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    A quality of experience evaluation of example versus procedural instruction formats for augmented reality based procedure training

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    Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that can enhance the user’s world view with computer generated information. This information can take the form of the domain-specific instructions required for successful completion of novel procedures. A procedure is a suite of steps that must be followed in strict order for successful completion. A novel procedure is one that is new to the user. Instruction format is a consideration concerning efficient use of limited power and computation resources on mobile AR devices. Procedural instructions describe how to complete tasks in a stepwise manner and examples demonstrate how instances of the task are carried out. Crucial to user acceptability of AR for the procedure assistance role is high quality of experience (QoE). QoE is concerned with the degree of fulfilment of the user’s pragmatic and hedonic needs and expectations which will be influenced by instruction format. This is measured in terms of the user’s degree of delight or annoyance i.e., emotional response to stimuli, manifesting as changes in physiology and thought patterns which are measurable using sensors and questionnaires. Although the individual human experience is subjective, it is underpinned by this common physiological mechanism. However, it is influenced by personality, context, technical, social and psychological factors

    Reflecting on the use of an Assigned Reading Exercise: Global Tourism Issues

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    Enamul-Hoque (2016; 46) states that the cognitive domain includes learning processes including a hierarchy of skills involving processing information, constructing understanding, applying knowledge, solving problems, and conducting research. Winn, DelSignore, Marcus, Chiell, Freiman, Stafford and Newman (2019) ascertain that cognitive learning strategies are strategies that improve a learner's ability to process information more deeply, transfer and apply information to new situations, and result in enhanced and better-retained learning. Consequently, for the purpose of this assignment, a cognitive approach (The Assigned Reading Exercise) as its main aim is to compare and contrast documented research and literature as McLeod (2019) suggests that the teacher's major task is to foster a collaborative problem-solving atmosphere in which students take a key role in their own learning. A teacher, rather than being an instructor, functions as a facilitator of learning in this context which supports my constructive approach. The Assigned Reading Exercise is a very effective strategy for creating a culture of reading and independent study among a student cohort especially in final year. It can also be developed to serve many higher-order, critical thinking, learning outcomes (LIT Compendium of Active Learning Strategies for Student Engagement; 18). The module that I used the Assigned Reading Exercise was Global Tourism Issues on the B.A. (Honours) in Business Studies with Travel and Tourism Management which was designed to evaluate and critically assess the key global issues that have significance in tourism in a global context. This was a 4th Year module and there were 27 students in the group. I had the students for a 2-hour lecture and then a 1-hour tutorial both on a Tuesday

    Addressing cohort uncertainty through advanced length frequency and stage-based assessment models with application to anglerfish

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    Fisheries stock assessments are important tools for successful management of fisheries. Reliability of a stock assessment model is often determined by the data available and accounting for key uncertainties in the data is an important aspect of stock assessments and management. Central to many assessment models is the tracking of cohorts through the population, but uncertainty in the identification of cohorts, in the form of uncertainty in age-estimation and fish growth, can impact model performance. Overall, the aim of this thesis was to develop methods to address this cohort uncertainty, as well as assess the impact of biased age-composition data on the fisheries advice process. I focus on anglerfish as the main case study species, as their assessment and management is affected by the challenges touched upon earlier. To provide context, Chapter 1 gives an overview of stock assessment and management, focussing on the challenges of uncertainty in age-estimation and growth, as well as the approaches used to account for them. Anglerfish fisheries are also summarised and issues affecting their assessment and management discussed. Chapter 2 addresses the topic of cohort uncertainty by developing a new method of length frequency analysis. The model is a maximum likelihood-based procedure that uses Gaussian mixture models and the Expectation Maximisation algorithm to estimate von Bertalanffy growth parameters from length frequency data from fisheries surveys. The model was applied to length data from the white-bellied anglerfish stock in the Celtic Sea and Bay of Biscay. The basic model estimated a single set of growth parameters, whereas the hierarchical extension to the model was able to model some of the natural variability in fish growth between cohorts or years with bivariate random effects on key parameters. Chapter 3 approaches the issue of cohort uncertainty from a different perspective, implementing and and testing the performance of stage-based stock assessment models. Stage-based assessment models have less data requirements and simpler population dynamics than more complex assessment models, so are likely to be more robust to cohort uncertainty in the data. The stage-based assessment models implemented were: Catch-Survey Analysis (CSA), and a model first described in a theoretical paper by Schnute (1987). The performance of these two theoretically different stage-based assessment models was assessed with a simulation-testing framework and on a real anglerfish stock. The findings showed both models are useful stock assessment models, with CSA more robust but less precise than the Schnute model. The Schnute model was more precise than CSA but required growth and mean fish weight data unaffected by selectivity. As part of the work conducted for Chapter 3, the R package ‘sbar’ was developed. This is a fully documented R package that contains the functions to run the stage-based assessment models. Chapter 4 outlines the key assumptions and data requirements of the models, as well as demonstrating use with data from a real anglerfish stock. Versions of the Schnute model not described or tested in Chapter 3 were also detailed here. A goal of this chapter was to allow new users to begin running stage-based assessment models with relevant background information provided. Chapter 5 addresses the impact of using age-composition data generated with a biased growth function in stock assessment and management over time. A management strategy evaluation framework was used, with both stage-based and age-based management procedures tested. A method for estimating CSA reference points was also developed. Both management procedures were affected by the biased sampling data, but in different ways. Performance statistics indicated that it is important to consider the uncertainty and potential bias in growth estimates when generating age-composition data. Overall, the research presented in this thesis has developed and implemented techniques that aim to further advance the field of fisheries stock assessment and management when cohorts are uncertain. The thesis focussed on anglerfish for the majority of case studies due to the fisheries’ reported issues, however the methods implemented here are useful in a wider context and there are many species to which the techniques could be applied.n

    Development of dental implants with antimicrobial activity

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    Planktonic bacteria are capable of forming biofilms, which are described as microbial aggregates embedded within a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and are found attached to abiotic or biotic surfaces (1,2). The EPS contains exopolysaccharides, nucleic acids , proteins and lipids forming a protective matrix surrounding bacterial cells (3) . Bacteria attach to the EPS facilitating cellcell communication and cell-surface interactions (4) . The biofilm matrix is important in maintaining the biofilm lifestyle, it has an influence on microbial behaviour, virulence and tolerance to antimicrobial

    Utilizing machine learning techniques in football prediction

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    From debates between football analysts, to opposing team’s fans, predicting the winner between two football teams has always been intrinsically tied to the sport. In more recent times, predicting the winner between two teams, and by extension why this team won, has taken on added importance. From football teams looking for ways to gain a competitive advantage, to attain championships and increased revenue, to fans looking to back their team and see a return in the form of betting, accurately predicting the winner between two teams takes on increased importance. With the expanded availability of machine learning techniques, it is now possible to build multiple models that can learn and interpret a data set to provide a prediction as to who will win between any two football teams. The models in this paper will be provided with base football statistics, those statistics that are gathered after every match such as the number of shots a team has or how many fouls were committed, and additional psychological and non psychological factors. This is due to a football match being determined by more than just base statistics, with a team’s mentality and ability to deal with external factors a key part of the modern game. This paper aims to not only provide an accurate prediction for which team would win in any given match, but also provide some answer as to why they won. Showing what variables and features most determine why one team is selected to win over another, providing some explanation and logic behind the predictions. Utilizing seminal works in the field, such as Razali et al. (2017) and Gangal et al. (2015), to be more informed on which models have been used previously and how they performed, this paper seeks to build upon all that came before. CRISP-DM was the methodology used to keep the research structured and focused, while a positivist research approach was utilized to ensure that only unbiased quantitative data was used, data that is entirely built upon facts and figures. This quantitative data set was compiled and curated by the author utilizing two seasons of Premier League football data and supplied to the eight models that were selected to allow them to learn. This learning was then applied to one final data set to assess the predictive power it has gained in learning. The author was successfully able to predict the results of 72.37% matches across the three-hundred and eighty game Premier League season, comparable to the literature. The model that performed best returned 85% accuracy when trained on nothing but base statistics, and 75% accuracy when trained on the additional factors that were included. This resulted in a predicted final league table that closely resembles the real final league table, with most discrepancies between the two able to be understood and explained.ye

    D5.2 RUN-EU Plus Network of Open Science Ambassadors

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    1. Purpose of the deliverable Open science is an overarching topic that influences all work packages within RUN-EU PLUS. This deliverable aims to give a short definition and an overview on open science in the context of the European Union. It defines the role and characteristics of Open Science Ambassadors (OSA) and it establishes the RUN-EU PLUS OSA network. The deliverable also contains the nominated OSA of each partner within the alliance. 2. Open Science in modern universities 2.1 Open Science in the EU Open Science is a crucial part of the digital future of the European Union (EU). It is a policy priority for the European Commission. By applying open science in all research and innovation funding programmes the EU intends to “improve the quality, efficiency and responsiveness of research”1. The official definition of open science by the EU is as follows: “An approach to the scientific process that focuses on spreading knowledge as soon as it is available using digital and collaborative technology. Expert groups, publications, news and events.”1 In further detail, eight ambitions of the EU’s Open Science policy are defined2. 1) Open Data (FAIR) 2) European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) 3) New generation metrics 4) Future of scholarly communication 5) Rewards 6) Research integrity 7) Education and skills 8) Citizen science To sum up: Open Science is seen as a system change by the European Union and it is a specific goal of the RUN-EU PLUS network to support this system change by implementing a clear Open Science strategy within the network

    Aging research and design thinking: How interdisciplinary collaboration and stakeholder engagement can drive trainees' research impact

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    Aging research is increasingly seeking to solve complex challenges in a context where discovery to implementation and impact may take decades. Design thinking is an approach to problem solving that can accelerate impact by incorporating multiple perspectives, including those of interdisciplinary colleagues, stakeholders and end-users (including older adults), into research development and implementation. The objective of this study was to measure the research impact for 26 trainees (graduate students and postdoctoral fellows) who received funding and in-kind support from a central aging research institute for at least one year over the course of a five-year period (2017-2021). Trainees had varying uptake of these approaches to their aging research. Trainee respondents completed a survey that asked about interdisciplinary collaboration and design thinking approaches, including engagement with older adults, caregivers, and other stakeholders. Here we describe how these approaches were related to patterns in trainee success; trainees whose funded research involved more new collaborators - both within and outside of their discipline – reported more publications, conference presentations and invited talks associated with their research. Further, qualitative responses to survey questions regarding the impact of interdisciplinary and stakeholder interactions describe how trainees were able to make adaptive changes to methods, variables included for analysis, knowledge translation and implementation strategies. We conclude that, in this sample, trainees who engaged in greater interdisciplinary and stakeholder engagement had greater research impact, as measured via traditional academic metrics and more nuanced assessment of knowledge mobilization and implementationye

    How to design a future Ireland for an ageing population

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    This was an opinion piece written for RTE BrainstormOpinion: a rapidly ageing population means we need creative approaches to help us understand complex needs and allow freedom to define our futureye

    Enhanced antimicrobial activity of biocompatible bacterial cellulose films via dual synergistic action of curcumin and triangular silver nanoplates

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    Curcumin and triangular silver nanoplates (TSNP)-incorporated bacterial cellulose (BC) films present an ideal antimicrobial material for biomedical applications as they afford a complete set of requirements, including a broad range of long-lasting potency and superior efficacy antimicrobial activity, combined with low toxicity. Here, BC was produced by Komagataeibacter medellinensis ID13488 strain in the presence of curcumin in the production medium (2 and 10%). TSNP were incorporated in the produced BC/curcumin films using ex situ method (21.34 ppm) and the antimicrobial activity was evaluated against Escherichia coli ATCC95922 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923 bacterial strains. Biological activity of these natural products was assessed in cytotoxicity assay against lung fibroblasts and in vivo using Caenorhabditis elegans and Danio rerio as model organisms. Derived films have shown excellent antimicrobial performance with growth inhibition up to 67% for E. coli and 95% for S. aureus. In a highly positive synergistic interaction, BC films with 10% curcumin and incorporated TSNP have shown reduced toxicity with 80% MRC5 cells survival rate. It was shown that only 100% concentrations of film extracts induce low toxicity effect on model organisms’ development. The combined and synergistic advanced anti-infective functionalities of the curcumin and TSNP incorporated in BC have a high potential for development for application within the clinical setting.ye

    Heat dissipation plays critical role for longevity of polymer-based 3D-printed inserts for plastics injection moulding.

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    Injection moulding is a polymer processing method of choice for making plastic parts on industrial scale, but its traditional mould is made from tooling steel with time-consuming and costly production. Additive manufacturing technologies arise as an alternative for creating mould inserts at lower costs and shorter lead times. In this context, this study describes a series of stereolithography (SLA)-printed injection mould inserts fabricated from two photopolymer resins, utilised to mould standard tensile specimens of a commercial-grade polypropylene, aiming to evaluate effects on the polymer’s thermal and mechanical properties. Our results demonstrated that the glass fibre-filled resin inserts withstood more moulding cycles before failure, had superior mechanical properties, higher Tg and greater thermal conductivity. Calorimetric data revealed that PP thermal properties and degree of crystallinity were little affected, while mechanical testing suggests a significant effect in the elongation at break. Thus, these findings highlight the importance of adequate heat extraction during injection moulding and endorse further application of SLA mould inserts for the manufacturing of injection-moulded plastic parts in the case of prototypes or small batches, provided suitable cooling is made available, contributing to the feasibility and affordability of employing this approach for an industrial setting.This paper is an extended version of conference paper by M. Hopkins, S. Gunbay, C. Hayes, V.F. Moritz, E. Fuenmayor, J.G. Lyons, D.M. Devine “Stereolithography (SLA) utilised to print injection mould tooling in order to evaluate thermal and mechanical properties of commercial polypropylene”. Procedia Manuf. 2021, 55, 205–212. 10.1016/j.promfg.2021.10.029.ye

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