NUI Maynooth Eprint Archive
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The circulating SARS-CoV-2 spike variant N439K maintains fitness while evading antibody-mediated immunity
No full textThe presence of a foreign microbial community promotes plant growth and reduces filtering of root fungi in the arctic-alpine plant Silene acaulis
No full textBackground Climate change is expected to drive trailing-edge range redistributions of arctic-alpine plant populations, bringing together immigrant plant ecotypes and soil microbial communities associated with already resident ecotypes. Aims The goal of the present study was to assess growth performance and plant–microbe interactions between seedlings and native and foreign microbial communities in ecotypes of the cushion plant Silene acaulis from Europe and North America. Methods Using seed sourced from Colorado, USA, and Ireland we grew Silene seedlings in sterile bulk soil with live inocula added from their own local soil and each other’s soil. We measured above-ground plant growth metrics, and analysed fungal and bacterial community composition using marker gene sequencing and microscopy. Results Seedlings growing in foreign soil inocula showed significantly greater biomass or shoot length compared to growth in home soil inocula. While seedling root microbiomes were overall convergent with each other compared to source soil inocula, significantly lower filtering of fungal taxa from the soil was observed for seedlings growing in foreign compared to home soil inocula. Conclusions Foreign plant ecotypes from distant habitats may experience competitively beneficial effects when growing in local soil communities; however, the nature and generality of these interactions requires further analysis
Review of Charms, Charmers and Charming in Ireland. From the Medieval to the Modern
No full textThe abstract is included in the text
Geographies of the COVID-19 pandemic
No full textThe spread of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in the most devastating global public health crisis in over a century. At present, over 10 million people from around the world have contracted the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), leading to more than 500,000 deaths globally. The global health crisis unleashed by the COVID-19 pandemic has been compounded by political, economic, and social crises that have exacerbated existing inequalities and disproportionately affected the most vulnerable segments of society. The global pandemic has had profoundly geographical consequences, and as the current crisis continues to unfold, there is a pressing need for geographers and other scholars to critically examine its fallout. This introductory article provides an overview of the current special issue on the geographies of the COVID-19 pandemic, which includes 42 commentaries written by contributors from across the globe. Collectively, the contributions in this special issue highlight the diverse theoretical perspectives, methodological approaches, and thematic foci that geographical scholarship can offer to better understand the uneven geographies of the Coronavirus/COVID-19
Opening practice: supporting reproducibility and critical spatial data science
No full textThis paper reflects on a number of trends towards a more open and reproducible approach to geographic and spatial data science over recent years. In particular, it considers trends towards Big Data, and the impacts this is having on spatial data analysis and modelling. It identifies a turn in academia towards coding as a core analytic tool, and away from proprietary software tools offering ‘black boxes’ where the internal workings of the analysis are not revealed. It is argued that this closed form software is problematic and considers a number of ways in which issues identified in spatial data analysis (such as the MAUP) could be overlooked when working with closed tools, leading to problems of interpretation and possibly inappropriate actions and policies based on these. In addition, this paper considers the role that reproducible and open spatial science may play in such an approach, taking into account the issues raised. It highlights the dangers of failing to account for the geographical properties of data, now that all data are spatial (they are collected somewhere), the problems of a desire for n = all observations in data science and it identifies the need for a critical approach. This is one in which openness, transparency, sharing and reproducibility provide a mantra for defensible and robust spatial data science
Few-particle dynamics of fractional quantum Hall lattice models Phys. Rev. B 101, 205305 – Published 15 May 2020
No full textConsidering lattice Hamiltonians designed using conformal field theory to have fractional quantum Hall states as ground states, we study the dynamics of one or two particles on such lattices. Examining the eigenspectrum and dynamics of the single-particle sector, we demonstrate that these Hamiltonians cannot be regarded as describing interacting particles placed on a Chern band, so that the physics is fundamentally different from fractional Chern insulators. The single-particle spectrum is shown to consist of eigenstates localized in shells which have a larger radius for larger eigenenergies. This leads to chiral dynamics along reasonably well-defined orbits, in both the single-particle and the two-particle sectors
An Evaluation of the Structure, Comorbidity, and Correlates of Posttraumatic Stress Responses in Older Adults Across Multiple National Samples
No full textPosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (CPTSD) are often chronic and debilitating conditions that can cause significant impairment in an individual’s personal, professional, and social life. However, research pertaining to posttraumatic stress responses among older adults is lacking. The present thesis aimed to address this gap in the literature by evaluating the structure, psychiatric comorbidity, and correlates of posttraumatic stress responses among older adults. The most contemporary models of PTSD (as outlined in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [DSM-5] and the eleventh version of the International Classification of Diseases [ICD-11]) provided a valid representation of PTSD among older adults. Four DSM-5 symptoms demonstrated sex item-bias, with females being more likely to endorse three symptoms (B1: 'unwanted memories', B4: 'feeling upset', and E6: 'sleep problems') and males being more likely to endorse one symptom (E2: ‘reckless or self-destructive behaviour’). Alternatively, there was no evidence of item-bias for the six ICD-11 symptoms. Regarding comorbidity, a dimensional framework of psychopathology was successful in accounting for the psychiatric comorbidities of PTSD. More specifically, evidence supported the existence of two distinct subtypes of ICD-11 PTSD psychiatric comorbidity classes among older adults, with the higher comorbidity class being associated with a history of attempted suicide. In terms of PTSD/CPTSD correlates, evidence of longitudinal relationships between subtypes of loneliness (social and emotional) and PTSD, and cross-sectional relationships between loneliness and CPTSD symptoms were found in older adults. These results have important implications for both research and clinical practice regarding the assessment and treatment of PTSD and CPTSD in later life. These findings imply that the current diagnostic models of PTSD are applicable in older adults; identify the psychiatric
disorders that are likely to manifest alongside PTSD in later life; and highlight loneliness as a clinically meaningful construct among trauma-exposed older adults
Environmental and economic benefits of building retrofit measures for the residential sector by utilizing sensor data and advanced calibrated models
No full textThe present paper investigates the energy savings associated with the implementation of retrofitting measures on Irish residential buildings. A detached residential dwelling, representative of approximately 40% of the residential stock in Ireland, was selected as experimental test bed. The building was progressively retrofitted to an all-electric dwelling. Retrofit measures included the installation of a photovoltaic array, a geothermal heat pump, an electric vehicle charging point, along with building fabric upgrades. The building was equipped with a home area network with more than 30 sensors with 15 min monitoring resolution. The experimental data collected during the experimental campaign aided the comprehensive calibration of an EnergyPlus model. This model was used to investigate the effectiveness of the implemented retrofit measures in terms of energy savings and CO2 reductions. Real-time data from the Irish power system operator was used to calculate the building carbon footprint for different levels of renewable energy penetration to the national grid. Results show that the all-electric retrofitted building can achieve energy savings of up to 45%, with CO2 reductions of approximately 29%, compared to the pre-retrofitted building. Implementing the retrofit measures at scale could potentially lead to carbon emission reductions up to 14% for rural areas in Ireland
Characterization of an aryl piperazine/2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin association, a complex with antidiabetic potential
No full textThis study explores the molecular association between 4-(thiophen-2-yl)-1-(4-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)
piperazin-1-yl)butan-1-one (RTC1), an antidiabetic compound recently reported by our research group with
challenging aqueous solubility, and 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPBCD). The formation of a RTC1/HPBCD
complex resulted in improved solubility. A phase-solubility diagram was used to determine the complex stability
constant and stoichiometric ratio. 2D 1
H NMR spectroscopy was utilized to study the molecular interaction between RTC1 and HPBCD in the complex. Differential scanning calorimetry and scanning electron microscopy
was also employed to confirm complex formation. In vitro biological evaluation, using a glucose uptake assay,
showed that the homogeneous RTC1/HPBCD complex solution showed the same activity to that of RTC1 alone,
with no reduction in activity due to the presence of HPBCD
Exploring the potential utility and impact of a universal, multi-component early parenting intervention through a community-based, controlled trial
No full textBackground:
This paper describes the first phase of a community-based, controlled trial conducted to investigate the potential utility of a new, complex group-based early parenting intervention. In total, 106 parent-infant dyads were recruited to an interagency Parent and Infant (PIN) intervention which combines a range of supports, including the Incredible Years Parent and Baby Programme, baby massage, weaning workshops and paediatric first aid training. A ‘services-as-usual’ comparison group was also recruited (n = 84).
Methods:
The primary outcome was parenting self-efficacy (Parenting Sense of Competence Scale). Parent well-being, child development and the home environment were also measured. Assessments were conducted at baseline (when infants were 6–20 weeks old) and at follow-up (when infants were aged approximately 8 months). Parent satisfaction with the intervention was examined, as well as uptake of community-based services and health service utilisation.
Results:
An intention-to-treat analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) examined between-group post-intervention differences, whilst secondary analyses on a ‘per protocol’ sample of participants (who attended at least 50% of the intervention sessions) were also conducted. Satisfaction with the PIN intervention was very high. The intention-to-treat ANCOVA showed no post-intervention between-group differences on measures of parent competency or well-being. At baseline, children in the comparison group were older than those in the intervention group and, at follow-up, fared better than their intervention group counterparts on measures of child development. The per protocol analysis revealed a significant effect for the intervention group on the efficacy subscale of the primary outcome measure (effect size = 0.44, p < 0.05). Intervention group infants attended GP and nursing services on significantly fewer occasions than their comparison group counterparts.
Conclusion:
The findings provide tentative early support for the utility of the PIN intervention in terms of improving parenting efficacy and reducing reliance on primary health care services. Further follow-ups when infants are 16 and 24 months old are underway