13463 research outputs found
Sort by
A RAG Approach for Multi-Modal Open-ended Lifelog Question-Answering
Get PDFLifelogging is the passive collection, storage and analysis of daily data through wearable sensors. Question Answering (QA) for lifelog data enables natural language interactions with personal daily life records, providing insights into individual routines and behaviours. While this task has great potential for personal analytics and memory augmentation, progress has been limited due to the challenges of lifelog management, since they can comprise of enormous multi-modal data sets spanning a lifetime. We introduce a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) approach for addressing the lifelog QA task. A RAG approach first includes a retrieval model finding the correct lifelog events containing answers and then a large language model (LLM) generating answers from the questions. In addition, we construct an open-ended lifelog QA benchmark with 14,187 QA pairs to examine the RAG approach to lifelog QA. Using an embedding-based retrieval approach, our lifelog context retriever achieves a performance of 77.67% Recall@5 and 94.35% Recall@20 using an embedding-based retrieval approach with the Stella 1.5B model. Combined with the Mistral 7B model, the model achieves scores of 39.54% ROUGE-L and 3.475 Accuracy on a scale of 5 scored by GPT-4o. This approach potentially provides an effective approach to lifelog QA with high performance that does not require fine-tuning
“Oh no, computers have won”… or have they? A case study of developing critical data literacy with undergraduate students at an Irish university
No full textThe areas of learning analytics and critical data literacy are growing in focus in higher education, because both society and higher education are becoming increasingly ‘datafied’ (Atenas, Havemann and Timmermann, 2020; Verständig, 2021), particularly through collection of learner data to inform learning analytics. Critical data literacy for individuals has emerged as a way to counter datafication’s effects (Sander, 2020). It is an important part of a person’s wider digital literacies.
With a role of virtual learning environment (VLE) administrator in an Irish university, the author holds a unique perspective on how this particular technology datafies its users. Recognising this, and wider processes of datafication in society, the author sought to respond to calls in the literature for greater critical data literacy education opportunities for students.
An educational intervention for undergraduate students in the Education discipline was developed, drawing upon Pangrazio and Selwyn’s (2018) domains of personal data literacies. It provided a space for students to come together and reflect on their technology use and data practices, through facilitated discussion. Students also explored a personal dashboard of their VLE data, developed by the author as ‘an object to think with’ (Papert, 1980) to prompt further reflection.
Post-intervention interviews were held to analyse the students’ experience and if their critical data literacy had been fostered. Themes of agency, fairness and critical data literacy emerged. Participants had a positive experience of the intervention, and have changed their practice around technology and data as a result. They would welcome further educational opportunities to develop their critical data literacy, including within their undergraduate studies.
This study offers an example of one particular approach to critical data literacy education which shares students’ own data with them. This act of ‘data transparency’ (Prinsloo and Slade, 2015) with students can encourage the university to practice it more widely
Carbon Nano-Onions for Theragnostic Applications
No full textIt’s widely known that modern chemotherapy treatments cause severe side effects in patients due to the inability of many cancer drugs to target cancer cells over normal, healthy tissues. Targeted nanocarrier systems are one way of solving this problem, in this work boron/nitrogen co-doped carbon nano-onions (BN-CNOs) are used as a scaffold for these systems. BN-CNOs are small, multi-layered, spherical carbon nanoparticles which contain B and N atoms. Their biocompatibility and small size give them promising potential for use in drug delivery and biological imaging systems.
The focus of this project is to create an anticancer nanocarrier system by non-covalently functionalising BN-CNOs with a hyaluronic acid based conjugate polymer (HA-DMPE) to increase their aqueous dispersibility and targetability towards cancer cells overexpressing the CD44 receptor. The loading and pH-triggered release of anticancer drugs Doxorubicin (DOX) and Abemaciclib (Abema) were then studied. The systems were characterised via microscopic and spectroscopic analysis and the cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of the DOX nanocarrier system was tested on triple-negative breast cancer cells. The nanocarrier formulation displayed significant improvements in uptake and anticancer efficacy compared to DOX alone and Caelyx® (an approved liposomal formulation of DOX) as well as reduced side effects when tested in human heart cells.
The development of novel doped CNOs is also presented in this work, namely N, P, S, and BPN CNOs. These nanoparticles were investigated as catalysts for the evolution of hydrogen from sodium borohydride under ambient conditions
An Evaluation of Induction Programmes for Newly Appointed Post-Primary Inspectors in Ireland: Content, Culture and the Role of Mentorship in Early Professional Development
No full textInduction and professional development are frequently provided to newly appointed staff in various sectors, including the health and education sectors. In Ireland, the mandatory induction process is clearly articulated in the induction programme booklet which is provided to all newly appointed inspectors upon entry into the Inspectorate. This booklet is not available to the wider public but is confined to relevant employees in the Inspectorate within the Department of Education (DE). The Irish induction programme for new inspectors and modes of delivery have evolved over many years. In the past, depending on when the inspector joined, the length of induction varied, and for some, it comprised one day of face-to-face training followed by a short period of work shadowing in schools. In recent years, the induction programme has been extended to a period of five months, culminating in the conduct of a supervised inspection.
The focus of this dissertation was to examine the extent to which the content, modes of delivery and the learning environment in induction programmes for newly appointed post-primary inspectors in Ireland align with established research on effective professional development. It also examined if the professional development offered adequately supports post-primary inspectors' initial professional development needs through, for instance the mentoring programme provided to them. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, surveys were administered to 30 participants of which 15 participants were interviewed. The data indicates that overall, participants were positive about their induction experience. For instance, they stated that the content delivered was appropriate and that the range of work shadowing experiences added value to their induction process. However, some areas could be improved, such as the mentoring process and scope to pay greater attention to the development of particular inspection skills, such as note-taking and delivering feedback in larger group settings. It is expected that this research will contribute to new knowledge regarding professional learning not only to the Inspectorate in Ireland and potentially further afield but to other organisations who provide similar programmes
The multi-omic interrogation of HER2-positive breast cancer: investigating predictors of response and resistance
No full textIntroduction:
HER2-positive breast cancer (BC) represents 15-20% of all BC cases and remains an aggressive subtype due to resistance to HER2-targeted therapies, often leading to metastasis. Understanding the molecular evolution of HER2-positive BC and identifying biomarkers for resistance are crucial for improving therapeutic outcomes. This study investigates MYC amplification, tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and genomic characteristics in HER2-positive BC to better understand resistance mechanisms and inform treatment strategies.
Methods:
The role of TILs as biomarkers of response was explored using computational techniques to evaluate immune infiltration and its association with clinical response to trastuzumab-containing regimens. A meta-analysis of baseline samples was conducted to identify immune subsets predictive of pathologic complete response (pCR). Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed on matched primary, metastatic, and normal-adjacent tissues from non- responders (NRs) to assess copy number alterations (CNA) and mutational signatures. MYC
amplification and expression were examined in HER2-positive BC samples across different PAM50 subtypes using genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses.
Results:
TIL analysis revealed a statistical association between memory B-cells and pCR, though data heterogeneity limited conclusions. Paired on-treatment analysis demonstrated shifts in immune responses, with lapatinib modifying innate immune responses and dual HER2-targeted therapy affecting both innate and adaptive systems. WGS of NRs revealed a higher CNA burden driven by copy number gains, with chromosome 8 amplifications linked to poorer clinical outcomes. Mutational signature profiling identified signature 30 as the most prevalent, associated with chemotherapy-induced DNA damage, while other signatures (2, 11, 19) were related to APOBEC and DNA damage mechanisms. No significant differences in overall survival (OS) were observed between primary and metastatic samples. Whilst no co-amplification of MYC and HER2 was observed, basal-like BC showed a positive association with MYC across genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic levels. In-vitro studies validated these findings, suggesting MYC inhibition may be a viable therapeutic strategy for basal-like BC.
Conclusions:
This study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms driving resistance in HER2-positive BC, highlighting MYC as a potential therapeutic target. These findings underscore the complexity of resistance in HER2-positive BC and provide insights into the genomic and immune characteristics that could guide future treatment strategies
A Practical Approach to Deloading: Recommendations and Considerations for Strength and Physique Sports
Get PDFDeloading is a period of reduced training stress where training demand is intentionally reduced to mitigate physiological and psychological fatigue and promote recovery. A deload is commonly implemented to enhance readiness for subsequent training and occurs between or during training phases. During a deload, training is typically modified by reducing the intensity of effort, training volume, duration, or frequency. Adjustments in exercise selection are based on recovery goals and the specific demands of the athlete’s training. Deloads are commonly preplanned and implemented into the training program every 4–8 weeks based on the structure of the training cycle and recovery needs. Alternatively, deloads are sometimes applied reactively using an autoregulatory approach to accommodate unexpected fatigue or performance decrements. While deloading shares conceptual similarities with tapering and training cessation, it should be differentiated based on its objective, structure, and positionality with the overall training program. The purpose of this article is to describe the current research landscape, propose areas for future research, and to provide broad practical recommendations for implementing deloading within the strength and physique sports training program
GenAI and misinformation in education: a systematic scoping review of opportunities and challenges
Get PDFGenerative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) has emerged as a ransformative and disruptive force in education and society, with the potential to both create and correct misinformation. In education, misinformation manifests at three levels: the individual (when students hold misconceptions or inaccurate beliefs); the community (when groups of individuals share the same misconceptions or inaccurate beliefs); and the system (when educational policies and practices are not based on scientific
evidence). We conducted a systematic scoping review to identify existing challenges and opportunities for misinformation generation, sharing, and correction across these levels in education, as well as inform future research in this area of work. Our results indicate three approaches to GenAI and misinformation in education: identifying misconceptions, prebunking, and (re)producing misinformation, with most research conducted at the individual level. We conclude with suggestions for
future research and practice
Exploring the psychosocial impact of having a child with spina bifida
Get PDFParents of children with physical disabilities such as spina bifida (SB) are faced with a series of long-term difficulties, placing considerable strain on both psychological and social resources. Although there is a small amount of quantitative literature pertaining to the psychosocial impact of having a child with SB, there is a lack of qualitative studies assessing the impacts of caring for a child with SB. Thus, this study sought to qualitatively explore the psychosocial impact of having a child with SB.
We aimed to understand what are the psychosocial impacts associated with having a child with SB, how are such individuals supported, and what recommendations do these parents have to better support parents of children with SB. A qualitative cross-sectional design was implemented with semi-structured online interviews. 12 participants were recruited using purposive sampling and interviews were audiorecorded, transcribed, and analysed using thematic analysis. We identified five themes relating to the psychosocial impact of having a child with SB: balancing daily life demands, social challenges and relationship changes, emotional impact, benefits of social support networks and inadequacy of psychological supports for parents. The findings underscore the critical need for the improvement of psychological support services tailored for parents of children with SB
Metaphors of AI in Education: Discourses, Histories and Practices
Get PDFMetaphor has long played a key role in both exercising and discussing education. Socrates used metaphor to describe teachers as those who help give birth to learning, as opposed to simply imparting knowledge (Plato & Cornford 1945). Metaphors help us to explain complexity through
simpler, more vivid, and familiar terms. Whether functioning as a pedagogical tool to support knowledge construction or serving as a resource for education specialists to discuss various aspects of the field, metaphors have enduring potency as “condensed analogies” (Perelman
& Olbrechts-Tyteca 2008: 671). Indeed, metaphor both displaces and shapes meanings and thus plays a central role in framing, disseminating, and reproducing perspectives (CharterisBlack 2004). In shedding light on specific directions whilst obscuring others, metaphors can encapsulate and communicate value judgements and beliefs. Metaphors “are always a double bind: they at once allow us to see and stop up our abilities to notice” (Hejnol 2017). They create ways of seeing, acting, and being, thus potentially fuelling imagination and understanding
FIRST LEGO League Explore UNEARTHED Teacher Guide for Ireland
Get PDFThe theme of this year’s FIRST® LEGO® League Explore season is UNEARTHED.Through the UNEARTHED challenge, learners will develop an appreciation for the work of historians and an in-depth understanding of the archaeological process by investigating the past as if they are a team of archaeologists.
Our archaeological discoveries teach us how past civilisations and cultures interacted with their environments and each other, providing important insights into the human story. As much of human history remains undiscovered, curious minds are now offered opportunities to dig deep, unearthing more hidden stories to understand ways of life in the past.
Throughout their engagement in the UNEARTHED challenge and this authentic real-world investigation, learners will develop confidence, critical thinking, and design skills through hands-on learning. They will also develop an understanding of how archaeology helps uncover cultural histories through the study of artefacts, providing insight into how people have interacted with our planet and each other throughout history, and how these sites and relics require exploration and careful preservation