Research@THEA (Technological Higher Education Association)
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Numerical study of oblique detonation wave control for fuel blends
Get PDFThe current study is motivated to develop control strategies for oblique detonation wave formation on a finite length wedge in a premixed methane-air mixture. The effectiveness of hydrogen blends (0 - 100%) to methaneair premixed mixture (at 300 K) on Chapmann Jouguet (CJ) detonation and oblique detonation wave formation are analyzed for different pressures (20 kPa - 100 kPa) and incoming velocities (2.4 - 3.2 km/s) by using 1-D Zeldovich-von Neumann-Doering (ZND) calculations. It was found that induction length and induction time reduces with higher blends of hydrogen in CJ-ZND analysis as well as oblique detonation wave ZND analysis. Similar effects are observed by adding small amount of reaction promoters (H2O2 or O3) as additives up to 15000 PPM. The two-dimensional numerical simulations for the oblique shock wave (OSW) to oblique detonation wave (ODW) transition for different blends and additions in fuel-air mixtures are performed for wedge at angle θ = 26◦ for incoming flow velocity of 2800 m/s, pressure of 20 kPa and temperature of 300 K. The unsteady reactive Navier-Stokes RANS equations are solved with adaptive grid refinement and robust SAGE chemistry solver on CONVERGE platform using reduced version of GRI mechanism along with ozone sub-chemistry. Two dimensional simulations confirms smooth transition with initiation length 1 cm for stoichiometric hydrogen-air and no ODW formation for methane-air premixed mixtures for 10 cm wedge length. It is also found that 50% hydrogen blending and 10000 PPM of ozone addition to stoichiometric methane-air mixture can establish ODW with initiation lengths of 3.9 cm and 4.0 cm, respectively on a finite length wedge.ye
Remote leadership and work engagement: a critical review and future directions
Get PDFThe novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic shook the entire world. All sectors, industries, organisations, and more importantly, people were affected by multiple restrictions implemented by their respective governing bodies. Federal lockdowns and all the emerging laws and regulations associated with them have forced organisations worldwide to transition their operations to remote environments. The implications from the organisations’ perspective vary from leadership to management, structure to operations, and training and development to policy making. However, from the employees’ perspective, the implications vary from general well-being to work engagement, satisfaction to motivation, and followership to trust. Nonetheless, remote work has other implications, such as productivity, the impact of social distancing, work-life balance, and isolation concerns. Therefore, this article aims to present critical thinking and comprehensively analyse the existing literature on remote working, transformational leadership, and work engagement contexts. Theoretical and practical gaps are discussed, and recommendations for future research could contribute to our better understanding of remote leadership and its practical elements. Remote working environments are believed to be permanent working arrangements for many organisations and employees; hence, scholars and practitioners must explore them to further depths.ye
Women's experiences of specialist perinatal mental health services: a qualitative evidence synthesis
No full textPurpose: Specialist perinatal mental health services identify and treat women experiencing mental health conditions during pregnancy and up to one year post birth. There is limited knowledge about women's experiences of care from specialist services. Evaluation and optimisation of service delivery requires knowledge of women's care experiences. This review aimed to systematically identify, appraise, and synthesise qualitative evidence exploring women's experiences of specialist perinatal mental health services.
Methods: A systematic literature search of five databases: Medline (OVID), EMBASE (Elsevier), PsycINFO (EBSCO), CINAHL (EBSCO) and Scopus (Elsevier), grey literature searching, and backward citation, identified a total of 1035 papers of which sixteen met inclusion criteria. Methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) tool.
Results: Thematic synthesis identified three themes: connected relationships; new beginnings; and meaningful service delivery. Findings identified that relationships developed with clinicians were significant to women and their experience of care. Women valued continuity of care from dedicated non-judgemental clinicians. Peer support from other mothers was perceived as meaningful to women. Through service interventions women gained new insights into their infant's needs and grew in confidence as a mother.
Conclusions: Women require provision of flexible and accessible specialist services with clinicians who are sensitive to their individual psychosocial needs and preferences. Examining discharge practices and continuing care needs is essential to ensure the best outcomes for women and their families.ye
An explorative analysis of effective project management of research and research-related projects within a newly formed multi-campus Technology University /
Get PDFHigher education will be crucial in the coming decades in helping to make Ireland a nation known for
innovation, competitive enterprise, and ongoing academic success, as well as a desirable location to
live and work with a high quality of life, vibrant culture, and inclusive social structures. Higher
education institutions will actively connect with each student community, society, and business; they
will help students develop a sense of place and identity in Ireland and provide the tools they need to
contribute significantly to the global community.
It will also serve as a catalyst for novel ideas through research, many of which will become the
foundation for long-lasting innovative businesses in the future as part of the 2030 National Strategy
on Education. This strategy focuses on changing and developing our education system and how we
conduct research. The emphasis is central to knowledge transfer and a consistent research framework
while exploiting opportunities and having the necessary expertise. The newly formed Technological
Universities in Ireland are based on a government initiative to create a new type of higher education
institution focusing on applied and industry-focused research and education. The basis of the
Technological University is to bring together two or more existing Institutes of Technologies to create
a larger, more comprehensive institution that offers a broader range of programs and services to
students and industry partners. The Technological University model promotes collaboration between
academia, industry, and community organisations to foster innovation, research, and economic
development. The Technological University is designed to emphasise applied research, technology
transfer, and entrepreneurship to foster innovation and contribute to economic growth. Therefore,
effective Project Management of research projects within the newly formed Technological
Universities is central to ensuring the Technological University objectives are fulfilled.
A project is a collection of organised tasks to produce a singular output (product or service) within a
given time frame. Project Management is a set of activities that facilitates the successful
implementation of a project. The significant differences between research projects and development
projects are the (lack of) precise requirements and (the inability to) plan an outcome from the
beginning of the project. The evaluation criteria for a research project must consider these and other
"particularities" in works; for instance, proving something cannot be done may be a successful
outcome.
This study intends to explore how a newly established multi-campus Technological Universitymanages
research projects effectively. The study will identify the potentials and difficulties of managing
research projects, the tools, resources and processes available in a multi-campus Technological
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University context and the methods and approaches employed to deal with these difficulties. Key
stakeholders like Project Managers, academics and administrators will be surveyed as part of the
study, which will also involve an explorative investigation of current literature and data. The findings
of this study will contribute to creating best practices for Project Management in this setting and offer
insightful information about the efficient management of research projects within a multi-campus
Technological University.n
Pathogenic drug resistant fungi: a review of mitigation strategies
Get PDFFungal pathogens cause significant human morbidity and mortality globally, where there is
a propensity to infect vulnerable people such as the immunocompromised ones. There is increasing
evidence of resistance to antifungal drugs, which has significant implications for cutaneous, invasive
and bloodstream infections. The World Health Organization (WHO) published a priority list of
fungal pathogens in October 2022, thus, highlighting that a crisis point has been reached where
there is a pressing need to address the solutions. This review provides a timely insight into the
challenges and implications on the topic of antifungal drug resistance along with discussing the
effectiveness of established disease mitigation modalities and approaches. There is also a need to
elucidate the cellular and molecular mechanisms of fungal resistance to inform effective solutions.
The established fungal decontamination approaches are effective for medical device processing and
sterilization, but the presence of pathogenic fungi in recalcitrant biofilms can lead to challenges,
particularly during cleaning. Future design ideas for implantable and reusable medical devices
should consider antifungal materials and appropriates for disinfection, and where it is relevant,
sterilization. Preventing the growth of mycotoxin-producing fungi on foods through the use of
appropriate end-to-end processes is advisable, as mycotoxins are recalcitrant and challenging to
eliminate once they have formed.ye
Do players with superior physiological attributes outwork their less-conditioned counterparts? A study in Gaelic football
Get PDFThis study investigated the association of physiological attributes with in-game workload measures
during competitive Gaelic football match-play. Fifty-two male developmental level Gaelic football players
(mean ± SD; age: 22.9 ± 3.8 years) underwent measurements of anthropometric characteristics, running speed,
muscular strength and power, blood lactate (BLa), running economy and aerobic capacity during two separate
testing visits. Global Positioning System units (18-Hz) were used to record players in-game workloads during
a competitive match 1-week following the baseline physiological assessments. Results indicated that players
body fat percentage, drop jump height (DJ) and running velocity at 4 mmol · L−1 BLa were significantly associated
with the number of high-speed runs completed (Adjusted R2 26.8% to 39.5%; p < 0.05) while 20 m running
speed, running velocity at 2 mmol · L−1 BLa and DJ were significantly associated with the number of accelerations
completed (Adjusted R2 17.2% to 22.0%; p < 0.05) during match-play. Additionally, aerobic capacity and body
fat percentage were significantly associated with total distance (Adjusted R2 14.4% to 22.4%; p < 0.05) while
body fat percentage, DJ and 20 m running speed were significantly associated with high-speed distance (Adjusted
R2 17.8% to 22.0%; p < 0.05). Players were also divided into higher-standard and lower-standard groups using
a median split of these physiological attributes. Players in the higher-standard groups completed significantly
more high-speed runs and accelerations and covered significantly larger total and high-speed distances (+10.4%
to +36.8%; ES = 0.67 to 0.88; p < 0.05) when compared to the lower-standard groups. This study demonstrates
that superior levels of physical conditioning are associated with larger in-game workloads during Gaelic football
match-play.ye
Analysis of volatile organic compounds in Irish rapeseed oils
Get PDFIn recent years, consumer demand for health benefitting, pleasant-tasting rapeseed oil has increased, and so has
production. Ireland’s climate and agricultural background can support the production of high-quality rapeseed
oil. Volatile organic compounds (VOC) can give rise to highly distinctive flavours in rapeseed oils, produced
during crop growth and generated during processing. This study performed VOC and sensory evaluation to
determine if correlations exist. Samples of Irish rapeseed oils from 6 different producers were analysed. Com-
pounds detected in the oil samples consisted of acids, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, benzenes, esters, ether,
terpenes, and sulphurs. While variations in whole volatile profiles were not considered significant, individual
compounds and volatile classes were for hexanal, pentanal, ketones, acids, and sulphurs compounds. Correlations
were observed between the VOCs detected and the sensory profile, which indicated the VOC content may in-
fluence an oil’s sensory profile.ye
Effect of restricted feeding on hen performance, egg quality and organ characteristics of individual laying hens
Get PDFThis study was to assess the impact of permanent or temporary restricted feeding on laying hen production
traits, physiology, and egg quality. Two hundred and forty individually housed ISA Brown hens
were monitored across 2 phases, assigned to 3 treatments: ad libitum feeding (ALF), temporary restricted
feeding (TRF) and permanent restricted feeding (PRF), n ¼ 80 hens per treatment. In Phase 1 (P1), 22 to
40 weeks, the TRF and PRF hens were offered 115 g of feed daily. In Phase 2 (P2), 41 to 46 weeks, the TRF
hens were transitioned to ALF status while the ALF and PRF hens remained as in P1. From 35 to 40 weeks,
eggs were collected once weekly from 15 hens per treatment and assessed for differences in albumen,
yolk, and shell variables. At 45 weeks, 10 hens each from the ALF and PRF groups were euthanized and
differences in organ characteristics were assessed. In P1, feed intake, feed to egg conversion ratio and
body weight (BW) change were lower (P < 0.01), while albumen height and Haugh unit were higher
(P < 0.01) in both PRF and TRF hen treatments compared to hens allocated the ALF treatment. In P2, TRF
and ALF hens had a higher egg production and egg mass than PRF (P < 0.01) than ALF. Body weight
change in P2 was higher in TRF and similar in both ALF and PRF, while feed intake and feed conversion
ratio were higher in TRF followed by ALF and least in the PRF treatment group (P < 0.01). At 45 weeks ALF
hens had a greater abdominal fat pad weight and fatty liver haemorrhagic syndrome lesion score
compared to PRF. Restricting hens to 115 g of feed per day from point of lay restrained BW, improved feed
conversion ratio and albumen quality and reduced abdominal fat pad deposition and clinical signs of
fatty liver haemorrhagic syndrome in individually housed laying hens.ye
Integrative and comparative genomic analyses of mammalian macrophage responses to intracellular mycobacterial pathogens
No full textMycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of human tuberculosis (hTB), is a close evolutionary relative of Mycobacterium bovis, which causes bovine tuberculosis (bTB), one of the most damaging infectious diseases to livestock agriculture. Previous studies have shown that the pathogenesis of bTB disease is comparable to hTB disease, and that the bovine and human alveolar macrophage (bAM and hAM, respectively) transcriptomes are extensively reprogrammed in response to infection with these intracellular mycobacterial pathogens. In this study, a multi-omics integrative approach was applied with functional genomics and GWAS data sets across the two primary hosts (Bos taurus and Homo sapiens) and both pathogens (M. bovis and M. tuberculosis). Four different experimental infection groups were used: 1) bAM infected with M. bovis, 2) bAM infected with M. tuberculosis, 3) hAM infected with M. tuberculosis, and 4) human monocyte-derived macrophages (hMDM) infected with M. tuberculosis. RNA-seq data from these experiments 24 h post-infection (24 hpi) was analysed using three computational pipelines: 1) differentially expressed genes, 2) differential gene expression interaction networks, and 3) combined pathway analysis. The results were integrated with high-resolution bovine and human GWAS data sets to detect novel quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for resistance to mycobacterial infection and resilience to disease. This revealed common and unique response macrophage pathways for both pathogens and identified 32 genes (12 bovine and 20 human) significantly enriched for SNPs associated with disease resistance, the majority of which encode key components of the NF-κB signalling pathway and that also drive formation of the granuloma.ye
Examining students' preferences for academic writing support in a third level institute in Ireland
Get PDFAcademic writing support has become an integral part of the learning process at third level. At Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands (TUS: Midlands), the Academic Writing Centre (AWC) offers individual and group support to all 5,000 learners attending the institute. Historically, all support was provided face-to-face, but due to Covid-19 it moved online in March 2020 and since then the service has been available through a combination of remote and face-to-face delivery. Learners attending the AWC during three academic years were asked to outline their preferences on the provision of support: face-to-face, online or a combination of both. The findings highlight that in the 2019 – 2020 academic year the majority of students expressed a preference for face-to-face contact with writing tutors, while in the 2020 – 2021 academic year there was increased preference for working remotely or a combination of face-to-face and remote delivery. Then, in the 2021 – 2022 academic year, there was a shift back to a preference for face-to-face delivery. Learners were also asked to identify specific areas where they needed academic writing support. The results show that in each academic year the area where students required most support was writing structure. Grammar and punctuation, referencing and paraphrasing, language and writing literature reviews were also among the main areas where academic writing support was requested by learners