National University of Ireland, Maynooth
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Role and Findings of Arts-based Research in the DANCING Project. ‘…Usually in the world it is the other way around…’
No full textThis report outlines and discusses the arts-based research undertaken within the larger multi-method project ‘Protecting the Right to Culture of Persons with Disabilities and Enhancing Cultural Diversity through European Union Law: Exploring New Paths (DANCING)’, funded by the European Research Council (ERC) and based at Maynooth University (MU), Ireland.[1] DANCING has been running from 1 September 2020 and will be completed by 31 August 2025.
Notably, DANCING deploys arts-based research alongside socio-legal and doctrinal research to explore the right of persons with disabilities to take part in cultural life as an essential aspect of enhancing cultural diversity in the European Union (EU). Arts-based research (i.e. qualitative research that employs the premises, procedures, and principles of the arts) has been used in the DANCING project as a data collection method to understand barriers and facilitators to cultural participation. In particular, arts-based research has helped identify what features are experienced as exclusionary by people experiencing different types of disability, both as audience and as artists, and to advance the understanding of what facilitates cultural participation. Arts-based research has also been vital to gauge a deeper understanding of key concepts of disability law, such as accessibility. Further, it has provided an actual demonstration of the cultural diversity brought by and inherent to disability
The Irish drought impacts database: A 287‐year database of drought impacts derived from newspaper archives
No full textUnderstanding of past droughts has been mostly shaped by meteorological data, with relatively less known about the human aspects of droughts, their socio‐economic impacts, as well as choices people make in response to droughts in different environmental and socio‐political contexts. The lack of data that systematically record and categorize drought impacts is an important reason for this disparity. In this paper, we present an Irish drought impacts database (IDID) containing 6094 newspaper reports and 11,351 individual impact records for the island of Ireland, covering the period 1733–2019. Relevant articles were identified through systematic searching of the Irish Newspaper Archives, and recorded impacts were categorized using a modified version of the classification scheme employed by the European drought impact inventory (EDII). Drawing on the wealth and diversity of content provided by the newspapers, the IDID database provides information on the documented temporal and geographical extent of drought events, their socio‐economic and political contexts, their consequences, mitigation strategies employed and their change over time. The IDID also facilitates analysis of long‐term patterns in drought incidence, individual impact categories, as well as detailed insight into the impacts of individual drought events over nearly three centuries of Ireland's history. In addition, by allowing an examination of the coherence between meteorological records and identified impacts, it advances our understanding of the influences that contemporary economic, political, environmental and societal events had on the human experience, perception and impact of droughts. This new open‐access database, therefore, provides opportunities for improving understanding of drought vulnerability and is an important step in developing greater capacity to cope with and respond to future droughts on the island of Ireland
Academic Career Advancement: Academic Career Scripts and their Role Models
No full textThis thesis explores academic career advancement to understand institutions’ performance expectations and the clarity of their communication. I leverage signalling theory to advance the literature on academic career scripts by revealing the sources of signal noise that might influence individuals' interpretation of these scripts. The thesis aims to assist individual faculty seeking career advancement by helping them make sense of ambiguous communication for various career pathways.
The thesis is split into three interconnected empirical studies (Chapters 2-4). Chapter 2 explores an institution's needs signalled via their promotion documents. Examining these signals, I conceptually argue that they are influenced by institutions’ need for universal performance policies to address short- and long-term strategic objectives. Chapter 3 moves beyond signalled expectations to examine the career script role models signalled after career advancement decisions have been made by institutions. Chapter 4 examines the teaching dimension of the academic career script, focusing on the level of exposure of this component of the script among PhD students and ECAs.
The thesis findings show that promotion criteria signals are consistently ambiguous and that the career script role models signalled when career advancement decisions are made are inconsistent. This suggests a changing nature of institutions’ needs and individual interpretation. Overall, the performance of career-advanced individuals does not align at the rank, institution, or regional level. This questions the assumption of a system of common academic ranks as a foundation of academic career scripts. The literature also revealed that PhD graduates have limited exposure to the teaching component of academic career scripts. This is problematic because just several years post PhD graduation, institutions expect high levels of teaching excellence for career advancement
Brain Glucose: Development and Characterisation of a Microelectrochemical Composite Biosensor for Chronic Real-time Monitoring in Freely Moving Rats
No full textThe aim of this project was to characterise a first-generation polymer enzyme
composite (PEC) biosensor for monitoring brain extracellular glucose. The brain is
heavily dependent on glucose as its primary energy source and dysregulation of
metabolism is linked to several neurological disorders including neurogenerative diseases
such as Alzheimer’s. Therefore, quantification and an improved understanding of glucose
changes and their relationship to other metabolites in the brain, are important research
goals. This project involved applying the composite biosensor design that has previously
been used to monitor other neurochemicals such as D-serine, choline, glutamate and
lactate to the existing glucose biosensor design that was previously developed by Lowry
et al. The core components of different crosslinking/stabilising agents, layering strategies
and drying times for the PEC biosensor design have already been optimised in the
previously developed devices. When the composite design was applied for the detection
of glucose the chosen sensor design was:
PtD(PoPD)(Sty)(GOx/GA)15
Where a PtD electrode (Platinum disc) was modified with PoPD (poly-ophenylenediamine),
an interference rejection layer, Sty (Styrene) an immobiliser, GOx
(glucose oxidase) the enzyme and finally GA (glutaraldehyde) a cross-linking agent.
Firstly, a literature review of neurochemical glucose biosensors was conducted to
compare and contrast the new glucose biosensor’s response characteristics (e.g.
sensitivity, Vmax and Km) with devices already reported. An in vitro characterisation of the
composite glucose biosensor was performed to determine the sensitivity of the device.
The sensor was exposed to a range of pH and temperatures that it may encounter in the
brain. Oxygen dependence studies were performed to ensure the low O2 concentration in
the brain would not hinder the biosensor’s performance. Biocompatibility tests were
conducted as exposure to brain tissue can lead to a decrease in sensitivity due to electrode
poisons, surfactants and surface modifying agents. A range of different stability
experiments were performed to determine the effect repeat calibrations had on the
sensitivity of the biosensor along with shelf-life experiments to assess the longevity of
the device. Finally, interference rejection was tested for common endogenous
electroactive interferents to ensure they had minimal effect on the glucose signal
recorded.
In summary, the polymer enzyme composite biosensor achieved an excellent
sensitivity of 32.42 ± 0.90 nA.cm-2.μM-1. It had a shelf-life of several weeks and no loss
of sensitivity was observed after repeat calibrations or exposure to ex vivo rodent brain
tissue (14 days). The sensor performed adequately under all physiologically relevant pH
and temperature ranges. The addition of a poly-ortho-phenylenediamine (PoPD) layer
provided the sensor with interference rejection properties which resulted in a reliable,
interference-free detection of glucose. Preliminary in vivo studies were performed in
freely moving rats where the sensor demonstrated reliable signals in response to neuronal
activation (tail pinch), and expected signals were observed when interference testing for
ascorbic acid and oxygen was performed. Future work will involve extending the vivo
characterisation of the biosensor
Safe Virtual Space: taking a practice turn in psychological safety, towards systemically viable and sustainable disability supports.
No full textDigitisation presents opportunities and challenges for enhancing disability
services. The onset of COVID-19 prompted a rapid move to virtual service
provision. Many organisations encountered challenges with the digital
divide, governance, internet access, technological skills or hardware. This systems
research project explored the potential of virtual services as an alternative
service model by exploring how some services in Ireland set up ad-hoc
virtual supports, often despite poor digital literacy amongst staff and disabled
people. The research developed a focus on safe virtual spaces as an emergent
cross-cutting issue, supported through adaptive innovation.
Soft Systems Methodology was used to design the research as an iterative
process across three cycles. The first cycle consisted of interviews with
service providers and educators to understand experiences of taking services
online. Themes generated using Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA) suggested
that services acted as Complex Adaptive Systems. Notable findings
included the transformation of traditional power dynamics, enhanced personal
agency and psychological safety. The second cycle was designed as
a World Café. Findings indicated that staff practices created the conditions
for safe virtual environments where meaningful connections were possible.
The concept of psychological safety – risk-taking and candour without retribution
– was reframed as a practice-led, systemic construct to include embodied
presence and meaningful connection, leading to a sense of mattering
and belonging. The final study assessed the staff practices and systemic
conditions that support safe virtual spaces. A real-time online Delphi survey
was conducted with an international group of experts. The Viable Systems
Model (VSM) was used to structure questions and analysis. The results suggested that developing Safe Virtual Spaces requires integration with the identity
and strategic governance processes within organisations. The research
identifies a need for more attention to balancing current and future needs, as
the demand for virtual services is expected to increase. Seven principles to inform
the systemic design of safe virtual spaces are proposed. The research
concluded that a focus on developing staff practices alongside appropriate
governance is needed to create and sustain viable Safe Virtual Spaces,
where a felt sense of safety forms the purpose of the space, within the context
of service improvements that are more resilient to future volatility
Is there a nationality wage premium in European football?
No full textWe investigate the presence of nationality salary premia in two top European football leagues (the Premier League
and Serie A). We uncover a substantial pay premium for South American players (primarily driven by Argentina
and Brazil) of between 11 and 15 per cent in magnitude. We investigate possible mechanisms, such as whether
these salary effects are driven by new entrants to the league, and whether they are reflected in team attendances
and team performance. Fans appear to respond to higher proportions of South American players in England, but
not in Italy. We discuss the implications of these results and suggest why potential differences might exist across
the leagues
Heterogeneous effects of blood pressure screening
No full textThis is the first study that investigates the heterogeneous effects of blood pressure (BP) screening on subsequent
changes in BP in a high-income country. We use data from clinical health assessments carried out in 2010
(baseline) and 2014 (follow-up) as part of a nationally-representative longitudinal study on ageing in Ireland.
We focus on individuals who at baseline do not report a previous hypertension diagnosis and employ a
Regression Discontinuity Design by comparing outcomes at follow-up on either side of the BP cutoff that
separates normal to abnormal BP at baseline. We find that the BP screening reduces BP at follow-up, with
larger and more precisely estimated effects for males, middle-age individuals (as opposed to older individuals),
and individuals without public health insurance coverage
Hamstring Strain Injury Risk Factors in Australian Football Change over the Course of the Season
No full textThis study aimed to determine which factors were most predictive of hamstring strain injury (HSI) during different stages of the competition in professional Australian Football.
Methods
Across two competitive seasons, eccentric knee flexor strength and biceps femoris long head architecture of 311 Australian Football players (455 player seasons) were assessed at the start and end of preseason and in the middle of the competitive season. Details of any prospective HSI were collated by medical staff of participating teams. Multiple logistic regression models were built to identify important risk factors for HSI at the different time points across the season.
Results
There were 16, 33, and 21 new HSIs reported in preseason, early in-season, and late in-season, respectively, across two competitive seasons. Multivariate logistic regression and recursive feature selection revealed that risk factors were different for preseason, early in-season, and late in-season HSIs. A combination of previous HSI, age, height, and muscle thickness were most associated with preseason injuries (median area under the curve [AUC], 0.83). Pennation angle and fascicle length had the strongest association with early in-season injuries (median AUC, 0.86). None of the input variables were associated with late in-season injuries (median AUC, 0.46). The identification of early in-season HSI and late in-season HSI was not improved by the magnitude of change of data across preseason (median AUC, 0.67).
Conclusions
Risk factors associated with prospective HSI were different across the season in Australian Rules Football, with nonmodifiable factors (previous HSI, age, and height) mostly associated with preseason injuries. Early in-season HSI were associated with modifiable factors, notably biceps femoris long head architectural measures. The prediction of in-season HSI was not improved by assessing the magnitude of change in data across preseason
Minorities at War, Part 1: State Policies in Times of Conflict
No full textThis short introduction provides an overview for the first part of the special issue of ‘Minorities at War’. The issue’s overarching theme explores how periods of conflict influenced the relationship between minority groups in Central and Eastern Europe and their respective host states during the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. The articles featured are based on contributions originally presented at the BASEES Study Group for Minority History’s second official biennial symposium, ‘Minorities at War from Napoleon to Putin’, which was held at the New Europe College in Bucharest, Romania from 11-12 May 2023
Insulation from loss: Exploring the impact of changing relationships in the liminal period between reoffending and desistance, and substance misuse and recovery
No full textThis article focuses on changes to relationships during the transition to desistance. This is important as liminality in offending behaviour is well-established meaning that people may move forward and backward through the offending cycle. Research on the nature of relationships as people move towards desistance is thus essential to understand the impact of change for individuals during a period of transition. This article explores the impact of change to relationships for both men and women contributing to gendered understandings of transitions to desistance. Based on interviews with 18 men and 10 women completing probation, two themes emerged to describe the impact of change, which were loss and gain, and rebuilding. These themes explain how changes to relationships can hinder or encourage desistance in the liminal period from reoffending to desistance