Seamus Curran

Articles

A series of double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs) and multi-walled nanotubes (MWNTs) functionalized with selected organic chromophores, fluorescein 5(6)-isothiocyanate (FITC), rhodamine B isothiocyanate (RITC) and fullerene (C₆₀) were synthesized by covalently linking these electron-donor groups to the metallic nanotubes. These versatile carbon nanotube composites show remarkable nonlinear optical (NLO) performance, due to a merged effect of the complementary NLO characteristics of the moieties of the composites. The hybrids were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Evidence suggests charge transfer species are formed between the chromophores and the nanotubes. The optical limiting performance of the DWNT, MWNT hybrids and …

Restaurant Selection In Dublin, Frank Cullen

Articles

The primary objective of this research was to investigate the selection process used by consumers when choosing a restaurant to dine. This study examined literature on consumer behaviour, restaurant selection, and decision-making, underpinning the contention that service quality is linked to the consumer’s selection of a restaurant. It supports the utility theories that consumers buy bundles of attributes that simultaneously combined represent a certain level of service quality at a certain price. The findings of the research displayed a preference by Dublin consumers for Italian and Chinese styled restaurants and identified quality of the food, type of food, cleanliness of …

Abstract Criteria For Multiple Solutions To Nonlinear Coupled Equations Involving Magnetic Schrodinger Operators, Mattias Enstedt, Michael Melgaard

Articles

We consider a system of nonlinear coupled equations involving magnetic Schrodinger

operators and general potentials. We provide a criteria for the existence of multiple

solutions to these equations. As special cases we get the classical results on

existence of innitely many distinct solutions within Hartree and Hartree-Fock

theory of atoms and molecules subject to an external magnetic fields. We also

extend recent results within this theory, including Coulomb system with a constant

magnetic field, a decreasing magnetic field and a "physically measurable" magnetic field.

Irish Writers And The Eucharist, Eamon Maher

Articles

No abstract provided.

Journalism Education And Children's Rights: New Approaches To Media Development In Cee/Cis Countries, Michael Foley, Noirin Hayes, Brian O'Neill

Articles

This article gives the background to a project entitled Children's Rights and Journalism Practice, which was carried out for UNICEF in university journalism faculties in CEE/CIS countries

By focusing on journalism in the context of the academy and raising awareness of children’s rights from a journalistic perspective, the project seeks to provide a relatively safe space for critical engagement with journalistic ethics and values. Children are targets of, or are implicated in, nearly all aspects of public policy, yet are largely invisible in news-media coverage, and rarely have their voices heard in matters affecting them. By using the UNCRC as …

Characterization And Electrochromic Properties Of Poly(2,3,5,6-Tetrafluoroaniline): Progress Towards A Transparent Conducting Polymer, Lavinia Astratine, Edmond Magner, John Cassidy, Tony Betts

Articles

Electrochromic films of poly(2,3,5,6-tetrafluoroaniline) (PTFA) were formed on ITO substrates from aqueous solutions utilising perchloric acid (HClO₄) as dopant. Electrochemical and spectroscopic characterization of PTFA films was performed in background electrolyte and in solutions with the addition of tetrahydrofuran. When the PTFA film was removed from its growth medium, a significant decrease in the faradaic current was observed. The faradaic response increased on addition of tetrahydrofuran which facilitates ion movement through the polymer matrix. PTFA films deposited on ITO substrate were orange and light orange in the oxidized and reduced forms, respectively. The films were ca. 25 nm …

New Tools In Improvised Music Performance., Seán Mac Erlaine

Articles

This paper looks at the synthesis of computer technology and instrumental practice in improvised music performance. The emerging field of performers who use real-time signal processing as a technological extension of their instrument is discussed. How do new tools affect musical practice? Does the use of computers impose an associated aesthetic?

A number of key players are scrutinised including Evan Parker, La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Jon Hassell, Miles Davis, Pauline Oliveros, David Behrman. The research provides a historical context to these practices and explores how pre- and post-digital technologies have shaped their work.

This article identifies an innovative and …

Women As Keepers Of Algerian And Pied-Noir Identity, Aoife Connolly

Articles

The Algerian War (1954-1962) was arguably the most traumatic war of decolonisation fought by Western colonial powers. As the 50th anniversary of Algerian independence approaches, this “War Without a Name” remains a problematic subject in France, in which the commemoration of the war, the teaching of colonial history and issues associated with North African immigration and French identity, are hotly contested subjects. An especially neglected aspect of the Algerian war has been the one million French of Algeria, now known as pieds-noirs, who fled to France near the end of the conflict. As a symbol of a failed colonial system, …

Co-Operatives As Social Innovation – How Older Models Of Social Enterprise Are More Relevant Than Ever, Gerard Doyle

Articles

Ireland faces a number of socio-economic issues, including, an over-reliance on fossil fuels, inequality, unsustainable approaches to urban regeneration and unbalanced regional development. This chapter will demonstrate how social enterprise can lead to the implementation of socially innovative responses to addressing these issues.

Increased Susceptibility Of Arterial Tissue To Wire Perforation With The Application Of High Frequency Mechanical Vibrations, Mark Wylie, Garrett Mcguinness, Graham Gavin

Articles

High frequency mechanical vibrations (20–50 kHz), delivered via small diameter flexible wire waveguides represent a minimally invasive technology for the treatment of chronic total occlusions (CTOs) and in other tissue ablation applications. Tissue disruption is reported to be caused by repetitive mechanical contact and cavitation. This work focuses on the effects of vibrating wire waveguides in contact with arterial tissue. An apparatus with clinically relevant parameters was used, characterized as operating at 22.5 kHz and delivering amplitudes of vibration of 17.8 - 34.3 µm (acoustic intensity, I_SATA: 1.03 - 3.83 W/cm²) via 1.0 mm diameter waveguides. …

The Speed Of Sound And Attenuation Of An Iec Agar-Based Tissue-Mimicking Material For High Frequency Ultrasound Applications, Chao Sun, Stephen Pye, Jacinta Browne, Anna Janeczko, Bill Ellis, Mairead Butler, Vassilis Sboros, Adrain Thomson, Mark Brewin, Charles Earnshaw, Carmel Moran

Articles

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Human Skin Tissue By Raman Microspectroscopy: Dealing With The Background, Franck Bonnier, Syed Mehmood Ali, Peter Knief, Helen Lambkin, Kathleen Flynn, Vincent Mcdonagh, Claragh Healy, Thomas Lee, Fiona Lyng, Hugh Byrne

Articles

Raman microspectroscopy is widely used for molecular characterisation of tissue samples. Nevertheless, when working in vitro on tissue sections, the presence of a broad background to the spectra remains problematic and its removal requires advanced methods for pre-processing of the data. To date, research efforts have been primarily devoted to development of techniques of statistical analysis to extract the relevant information contained in the spectra. However, few attempts have been made to understand the origin of the background and to improve the protocols used for the collection of Raman spectra that could lead to the reduction or elimination of the …

Slimplexity: A Glimpse Inside The Hive Mind Of Snohetta, Noel Brady

Articles

Simplexity is an interview with Craig Dykers cofounder of Snohetta. The firm has a unique structure in Architecture circles with a Hive Mind like structure. In addition its parallel interests in Architecture and Landscape Design has meant that both professional strands have equal parity in the firms operation.

2:1 The Paper Tube Project, Noel Brady

Articles

Review of applied technological solution to rapid building techniques using paper tube and analogous materials to create space enclosing geodesic systems.