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Hepatic macrophage responses in inflammation, a function of plasticity, heterogeneity or both?
No full textWith the increasing availability and accessibility of single cell technologies, much attention
has been given to delineating the specific populations of cells present in any given tissue.
In recent years, hepatic macrophage heterogeneity has also begun to be examined using
these strategies. While previously any macrophage in the liver was considered to be a
Kupffer cell (KC), several studies have recently revealed the presence of distinct subsets ofhepatic macrophages, including those distinct from KCs both under homeostatic and
non-homeostatic conditions. This heterogeneity has brought the concept of macrophage
plasticity into question. Are KCs really as plastic as once thought, being capable of
responding efficiently and specifically to any given stimuli? Or are the differential responses observed from hepatic macrophages in distinct settings due to the presence of multiple subsets of these cells? With these questions in mind, here we examine what is currently understood regarding hepatic macrophage heterogeneity in mouse and human and examine the role of heterogeneity vs plasticity in regards to hepatic macrophage
responses in settings of both pathogen-induced and sterile inflammation
Advanced solid state nano-electrochemical sensors and system for agri 4.0 applications
No full textGlobal food production needs to increase in order to meet the demands of an ever growing global population. As resources are finite, the most feasible way to meet this demand is to minimize losses and improve efficiency. Regular monitoring of factors like animal health, soil and water quality for example, can ensure that the resources are being used to their maximum efficiency. Existing monitoring techniques however have limitations, such as portability, turnaround time and requirement for additional reagents. In this work, we explore the use of micro- and nano-scale electrode devices, for the development of an electrochemical sensing platform to digitalize a wide range of applications within the agri-food sector. With this platform, we demonstrate the direct electrochemical detection of pesticides, specifically clothianidin and imidacloprid, with detection limits of 0.22 ng/mL and 2.14 ng/mL respectively, and nitrates with a detection limit of 0.2 µM. In addition, interdigitated electrode structures also enable an in-situ pH control technique to mitigate pH as an interference and modify analyte response. This technique is applied to the analysis of monochloramine, a common water disinfectant. Concerning biosensing, the sensors are modified with bio-molecular probes for the detection of both bovine viral diarrhea virus species and antibodies, over a range of 1 ng/mL to 10 µg/mL. Finally, a portable analogue front end electronic reader is developed to allow portable sensing, with control and readout undertaken using a smart phone application. Finally, the sensor chip platform is integrated with these electronics to provide a fully functional end-to-end smart sensor system compatible with emerging Agri-Food digital decision support tools
SARS-CoV-2 infection in general practice in Ireland: a seroprevalence study
No full textBackground: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibody testing in
community settings may help us better understand the immune response to this virus and, therefore,
help guide public health efforts.
Aim: To conduct a seroprevalence study of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in Irish GP clinics.
Design & setting: Participants were 172 staff and 799 patients from 15 general practices in the
Midwest region of Ireland.
Method: This seroprevalence study utilised two manufacturers’ point-of-care (POC) SARS-CoV-2
immunoglobulin M (IgM)—IgG combined antibody tests, which were offered to patients and staff in
general practice from 15 June to 10 July 2020.
Results: IgG seroprevalence was 12.6% in patients attending general practice and 11.1% in staff
working in general practice, with administrative staff having the lowest seroprevalence at 2.5% and
nursing staff having the highest at 17.6%. Previous symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 and history of
a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test were associated with higher seroprevalence. IgG antibodies
were detected in approximately 80% of participants who had a previous PCR-confirmed infection.
Average length of time between participants’ positive PCR test and positive IgG antibody test was
83 days.
Conclusion: Patients and healthcare staff in general practice in Ireland had relatively high rates of IgG
to SARS-CoV-2 compared with the national average between 15 June and 10 July 2020 (1.7%). Four fifths of participants with a history of confirmed COVID-19 disease still had detectable antibodies an
average of 12 weeks post-infection. While not proof of immunity, SARS-CoV-2 POC testing can be
used to estimate IgG seroprevalence in general practice settings
Population mobility trends, deprivation index and the spatio-temporal spread of coronavirus disease 2019 in Ireland
No full textLike most countries worldwide, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has adversely affected
Ireland. The aim of this study was to (i) investigate the spatio-temporal trend of COVID-19 incidence;
(ii) describe mobility trends as measured by aggregated mobile phone records; and (iii) investigate the
association between deprivation index, population density and COVID-19 cases while accounting for
spatial and temporal correlation. Standardised incidence ratios of cases were calculated and mapped
at a high spatial resolution (electoral division level) over time. Trends in the percentage change in
mobility compared to a pre-COVID-19 period were plotted to investigate the impact of lockdown
restrictions. We implemented a hierarchical Bayesian spatio-temporal model (Besag, York and Mollié
(BYM)), commonly used for disease mapping, to investigate the association between covariates
and the number of cases. There have been three distinct “waves” of COVID-19 cases in Ireland
to date. Lockdown restrictions led to a substantial reduction in human movement, particularly
during the 1st and 3rd wave. Despite adjustment for population density (incidence ratio (IR) = 1.985
(1.915–2.058)) and the average number of persons per room (IR = 10.411 (5.264–22.533)), we found
an association between deprivation index and COVID-19 incidence (IR = 1.210 (CI: 1.077–1.357)
for the most deprived quintile compared to the least deprived). There is a large range of spatial
heterogeneity in COVID-19 cases in Ireland. The methods presented can be used to explore locally
intensive surveillance with the possibility of localised lockdown measures to curb the transmission
of infection, while keeping other, low-incidence areas open. Our results suggest that prioritising
densely populated deprived areas (that are at increased risk of comorbidities) during vaccination
rollout may capture people that are at risk of infection and, potentially, also those at increased risk of
hospitalisation
\u27Special death\u27: Living with bereavement by drug-related death in Ireland
No full textThis paper explores the impact of complicated grief on the family system following the drug-related death of a family member. Drug-related deaths are rife with moral stigmas, and those left behind often carry an emotional burden laden with shame and guilt. 17 bereaved family members were interviewed using semi-structured interviews and transcripts were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Three core themes were generated: Renegotiation of Relationships; Experiencing Complex Emotions; and Adjusting to a New Reality. The findings demonstrate that this population experience great difficulty in processing their grief as they struggle with family breakdown, navigating supports and stigma
Physicochemical, nutritional and in vitro antidiabetic characterisation of blue whiting (micromesistius poutassou) protein hydrolysates
No full textProtein hydrolysates from low-value underutilised fish species are potential sources of high quality dietary protein and health enhancing peptides. Six blue whiting soluble protein hydrolysates (BW-SPH-A_F), generated at industrial scale using different hydrolysis conditions, were assessed in terms of their protein equivalent content, amino acid profile and score and physicochemical properties in addition to their ability to inhibit dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) and stimulate the secretion of insulin from BRIN-BD11 cells. Furthermore, the effect of simulated gastrointestinal digestion (SGID) on the stability of the BW-SPHs and their associated in vitro antidiabetic activity was investigated. The BW-SPHs contained between 70–74% (w/w) protein and all essential and non essential amino acids. All BW-SPHs mediated DPP-IV inhibitory (IC50: 2.12–2.90 mg protein/mL)
and insulin secretory activity (2.5 mg/mL; 4.7 to 6.4-fold increase compared to the basal control (5.6 mM glucose alone)). All BW-SPHs were further hydrolysed during SGID. While the in vitro DPP-IV inhibitory and insulin secretory activity mediated by some BW-SPHs was reduced following SGID, the activity remained high. In general, the insulin secretory activity of the BW-SPHs were 4.5–5.4-fold higher than the basal control following SGID. The BW-SPHs generated herein provide potential for anti-diabetic related functional ingredients, whilst also enhancing environmental and commercial sustainability
Stress analysis of generally asymmetric non-prismatic beams subject to arbitrary loads
No full textNon-prismatic beams are widely employed in several engineering fields, e.g., wind turbines, rotor blades, aircraft wings, and arched bridges. While analytical solutions for variable cross-section beams are desirable, a model describing all stress components for beams with general variation of their cross-section under generalised loading remains an open and important problem to solve. To partly address this issue, we propose an analytical solution for stress recovery of untwisted, asymmetric, non-prismatic beams with smooth and continuous taper shape under general loading, considering plane stress conditions for isotropic materials undergoing small strains. The methodology follows Jourawski’s formulation, including the effect of asymmetric variable cross-section, with internal forces as known variables. We confirm the non-triviality of the stress field of nonprismatic beams, i.e., the dependency on all internal forces and beam geometry to shear and transverse stress distributions. As a particular novelty, the new formulation for transverse direct stress includes internal forces derivatives, resulting in greater accuracy than state-of-the-art models for distributed loading conditions. Also, closed-form solutions are introduced for non-prismatic and linearly tapered, generally asymmetric beams, both
with rectangular cross-sections. For validation purposes, we consider three different practical beam models: a symmetric and an asymmetric, both linearly tapered, and an arched beam. The results, checked against commercial finite element analysis, show that the proposed model predicts the stress-field of non-prismatic beams under distributed loads with good levels of accuracy. Traction-free boundary condition requirements are naturally satisfied on the beam surface
A spatially resolved model for pressure filtration of edible fat slurries
No full textA spatially resolved one dimensional pressure filtration model was developed for a slurry of edible fat crystals. The model focuses on the expression step in which a cake is compressed to force the liquid through a filter cloth. The model describes the local oil flow in the shrinking cake modeled as a porous nonlinear elastic medium existing of two phases, viz. porous aggregates and interaggregate liquid. Conservation equations lead to a set of two differential equations (vs. time and vs. a material coordinate ω) for two void ratios, which are solved numerically by exploiting a finite-difference scheme. A simulation with this model results in a spatially resolved cake composition and in the outflow velocity, both as a function of time, as well as the final solid fat contents of the cake. Simulation results for various filtration conditions are compared with experimental data collected in a
pilot-plant scale filter pres
Understanding developer security archetypes
No full textAs software systems penetrate our everyday lives, security has risen to be a key concern. Despite decades of research leading to new tools and practices for writing secure code, achieving security as a key attribute remains highly challenging. We observe that much of the literature considers developers to be homogeneous and interchangeable. The differing circumstances of developers that might play a role in the writing of secure code have not been clearly defined. In this position paper we introduce the concept of developer security archetypes. Specifically, we suggest two key factors: developersâ personal interest in security, and the support that developers receive from their environment. Together, these two dimensions define four archetypes which can be uniquely characterized. By distinguishing developer archetypes, we seek to better understand how developers perceive security-related issues in systems development, as well as how to better support them
Learning from incidents in airworthiness: a novel framework tool for safety analysis
No full textSafe air travel is an expectation that we often invest little or no thought in. Fortunately,
the industry has evolved to a stage where major air accidents are rare. Numerous lessons
in aviation safety have unfortunately been paid for in the currency of human life. Many
segments of the aviation industry support the idea that adverse and unwelcome events can
be minimised through diligent reporting of incidents, event analysis and learning. The
value of learning from incidents is not well supported in the implementing regulations.
Therefore, little or no examination of learning inputs or outputs is required.
The intent of the study was to understand how various situations impact on learning from
incidents in the continuing airworthiness management segment. To gain an empathetic
understanding of the participants and their actions, an interpretative approach was
adopted. An analysis of potential research methods and means of data collection was
performed. Thirty-four semi-structured taped interviews were carried out. A qualitative
analysis process based on Thematic Analysis employing a six- phase approach was used
in support of the study.
The harvesting of information from incident reporting systems is a necessary input to
continuously develop appropriate and effective training material. The inclusion of basic
qualification criteria for human factor trainers in regulatory requirements should also be
addressed. However, it is questionable if the perpetuation of these measures alone would
support more effective delivery and application of lessons learned throughout the
segment. One means of addressing this impending issue is to remodel regulatory,
operational and training requirements to consider a new approach in the segment.
Reflecting a combination of actions, events and conditions in a new basic model for
human factor continuation training, may lay the foundations to better elucidate event
causation and yield improved safety recommendations in the featured segment