Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Exploring The Design Of Low-End Technology To Increase Patient Connectivity To Electronic Health Records, Rens Kievit, Abdullahi Abubakar Kawu, Mirjam Van Reisen, Dympna O'Sullivan, Lucy Hederman

Conference papers

The tracking of the vitals of patients with long term health problems is essential for clinicians to determine proper care. Using Patient Generated Health Data (PGHD) communicated remotely allows patients to be monitored without requiring frequent hospital visits. Issues might arise when the communication of data digitally is difficult or impossible due to a lack of access to internet or a low level of digital literacy as is the case in many African countries. The VODAN-Africa project (van Reisen et al., 2021) started in 2020 and has greatly increased the capabilities of clinics in different countries in both Africa and …

Quantitative Raman Analysis Of Human Blood Serum Of Glaucoma Patients Supplemented With Macular Pigment Carotenoids., Joy Udensi, Ekaterina Loskutova, James Loughman, Hugh J. Byrne

Datasets

Carotenoids have been widely studied for their high dietary, antioxidant, and vision protection roles in the human body. Blood contains all major dietary carotenoids and hence presents as a suitable and efficient substrate for the estimation of dietary carotenoids in vivo. Following the 18-month supplementation of open angle glaucoma patients with macula pigment carotenoids (Lutein, Zeaxanthin and Meso-Zeaxanthin) in the European Nutrition in Glaucoma Management (ENIGMA) trial, Raman spectroscopic analysis of the pre-supplementation baseline and 18-month supplemented blood serum carotenoids from participants was carried out, to investigate the systemic impact of supplementation in the blood and explore a more direct …

Chatting For Change: Insights Into And Directions For Using Online Peer Support Groups To Interrupt Prolonged Workplace Sitting, Ekaterina Uetova, Lucy Hederman, Dympna O'Sullivan, Robert J. Ross, Marily Oppezzo

Conference papers

Prolonged sedentary behavior and insufficient physical activity increase the risk for non-communicable diseases. Online peer support groups, driven by the widespread use of mobile phones and social media, have gained popularity among people seeking health condition management advice. This position paper examines the role of online peer support groups within a behaviour change intervention, MOV’D (Move Often eVery Day), which promotes physical activity and reduces sedentary behavior in the workplace. We conducted a thematic analysis of post-study interviews from two randomized control trials to identify the benefits and limitations of online peer support groups and provide recommendations for improvement. We …

Raman Spectroscopic Analysis Of Human Serum Samples Of Convalescing Covid-19 Positive Patients, Hugh Byrne, Naomi Jackson, Jaythoon Hassan

Articles

Rapid screening, detection and monitoring of viral infection is of critical importance, as exemplified by the rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2, leading to the worldwide pandemic of COVID-19. This is equally the case for the stages of patient convalescence as for the initial stages of infection, to understand the medium and long terms effects, as well as the efficacy of therapeutic interventions. Optical spectroscopic techniques potentially offer an alternative to currently employed techniques of screening for the presence, or the response to infection. In this study, the ability of Raman spectroscopy to distinguish between samples of the serum of convalescent COVID-19 …

The Associations Of Parental Smoking, Quitting And Habitus With Teenager E-Cigarette, Smoking, Alcohol And Other Drug Use In Gui Cohort ’98, Salome Sunday, Luke Clancy, Joan Hanafin

Articles

We analyse parental smoking and cessation (quitting) associations with teenager e-cigarette, alcohol, tobacco smoking and other drug use, and explore parental smoking as a mechanism for social reproduction. We use data from Waves 1–3 of Growing Up in Ireland (Cohort ’98). Our analytic sample consisted of n = 6,039 participants reporting in all 3 Waves. Data were collected in Waves 1 and 2 when the children were 9 and 13 years old and in Wave 3 at age 17/18 years. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) models were used to analyse teenage substance use at Wave 3. Parental smoking was associated with …

Optical Characterisation Of Holographic Diffusers And Bangerter Foils For Treatment Of Amblyopia, Matthew Hellis, Suzanne Martin, Matthew Sheehan, Kevin Murphy

Articles

Amblyopia is a significant issue for children worldwide, and current treatment methods have drawbacks that can hinder treatment effectiveness and/or patient experience. This study proposes a new treatment method using holographic diffusers while also comparing their optical characteristics to a current treatment method (Bangerter foils). Holographic diffusers were developed by optically patterning thin polymer layers on a micron scale. Two compositions of photopolymer (acrylamide and diacetone acrylamide based) are analysed herein. Characterisation shows that holographic diffusers of either composition can achieve a wide range of on-axis intensity reductions, allowing for precise and customisable treatment levels by altering recording exposure time …

Responsiveness Of Higher Education Programs To Policy And Recommendations In The Biopharmaceutical Sector, Maeve Scott

Other resources

This essay will review the business and government policies relevant to the biopharmaceutical sector which influence higher education programs. The mechanisms which enable higher education to adapt to policy will be summarised and the pace of the response estimated.

Higher education (HE) programs need to respond in a timely manner to dynamic industries to maximise opportunities for graduates and support the Irish economy. The author manages internships and teaches on pharmaceutical science programs and aims to ensure the program is current to maximise student success. This review intends to identify the most relevant policy sources that can inform the Pharmaceutical …

The Association Between Time Spent On Screens And Reading With Myopia, Premyopia And Ocular Biometric And Anthropometric Measures In 6- To 7-Year-Old Schoolchildren In Ireland, Síofra Harrington, Veronica O'Dwyer

Articles

Purpose More time spent on near tasks has consistently been associated with the promotion of myopia. The World Health Organization advises limiting daily screentime to less than 2 h for children aged five and over. This study explored the relationship between time spent on screens and reading/writing with refractive status, ocular biometric and anthropometric factors in 6-to 7-year- olds in Ireland.

Methods Participants were 723 schoolchildren (377 boys [51.8%]), mean age 7.08 (0.45) years. The examination included cycloplegic autorefraction (1% cyclopentolate hydrochloride), ocular biometry (Zeiss IOLMaster), height (cm) and weight (kg). Screentime and reading/writing time were reported by parents/legal guardians …

Comparison Of Cycloplegia At 20- And 30-Minutes Following Proxymetacaine And Cyclopentolate Instillation In White 12-13-Year-Olds, Megan Doyle, Veronica O'Dwyer, Siofra Harrington

Articles

Clinical Relevance

Reducing the time between drop instillation and refraction reduces the time paediatric patients and young adults spend in practice, facilitating more eye examinations daily.

Background

The current procedure for paediatric cycloplegic refraction is to wait for at least 30-minutes post-instillation of a cycloplegic before measuring spherical equivalent refraction. This study compared cycloplegia at 20- and 30-minutes following 0.5% proxymetacaine and 1.0% cyclopentolate in 12-13-year-olds.

Methods

Participants were 99 white 12-13-year-olds. One drop of proxymetacaine hydrochloride (Minims, 0.5% w/v, Bausch & Lomb, UK) followed by one drop of cyclopentolate hydrochloride (Minims, 1.0% w/v, Bausch & Lomb, UK) was instilled …

Supporting Compliance Of Occupational Safety And Health Requirements - European Labour Inspection Systems Of Sanctions And Standardised Measures, Victor Hrymak

Articles

European legislation for occupational safety and health (OSH) is based on the prevention of accidents and ill health. Apart from European directives, all Member States have national laws and strategies and expect enterprises to implement this preventative ethos, and thereby ensure adequate performance in OSH. Labour Inspectorates monitor and if necessary enforce these laws by deploying individual Labour Inspectors to chosen enterprises. If workplace safety and health conditions are found to be substandard, Labour Inspectors are expected to improve the situation using persuasion and, if necessary, their authority to compel enterprises through specific sanction powers. Bruhn (2009) describes this interaction …

Determining The Proportionality Of Ischemic Stroke Risk Factors To Age, Elizabeth Hunter, John D. Kelleher

Articles

While age is an important risk factor, there are some disadvantages to including it in a stroke risk model: age can dominate the risk score and lead to over-or under-predictions in some age groups. There is evidence to suggest that some of these disadvantages are due to the non-proportionality of other risk factors with age, eg, risk factors contribute differently to stroke risk based on an individual’s age. In this paper, we present a framework to test if risk factors are proportional with age. We then apply the framework to a set of risk factors using Framingham heart study data …

Prescribing Patterns Of Myopia Control Contact Lenses Among Optometrists In Ireland, Michael Moore, Daniel Ian Flitcroft, James Loughman

Articles

Purpose

This retrospective analysis of electronic medical record (EMR) data investigated the prescribing patterns of soft myopia control contact lens (MCCL) treatments since their introduction in Ireland in 2017.

Methods

Anonymised EMR data were sourced from 33 optometry practices in Ireland from 2017 to 2021 to determine the number of practices prescribing MCCLs to myopic children 5–18 years old. In MCCL-prescribing practices, the proportion of contact lens wearing children fitted with MCCLs and the proportion of progressive (≤−0.25 D/year) myopic children fitted with MCCLs were determined. Logistic regression was used to determine which factors influenced the likelihood of being prescribed …

Accessibility Of Health Data Representations For Older Adults: Challenges And Opportunities For Design, Peterson Jean, Emma Murphy, Enda Bates

Books/Book Chapters

Health data of consumer off-the-shelf wearable devices is often conveyed to users through visual data representations and analyses. However, this is not always accessible to people with disabilities or older people due to low vision, cognitive impairments or literacy issues. Due to trade-offs between aesthetics predominance or information overload, real-time user feedback may not be conveyed easily from sensor devices through visual cues like graphs and texts. These difficulties may hinder critical data understanding. Additional auditory and tactile feedback can also provide immediate and accessible cues from these wearable devices, but it is necessary to understand existing data representation limitations …

Development Of Holographic Optical Elements For Use In Wound Monitoring, Pamela Stoeva, Tatsiana Mikulchyk, Brian Rogers, M. Oubaha, Suzanne Martin, Dervil Cody, M.A. Ferrara, G. Coppola, Izabela Naydenova

Conference Papers

Wounds that fail to heal impact the quality of life of 2.5 % of the total population. The costs of chronic wound care will reach $15–22 billion by 2024. These alarming statistics reveal the financial strain for both the medical industry and society. A solution can be found in compact and accessible sensors that offer real-time analysis of the wound site, facilitating continuous monitoring and immediate treatment, if required. Benefits of these sensors include reduction of cost and can extend the reach of healthcare to remote areas. The progression of a wound site can be closely monitored with holographic optical …

Current Topics In Technology-Enabled Stroke Rehabilitation And Reintegration: A Scoping Review And Content Analysis, Katryna Cisek

Articles

Background. There is a worldwide health crisis stemming from the rising incidence of various debilitating chronic diseases, with stroke as a leading contributor. Chronic stroke management encompasses rehabilitation and reintegration, and can require decades of personalized medicine and care. Information technology (IT) tools have the potential to support individuals managing chronic stroke symptoms. Objectives. This scoping review identifies prevalent topics and concepts in research literature on IT technology for stroke rehabilitation and reintegration, utilizing content analysis, based on topic modelling techniques from natural language processing to identify gaps in this literature. Eligibility Criteria. Our methodological search initially identified over 14,000 …

Simple Polystyrene Microfluidic Device For Sensitive And Accurate Sers-Based Detection Of Infection By Malaria Parasites, Maria Joao Oliveira, Soraia Caetano, Ana Dalot, Filipe Sabino, Tomas Calmeiro, Elvira Fortunato, Rodrigo Martins, Eulalia Pereira, Miguel Prudencio, Hugh Byrne, Ricardo Franco, Hugo Aguas

Articles

Early and accurate detection of infection by pathogenic microorganisms, such as Plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria, is critical for clinical diagnosis and ultimately determines the patient’s outcome. We have combined a polystyrene-based microfluidic device with an immunoassay which utilises Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) to detect malaria. The method can be easily translated to a point-of-care testing format and shows excellent sensitivity and specificity, when compared to the gold standard for laboratorial detection of Plasmodium infections. The device can be fabricated in less than 30 min by direct patterning on shrinkable polystyrene sheets of adaptable three-dimensional microfluidic chips. To validate …

Industry Update October 2022, Elaine Harris

Articles

Company news Bend Bioscience invests in expansion of drug-delivery capabilities Bend Bioscience (OR, USA) and NovaQuest Private Equity, have announced plans on 11 October 2022 to invest in a new facility in Bend, Oregon. The group will focus on developing new R&D partnerships, and early phase manufacturing and development activities based on proprietary particle engineering-based drug-delivery technologies. This new facility will consist of approximately 20,000 square feet of laboratory and processing areas and it is anticipated that manufacturing and analytical capabilities will operational by the end of Q2 2023. Announcing the investment decision, Dan Dobry, Bend Bioscience’s co-founder said “We …

Multivariate Curve Resolution-Alternating Least Squares Coupled With Raman Microspectroscopy: New Insights Into The Kinetic Response Of Primary Oral Squamous Carcinoma Cells To Cisplatin, Valentina Notarstefano, Alessia Belloni, Paolo Mariani, Giulia Orilisi, Giovanna Orsini, Elisabetta Giorgini, Hugh Byrne

Articles

Raman MicroSpectroscopy (RMS) is a powerful label-free tool to probe the effects of drugs at a cellular/ subcellular level. It is important, however, to be able to extract relevant biochemical and kinetic spectroscopic signatures of the specific cellular responses. In the present study, a combination of Multivariate Curve Resolution-Alternating Least Squares (MCR-ALS) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is used to analyse the RMS data for the example of exposure of primary Oral Squamous Carcinoma Cells (OSCC) to the chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin. Dosing regimens were established by cytotoxicity assays, and the effects of the drug on cellular spectral profiles were monitored …

The Suitability Of Demand-Controlled Sensor Based Ventilation Systems In Retrofit Dwellings - A Longitudinal Study., Seamus Harrington, Mark Mulville

Conference papers

A fabric-first approach to dwelling retrofit results in increased airtightness, therefore there is an obligation to ensure that the upgrades do not lead to poor indoor air quality (IAQ) resulting from inadequate ventilation. The sensor-based demand-controlled ventilation (SBDCV) under review seeks to provide fresh air for breathing and to dilute and exhaust pollutants and odours. This system modulates the ventilation rate over time based on relative humidity levels and/or presence detection and considers that the level of ventilation provided is sufficient to control the concentration of all other indoor air pollutants, including those that are not a result of human …

A Review Of Alternative Proteins For Vegan Diets: Sources, Physico-Chemical Properties, Nutritional Equivalency, And Consumer Acceptance, Rutwick Surya Ulhas, Rajeev Ravindran, Alok Malviya, Anushree Priyadarshini, Brijesh K. Tiwari, Gaurav Rajauria

Articles

Alternate proteins are gaining popularity as a more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to animal-based proteins. These proteins are often considered healthier and are suitable for people following a vegetarian or vegan diet. Alternative proteins can be recovered from natural sources like legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds, while single cell proteins (mycoproteins), and algal proteins are being developed using cutting-edge technology to grow fungus, yeast and algal cells in a controlled environment, creating a more sustainable source of protein. Although, the demand for alternative protein products is increasing, there still happens to be a large gap in use among the …

An Investigation Of The Effect Of Cyclic Loading Of Bone On Osteocyte Processes Spanning Micro-Cracks As A Driver Of Targeted Remodelling Of Bone, Morgana Pires Afonso Shirsath

Doctoral

Bone remodelling is essential to maintain and improve the quality of bones. This occurs with the action of specialised cells - osteoclasts and osteoblasts - which replace the old bone tissue with new in regions where damage has occurred. Osteocytes are responsible for signalling the presence of damage and trigger the bone remodelling response. According to the Scissors Model, the presence of micro-cracks causes rupture of the osteocyte processes by fatigue because of the repeated stretching resulting from the relative movement of micro-crack faces, when bone is subjected to cyclic loads.

Smoking Cessation Through Optimisation Of Clinical Care In Pregnancy: The Stop Randomised Controlled Trial, Brendan P. Mcdonnell, Patrick Dicker, Sheila Keogan, Luke Clancy, Carmen Regan

Articles

This is a pragmatic randomised controlled trial of a dedicated smoking cessation clinic versus routine antenatal care as an intervention to reduce cigarette smoking behaviour. Smoking mothers randomised to the Smoking cessation Through Optimisation of clinical care in Pregnancy (STOP) clinic will have all antenatal care provided by a team comprising an obstetrician, a midwife, and a smoking cessation practitioner. This intervention includes ultrasound screening for fetal growth restriction. The control arm comprises two groups: one receiving standard care with ultrasound screening for fetal growth restriction, and one receiving standard care with ultrasound screening for growth restriction only if clinically …

The Role Of Smoking In Covid-19 Progression: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis, Silvano Gallus, Marco Scala, Irene Possenti, Carlotta Micaela Jarach, Luke Clancy, Esteve Fernandez, Giuseppe Gorini, Giulia Carreras, Maria Chiara Malevolti, Alison Commar, Ranti Fayokun, Hebe N. Gouda, Vinayak M. Prasad, Alessandra Lugo

Articles

The association between current smoking and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) progression remains uncertain. We aim to provide up-to-date evidence of the role of cigarette smoking in COVID-19 hospitalisation, severity and mortality. On 23 February 2022 we conducted an umbrella review and a traditional systematic review via PubMed/Medline and Web of Science. We used random-effects meta-analyses to derive pooled odds ratios of COVID-19 outcomes for smokers in cohorts of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infected individuals or COVID-19 patients. We followed the Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology reporting guidelines. PROSPERO: CRD42020207003. 320 publications were included. The pooled odds ratio …

Optimisation Of Raman Spectral Processing For Classification Of Radiotherapeutic Toxicity, Isha Behl, Dinesh Medipally, Chris Talbot, Aidan Meade, Fiona Lyng

Conference papers

Severe radiation toxicity can continue years after the completion of radiotherapy for prostate cancer patients. Currently, it is impossible to predict before treatment which patients will experience these long-term side effects. New approaches based on vibrational spectroscopy have advantages over lymphocyte and genomic assays in terms of minimal sample preparation, speed and cost. A high throughput method has been developed to measure Raman spectra from liquid plasma in a cover glass bottomed 96 well plate. However, the Raman spectra can show contributions from glass and water. The current study aims to optimise pre-processing steps to improve classification performance.

An Exploration Of Practitioners’ Experiences Of Delivering Digital Social Care Interventions To Children And Families During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Mixed Methods Study, Grainne Hickey, Claire Dunne, Lauren Maguire, Niamh Mccarthy

Articles

Digital technology is an increasingly prominent feature of health care delivery; however, social care has remained less digitized than other systems [1]. As an allied health profession, child and family social care practice is aimed at supporting the welfare and safety of vulnerable children and families. Similar to many other health professionals, social care practitioners develop an understanding of clients’ needs and provide support through the development of interpersonal relationships [2]. Traditionally, this involves physical proximity and face-to-face interaction, often in the context of the home environment [3]. Digital technologies, however, have crept into the delivery of social care interventions …

Raman Spectroscopy For Early Detection Of Cervical Cancer, A Global Women’S Health Issue—A Review, Rubina Shaikh, Amuthachelvie Daniel, Fiona Lyng

Articles

This review focuses on recent advances and future perspectives in the use of Raman spectroscopy for cervical cancer, a global women’s health issue. Cervical cancer is the fourth most common women’s cancer in the world, and unfortunately mainly affects younger women. However, when detected at the early precancer stage, it is highly treatable. High-quality cervical screening programmes and the introduction of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine are reducing the incidence of cervical cancer in many countries, but screening is still essential for all women. Current gold standard methods include HPV testing and cytology for screening, followed by colposcopy and histopathology …

Walkable Neighborhoods: Linkages Between Place, Health, And Happiness In Younger And Older Adults, Kevin M. Leyden, Michael J. Hogan, Lorraine D'Arcy, Brendan Bunting, Sebastiaan Bierema

Articles

Problem, research strategy, and findings: We examined whether living in a walkable neighborhood influenced the happiness of younger and older city residents. The data for this study came from a comprehensive household population survey of 1,064 adults living in 16 neighborhoods in Dublin City (Ireland) and its suburbs. We used multigroup structural equation modeling to analyze the direct and indirect effects of walkability on happiness, mediated by health, trust, and satisfaction with neighborhood appearance. We found living in a walkable neighborhood was directly linked to the happiness of people aged 36 to 45 (p¼.001) and, to a lesser extent, those …

Evaluation Of Selenomethionine Entrapped In Nanoparticles For Oral Supplementation Using In Vitro, Ex Vivo And In Vivo Models, Shane Forde, Giuliana Vozza, David J. Brayden, Jesus Maria Frias, Sinead M. Ryan

Articles

Selenium methionine (Se Met) is an essential micronutrient required for normal body function and is associated with additional health benefits. However, oral administration of Se Met can be challenging due to its purported narrow therapeutic index, low oral bioavailability, and high susceptibility to oxidation. To address these issues, Se Met was entrapped in z e i n-coated nanoparticles made from chitosan using an ionic gelation formulation. The high stability of both the Se Met and s e l e n o methionine nanoparticles (Se Met-NPs) was established using cultured human intestinal and liver epithelial cells, rat liver homogenates, and rat …

The Future Of Clinical Trials Of Myopia Control, Mark A. Bullimore, Noel A. Brennan, Daniel I. Flintcroft

Articles

In the field of myopia control, effective optical or pharmaceutical therapies are now available to patients in many markets. This creates challenges for the conduct of placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trials, including ethics, recruitment, retention, selective loss of faster progressors and non-protocol treatments: 1. Ethics: It is valid to question whether withholding treatment in control subjects is ethical. 2. Recruitment: Availability of treatments is making recruitment into clinical trials more difficult. 3. Retention: If masking is not possible, parents may immediately withdraw their child if randomised to no treatment. 4. Selective loss: Withdrawal of fast progressors in the control group leading …

“Mind The Gap” - An Overview Of The Role Of The Extensions Community Healthcare Outcomes (Echo) Model In Enhancing Value In Health Care Delivery, Christina Kenny, Anushree Priyadarshini

Articles

The ECHO (Extensions Community Healthcare Outcomes) model of healthcare delivery has grown rapidly since its establishment and increased in popularity in recent years. This expansion has developed alongside the growing incidence of chronic diseases and the need to better manage them. The increasing uptake in ECHO has presented a requirement to assess its true value as healthcare costs are increasing globally, resulting in a growing demand by governments and policy makers to ensure chronic disease management strategies provide true value. Therefore, the aim of this review is to examine the impact that ECHO has on clinical practice and how such …