Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Using Electronic Medical Record Data To Establish And Monitor The Distribution Of Refractive Errors, Sean Longwill, Michael Moore, Daniel Ian Flitcroft, James Loughman

Articles

Objective

To establish the baseline distribution of refractive errors and associated factors amongst a population that attended primary care optometry clinics.

Design

Retrospective cross sectional cohort study of electronic medical records (EMR).

Methods

Electronic medical record data was extracted from forty optometry clinics, representing a mix of urban and rural areas in Ireland. The analysis was confined to demographic and clinical data gathered over a sixty-month period between 2015 and 2019. Distribution rates were calculated using the absolute and relative frequencies of refractive error in the dataset, stratified for age and gender using the following definitions: high myopia ≤ -6.00 …

A Review Of Risk Concepts And Models For Predicting The Risk Of Primary Stroke, Elizabeth Hunter, John D. Kelleher

Articles

Predicting an individual's risk of primary stroke is an important tool that can help to lower the burden of stroke for both the individual and society. There are a number of risk models and risk scores in existence but no review or classification designed to help the reader better understand how models differ and the reasoning behind these differences. In this paper we review the existing literature on primary stroke risk prediction models. From our literature review we identify key similarities and differences in the existing models. We find that models can differ in a number of ways, including the …

Advances In 3d Culture Systems For Therapeutic Discovery And Development In Brain Cancer, Janith Wanigasekara, Patrick J. Cullen, Paula Bourke, Brijesh Tiwari, James F. Curtin

Articles

This review focuses on recent advances in 3D culture systems that promise more accurate therapeutic models of the glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumor microenvironment (TME), such as the unique anatomical, cellular, and molecular features evident in human GBM. The key components of a GBM TME are outlined, including microbiomes, vasculature, extracellular matrix (ECM), infiltrating parenchymal and peripheral immune cells and molecules, and chemical gradients. 3D culture systems are evaluated against 2D culture systems and in vivo animal models. The main 3D culture techniques available are compared, with an emphasis on identifying key gaps in knowledge for the development of suitable platforms …

Mosaic Clinical Trial Statistical Analysis Plan Primary Analysis V1.2, Gareth Lingham, Emmanuel Kobia-Acquah, James Loughman, Daniel Ian Flitcroft

Other Resources

The Myopia Outcome Study of Atropine Treatment in Children (MOSAIC) is an investigator-led, double-masked randomised controlled trial of nightly atropine 0.01% eye drops compared to nightly placebo eye drops. A previously published protocol paper outlines the rationale, objective and sample size calculation for the study.¹ A total of 250 participants were enrolled in the study and were randomised 2:1 to active treatment and placebo, respectively. This document outlines the plan for analysis of the 24-month outcomes of the MOSAIC.

Visual Factors Associated With Physical Activity In Schoolchildren, Síofra Harrington, John Kearney Prof, Veronica O'Dwyer Dr

Articles

Clinical relevance Physical activity is an essential part of childhood physical and mental development. Recent research identified visual problems associated with a sedentary lifestyle in children in Ireland.

Background This study explored the association between visual function in children and their engagement with physical activities outside school.

Methods Participants were 1,626 schoolchildren (728 aged 6–7 years, 898 old 12–13 years) in randomly selected schools in Ireland. Before data collection, parents/legal guardians of participants completed a standardised questionnaire reporting physical activity as no activity (mostly on screens), light activity (occasional walking/cycling), moderate activity (/week engaged in sports), or regular activity ( …

Estimating The Analytical Performance Of Raman Spectroscopy For Quantification Of Active Ingredients In Human Stratum Corneum, Hichem Kichou, Emilie Munnier, Yuri Dancik, Kamilia Kemel, Hugh Byrne, Ali Tfayli, Dominique Bertrand, Martin Soucé, Igor Chourpa, Franck Bonnier

Articles

Confocal Raman microscopy (CRM) has become a versatile technique that can be applied routinely to monitor skin penetration of active molecules. In the present study, CRM coupled to multivariate analysis (namely PLSR—partial least squares regression) is used for the quantitative measurement of an active ingredient (AI) applied to isolated (ex vivo) human stratum corneum (SC), using systematically varied doses of resorcinol, as model compound, and the performance is quantified according to key figures of merit defined by regulatory bodies (ICH, FDA, and EMA). A methodology is thus demonstrated to establish the limit of detection (LOD), precision, accuracy, sensitivity (SEN), and …

Progressive Lenses And Acute Anisomentropia, Alena Lane

Conference Papers

The aim of the poster is to demonstrate that presbyopic patients with acute anisometropia can continue using progressive lenses. Acute or induced anisometropia occurs when a sudden change in the prescription is introduced. A typical example of this occurs following the cataract operation to one eye. The problem arises when the difference in refractive power of both eyes after the operation is 2.00D and more. The difference in lens power can cause the eyes to see different size images and lead to difficulties in fusing them. Additionally, when an image is viewed off axis through the spectacle lens away from …

Big Data Analysis Of Vision Screening Standards Used To Evaluate Fitness To Drive, Michael Moore, John Butler, Daniel Ian Flitcroft, James Loughman

Articles

Purpose: Visual acuity (VA) assessment is the most commonly performed vision screening method for drivers. The standards and repeat assessment intervals used, however, are arbitrary, lack an evidence base and are highly variable across different countries. This study utilizes the power of Big Data to provide evidence-based recommendations for standardized driver vision screening.

Methods: Anonymized electronic medical record data were gathered from 40 Irish optometry practices comprising 81,184 unique patients. A Kaplan-Meier Survival (KMS) analysis was used to determine the effect of increasing age and time since screening on the likelihood of passing the VA standard for driving. A logistic …

Childminding Professionalism And Professionalisation In Ireland: A Different Story, Miriam O'Regan, Ann Marie Halpenny, Noirin Hayes

Articles

This research focussed on documenting the praxis and paedagogy of paid, professional childminding (family childcare/day care) in Ireland. It explored professionalism and professionalisation among childminders in the context of the evolving understanding of professionalism in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) nationally and internationally. The research was conducted within the framework of Ecocultural Theory (ECT) on the eve of mandatory regulation of childminding against the backdrop of Irish ECEC policy. A mixed method approach was adopted, using the Ecocultural Family Interview for Childminders (EFICh), including participants’ photographs, case study surveys, researcher field notes and holistic ratings. We present findings related …

Sociodemographic, Personal, Peer, And Familial Predictors Of E-Cigarette Ever Use In Espad Ireland: A Forward Stepwise Logistic Regression Model, Joan Hanafin, Salome Sunday, Luke Clancy

Articles

Introduction:
E-cigarette ever use has risen significantly in recent years in Ireland, similar to trends elsewhere in Europe, the United States, and Asia-Pacific region. Results from ESPAD Ireland (European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs) show teenage e-cigarette ever use increased from 18% (2015) to 37% (2019). Given this increase, our aim is to profile e-cigarette ever users and never users in this age group; to examine sociodemographic, personal, peer, and familial factors associated with e-cigarette ever use; and to suggest appropriate measures to reduce use.

Methods:
A nationally representative stratified random sample of 50 ESPAD schools was …

Ultrasound 96 Probe Device Protocol For Cancer Cell Treatment, Aisling Field, Brijesh K. Tiwari, James F. Curtin, Julie R M Mondala, Janith Wanigasekara

Articles

Ultrasound is a sound wave with frequencies ranging between 20 kHz and 20 MHz. Ultrasound is able to temporarily and repeatedly open the BBB safely and enhance chemotherapeutic delivery without adverse effects. This novel technique in drug delivery benefits from the powerful ability of ultrasound to produce cavitation activity. Cavitation is the generation and activity of gas-filled bubbles in a medium exposed to ultrasound. As the pressure wave passes through the media, gas bubbles expand at low pressure and contract at high pressure. This leads to oscillation which produces a circulating fluid flow known as microstreaming around the bubble with …

Plasma Induced Reactive Oxygen Species-Dependent Cytotoxicity In Glioblastoma 3d Tumourspheres, Janith Wanigasekara, Carlos Barcia, Patrick J. Cullen, Brijesh Tiwari, James F. Curtin

Articles

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a pin‐to‐plate cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) on U‐251 MG three‐dimensional (3D) glioblastoma spheroids under different conditions. 3D tumorspheres showed higher resistance to the CAP treatment compared to 2D monolayer cells. A single CAP treatment was able to induce cytotoxicity, while multiple CAP treatments augmented this effect. CAP was also able to induce cytotoxicity throughout the tumoursphere, and we identified that reactive oxygen species(ROS) plays a major role, while H2O2plays a partial role in CAP‐induced cytotoxicity in tumour-spheres. We conclude that ROS‐dependent cytotoxicity is induced uniformly throughout glioblastoma and epidermoid …

Will Treating Progressive Myopia Overwhelm The Eye Care Workforce? A Workforce Modelling Study, Gareth Lingham, James Loughman, Stella Kuzmenko, Matilda Biba, Daniel Ian Flitcroft

Articles

Purpose

Treatments for myopia progression are now available, but implementing these into clinical practice will place a burden on the eye care workforce. This study estimated the full-time equivalent (FTE) workforce required to implement myopia control treatments in the UK and Ireland.

Methods

To estimate the number of 6- to 21-year-olds with myopia, two models utilising separate data sources were developed. The examination-based model used: (1) the number of primary care eye examinations conducted annually and (2) the proportion of these that are for myopic young people. The prevalence-based model used epidemiological data on the age-specific prevalence of myopia. The …

Robust Parameters Tuning Of Different Power System Stabilizers Using A Quantum Artificial Gorilla Troops Optimizer, Mahmoud A. El-Dabah, Mohamed H. Hassan, Saleh Kamel, Hossam Zawbaa

Articles

Electrical power system abnormalities may have several negative consequences on its stable operation. As a result, preserving its stability under such operational states has become an ongoing challenge for power engineers. PSSs are created as auxiliary controllers to address the instability issues produced upon disturbances. They dampen the oscillations induced by the disturbances by giving the system the necessary damping torque. This research aims at presenting a comprehensive study for the optimum tuning of power system stabilizer (PSS) of different structures. This aim is accomplished with the help of a novel modified optimization algorithm called Quantum Artificial Gorilla Troops Optimizer. …

Use And Awareness Of Heated Tobacco Products In Europe, Silvano Gallus, Alessandra Lugo, Xiaoqiu Liu, Elisa Borroni, Luke Clancy, Giuseppe Gorini, Maria José Lopez, Anna Odone, Krzysztof Przewozniak, Olena Tigova, Piet A. Van Den Brandt, Constantine Vardavas, Esteve Fernandez, Tackshs Project Investigators

Articles

Background: Heated tobacco products (HTP) are new forms of tobacco consumption with limited information available on their use among the general population. Our objective was to analyze the prevalence and associations of use of HTP across 11 countries in Europe.

Methods: Within the TackSHS Project, in 2017-2018 we conducted a cross-sectional study with information on HTP use in the following countries: Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Spain. In each country, face-to-face interviews were performed on a representative sample of around 1,000 subjects aged ≥15 years, for a total of 10,839 subjects.

Results: Overall, 27.8% …

The Influence Of Psychosocial And Sociocultural Situatedness Within Organisations On The Practice Of Mindfulness Among Employees: A Systematic Review Of Literature, Bhuvan Israni, Niamh Imbusch

Other resources

No abstract provided.

Development And Validation Of A Raman Spectroscopic Classification Model For Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (Cin), Damien Traynor, Shiyamala Duraipandian, Ramya Bhatia, Kate Cuschieri, Prerna Tewari, Padraig Kearney, Tom D'Arcy, John J. O'Leary, Cara M. Martin, Fiona Lyng

Articles

The mortality associated with cervical cancer can be reduced if detected at the precancer stage, but current methods are limited in terms of subjectivity, cost and time. Optical spectroscopic methods such as Raman spectroscopy can provide a rapid, label-free and nondestructive measurement of the biochemical fingerprint of a cell, tissue or biofluid. Previous studies have shown the potential of Raman spectroscopy for cervical cancer diagnosis, but most were pilot studies with small sample sizes. The aim of this study is to show the clinical utility of Raman spectroscopy for identifying cervical precancer in a large sample set with validation in …

Mirna-Mediated Fibrosis In The Out-Of-Target Heart Following Partial-Body Irradiation, Barbara Tanno, Flavia Novelli Flavia Novelli, Simona Leonardi, Caterina Merla, Gabriele Babini, Paola Giardullo, Munira Kadhim, Damian Traynor, Dinesh Medipally, Aidan Meade, Fiona Lyng, Soile Tapio, Luca Marcetti, Anna Saran, Simonetta Pazzaglia, Mariateresa Mancuso

Articles

A causal association between radiation exposure and various types of non-malignant diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases, has been extensively reported [1,2]. The risks of radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD) were described in therapeutically exposed cohorts of patients with thoracic tumors in which a high incidence of long-term complications (i.e., pericarditis, cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, conduction abnormalities and myocardial fibrosis) increased the risk of heart-disease-related mortality [3]. Patients who received post-mastectomy radiotherapy for left-sided breast cancer were at a 2–3-time higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease, due to the apex and anterior wall of the heart being exposed to doses …

Os-Walk-Eu: An Open-Source Tool To Assess Health-Promoting Residential Walkability Of European City Structures, Stefan Fina, Christian Gerten, Brian Pondi, Lorraine D'Arcy, Niamh O' Reilly, David Sousa Vale, Mauro Pereira, Samuele Zilio

Articles

Introduction This paper introduces OS-WALK-EU, a new open-source walkability assessment tool developed specifically for urban neighbourhoods and using open-source spatial data. A free and open-source tool, OS-WALK-EU is accessible to the general public. It uses open data available worldwide and free online services to compute accessibility, while at the same time allowing users to integrate local datasets if available. Based on a review of existing measurement concepts, the paper adopts dimensions of walkability that were tested in European city environments and explains their conceptualization for software development. We invite the research community to collaboratively test, adopt and use the tool …

At War With A Silent Killer: An Ipa Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Community Pharmacists In Ireland During Covid-19, Regina Brady, Niamh Imbusch

Articles

Objectives: The purpose of this research was to give voice to the unique lived experiences of community pharmacists who continued to work in patient-facing roles throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Research objectives sought to understand how they felt about working during this time including any risks felt, why they choose to continue working, and what the post-COVID future might hold for them and their profession. Method: The study was guided by the principles of traditional interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Primary research was collated using semi-structured interviews of a small, purposively selected homogenous group of pharmacists. The research context was a …

Design And Development Of Magnetic Iron Core Gold Nanoparticle-Based Fluorescent Multiplex Assay To Detect Salmonella, Xinyi Zhao

Articles

Salmonella is a bacterial pathogen which is one of the leading causes of severe illnesses in humans. The current study involved the design and development of two methods, respectively using iron oxide nanoparticle (IONP) and iron core gold nanoparticle (ICGNP), conjugated with the Salmonella antibody and the fluorophore, 4-Methylumbelliferyl Caprylate (4-MUCAP), used as an indicator, for its selective and sensitive detection in contaminated food products. Twenty double-blind beverage samples, spiked with Salmonella enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli, were prepared in sterile Eppendorf® tubes at room temperature. The gold layer and spikes of ICGNPs increased the surface areas. The ratio …

Formulation, Characterisation And Evaluation Of The Antihypertensive Peptides, Isoleucine-Proline-Proline And Leucine-Lysine-Proline In Chitosan Nanoparticles Coated With Zein For Oral Drug Delivery, Minna Khalid Danish, John P. Gleeson, David J. Brayden, Hugh Byrne, Jesus Maria Frias, Sinead Ryan

Articles

Isoleucine-Proline-Proline (IPP) and Leucine-Lysine-Proline (LKP) are food-derived tripeptides whose antihypertensive functions have been demonstrated in hypertensive rat models. However, peptides display low oral bioavailability due to poor intestinal epithelial permeability and instability. IPP and LKP were formulated into nanoparticles (NP) using chitosan (CL113) via ionotropic gelation and then coated with zein. Following addition of zein, a high encapsulation efficiency (EE) (>80%) was obtained for the NP. In simulated gastric fluid (SGF), 20% cumulative release of the peptides was achieved after 2 h, whereas in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF), ~90% cumulative release was observed after 6 h. Higher colloidal stability …

Hydrogel On A Smart Nanomaterial Interface To Carry Therapeutics For Digitalized Glioma Treatment, Xinyi Zhao, Bilal Javed, Furong Tian, Kangze Liu

Articles

Glioma is considered the primary brain tumor to cause brain illnesses, and it is difficult to treat and shows resistance to various routine therapeutics. The most common treatments to cure glioma are the surgical removal of tumors followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The latest biocompatible interfaces have been incorporated into therapeutic modalities such as the targeted delivery of drugs using hydrogels to treat and manage brain glioma. This review illustrates the applications of the multimodal hydrogel as the carrier of therapeutics, gene therapy, therapeutic tactics, and glioma devices. The scientific articles were retrieved from 2019 to 2022 on …

Raman Spectroscopy Of Carotenoid Compounds For Clinical Applications—A Review, Joy Udensi, James Loughman, Ekaterina Loskutova, Hugh Byrne

Articles

Carotenoid compounds are ubiquitous in nature, providing the characteristic colouring of many algae, bacteria, fruits and vegetables. They are a critical component of the human diet and play a key role in human nutrition, health and disease. Therefore, the clinical importance of qualitative and quantitative carotene content analysis is increasingly recognised. In this review, the structural and optical properties of carotenoid compounds are reviewed, differentiating between those of carotenes and xanthophylls. The strong non-resonant and resonant Raman spectroscopic signatures of carotenoids are described, and advances in the use of Raman spectroscopy to identify carotenoids in biological environments are reviewed. Focus …

Exploring The Concept Of The Digital Educator During Covid-19, Fernando Jimenez, Gracia Sanchez, Jose Palma, Luis Miralles-Pechuán, Juan A. Botia

Articles

T In many machine learning classification problems, datasets are usually of high dimensionality and therefore require efficient and effective methods for identifying the relative importance of their attributes, eliminating the redundant and irrelevant ones. Due to the huge size of the search space of the possible solutions, the attribute subset evaluation feature selection methods are not very suitable, so in these scenarios feature ranking methods are used. Most of the feature ranking methods described in the literature are univariate methods, which do not detect interactions between factors. In this paper, we propose two new multivariate feature ranking methods based on …

Nutrition Policy: Developing Scientific Recommendations For Food-Based Dietary Guidelines For Older Adults Living Independently In Ireland, Oonagh C. Lyons, Mary A.T. Flynn, Clare A. Corish, Eileen R. Gibney, Maeve A. Kerr, Malachi J. Mckenna, Helene Mcnulty, Emeir M. Mcsorley, Anne P. Nugent, Claire O'Brien, Mary Ward, Katherine Younger, Ita Saul

Conference Papers

Older adults (≥65 years) are the fastest growing population group. Thus, ensuring nutritional well-being of the ‘over-65s’ to optimise health is critically important. Older adults represent a diverse population – some are fit and healthy, others are frail and many live with chronic conditions. Up to 78% of older Irish adults living independently are overweight or obese. The present paper describes how these issues were accommodated into the development of food-based dietary guidelines for older adults living independently in Ireland. Food-based dietary guidelines previously established for the general adult population served as the basis for developing more specific recommendations appropriate …

Impacts Of Covid-19 Lockdown On Private Domestic Groundwater Sample Numbers, E. Coli Presence And E. Coli Concentration Across Ontario, January 2020–March 2021: An Interrupted Time-Series Analysis, T. Latchmore, S. Lavallee, Martin Boudou, K. Mcdermott, R. S. Brown, Paul Hynds, Anna Majury

Articles

Approximately 1.5 million individuals in Ontario are supplied by private water wells (private groundwater supplies). Unlike municipal supplies, private well water quality remains unregulated, with owners responsible for testing, treating, and maintaining their own water supplies. The COVID-19 global pandemic and associated non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) have impacted many environmental (e.g., surface water and air quality) and human (e.g., healthcare, transportation) systems over the past 15-months (January 2020 to March 2021). To date, the impact of these interventions on private groundwater systems remains largely unknown. Accordingly, the current study aimed to investigate the impact of a province-wide COVID-19 lockdown (late-March 2020) …

Assessing The Environmental And Economic Sustainability Of Functional Food Ingredient Production Process, Anushree Priyadarshini, Brijesh K. Tiwari, Gaurav Rajauria

Articles

Development and application of novel technologies in food processing is vital for ensuring the availability of adequate, safe, and convenient food with the desired quality and functional properties. Environmental and economic sustainability of technologies is essential prior to their application in the food processing sector. The objective of this research is to determine the environmental and economic feasibility of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) for recovering functional food ingredients from seaweed. Experimental data is used to conduct a life cycle assessment (LCA) to investigate the environmental performance with a functional unit (FU) of obtaining 1 g of extracted polyphenols, measured as gallic …

Advances In Emerging Technologies For The Decontamination Of The Food Contact Surfaces, Shubham Sharma, Swarna Jaiswal, Brendan Duffy, Amit Jaiswal

Articles

Foodborne pathogens could be transferred to food from food contact surfaces contaminated by poor hygiene or biofilm formation. The food processing industry has various conditions favouring microbes' adherence, such as moisture, nutrients, and the microbial inoculums obtained from the raw material. The function of the ideal antimicrobial surface is preventing initial attachment of the microbes, killing the microbes or/and removing the dead bacteria. This review article provides detail about the challenges food industries are facing with respect to food contact materials. It also summarises the merits and demerits of several sanitizing methods developed for industrial use. Furthermore, it reviews the …

Methodological Considerations In Injury Burden Of Disease Studies Across Europe: A Systematic Literature Review, Periklis Charalampous, Elena Pallari, Vanessa Gorasso, Elena Von Der Lippe, Brecht Devleesschauwer, Sara M. Pires, Dietrich Plass, Jane Idavain, Che Henry Ngwa, Isabel Noguer, Alicia Padron-Monedero, Rodrigo Sarmiento, Marek Majdan, Balázs Ádám, Ala’A Alkerwi, Seila Cilovic-Lagarija, Benjamin Clarsen, Barbara Corso, Sarah Cuschieri, Keren Dopelt, Mary Economou, Florian Fischer, Alberto Freitas, Juan Manuel García-González, Federica Gazzelloni, Artemis Gkitakou, Hakan Gulmez, Paul Hynds, Gaetano Isola, Lea S. Jakobsen, Zubair Kabir, Katarzyna Kissimova-Skarbek, Ann Kristin Knudsen, Naime Meriç Konar, Carina Ladeira, Brian Lassen, Aaron Liew, Marjeta Majer, Enkeleint A. Mechili, Alibek Mereke Alibek Mereke, Lorenzo Monasta, Stefania Mondello, Joana Nazaré Morgado, Evangelia Nena, Edmond S. W. Ng, Vikram Niranjan, Iskra Alexandra Nola, Rónán O’Caoimh, Panagiotis Petrou, Vera Pinheiro, Miguel Reina Ortiz, Silvia Riva, Hanen Samouda, João Vasco Vasco Santos, Cornelia Melinda Adi Santoso, Milena Santric Milicevic, Dimitrios Skempes, Ana Catarina Sousa, Niko Speybroeck, Fimka Tozija, Brigid Unim, Hilal Bektaş Uysal, Fabrizio Giovanni Vaccaro, Orsolya Varga, Milena Vasic, Francesco Saverio Violante, Grant M. A. Wyper, Suzanne Polinder, Juanita A. Haagsma

Articles

Calculating the disease burden due to injury is complex, as it requires many methodological choices. Until now, an overview of the methodological design choices that have been made in burden of disease (BoD) studies in injury populations is not available. The aim of this systematic literature review was to identify existing injury BoD studies undertaken across Europe and to comprehensively review the methodological design choices and assumption parameters that have been made to calculate years of life lost (YLL) and years lived with disability (YLD) in these studies.