NUI Maynooth Eprint Archive
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Multiscale spatially varying coefficient modelling using a Geographical Gaussian Process GAM
No full textThis paper proposes a novel spatially varying coefficient (SVC)
regression through a Geographical Gaussian Process GAM (GGP-GAM): a Generalized Additive Model (GAM) with Gaussian Process
(GP) splines parameterised at observation locations. A GGP-GAM
was applied to multiple simulated coefficient datasets exhibiting
varying degrees of spatial heterogeneity and out-performed the
SVC brand-leader, Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression
(MGWR), under a range of fit metrics. Both were then applied to a
Brexit case study and compared, with MGWR marginally out-performing GGP-GAM. The theoretical frameworks and implementation
of both approaches are discussed: GWR models calibrate multiple
models whereas GAMs provide a full single model; GAMs can automatically penalise local collinearity; GWR-based approaches are
computationally more demanding; MGWR is still only for Gaussian
responses; MGWR bandwidths are intuitive indicators of spatial heterogeneity. GGP-GAM calibration and tuning are also discussed and
areas of future work are identified, including the creation of a
user-friendly package to support model creation and coefficient
mapping, and to facilitate ease of comparison with alternate SVC
models. A final observation that GGP-GAMs have the potential to
overcome some of the long-standing reservations about GWR-based regression methods and to elevate the perception of SVCs
amongst the broader community
How Cognitive Bias Prevents Serendipity in New Product Development (and What to Do About It)
No full textThe purpose of this article is to identify practical
strategies that new product development (NPD) managers can
undertake to increase the likelihood of serendipity within the NPD
process by focusing on overcoming the barriers presented by cognitive bias. We adopt an alternative methodological approach based
on analogical reasoning to develop a series of propositions that
explain the relationship between cognitive biases and serendipity.
We present a process model of how serendipity unfolds within NPD.
We provide a detailed analysis of cognitive bias within NPD, and
identify those categories of biases that are most likely to hinder the
occurrence and realization of serendipity in NPD. Finally, we propose a strategy of debiasing NPD activities to enable serendipity and
thereby improve new product performance. This article concludes
with a research agenda and discusses implications for firms
From language to literacy: Supporting the development of early childhood educator’s knowledge and skills in phonological awareness
No full textBeing literate facilitates greater functionality in today’s literate society. Unfortunately, not all children are afforded opportunities to build foundational reading skills in their earliest years. Children’s later reading skills are dependent on the acquisition of a series of phonological skills which form part of the emergent literacy (EL) continuum. Thus, educators need to be sufficiently informed to ensure the acquisition of phonological awareness (PA) skills. This study aims to establish to what extent if at all, a professional development and learning programme on PA in a situated-learning context impacts the knowledge and skills of participating educators, and in so doing influences their professional learning and practice.
This Collaborative Action Research study was set in a small, private sessional pre-school in a rural town in Ireland. It involved the provision of a professional development and learning programme, tailored to the needs of the educators, which included workshops focussed on related content, followed by on-site observations, coaching, modelling and feedback. Opportunities to reflect, both through discussion and journaling, were also significant components of the process. Data gathered included pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, observations that included field-notes and audio-recordings, debriefing discussions, researcher and practitioner reflective journals, and a final focus group.
This study unearthed a lacuna in knowledge and skills, specifically related to EL and PA, amongst these educators. However, it clearly illustrates that by engaging in a customised programme of professional development and learning, educator’s knowledge, skills, and practice in this area can change. Moreover, findings reveal a strong correlation between depth of knowledge, heightened confidence, and more proficient pedagogical skills. Arrival at this conclusion required various professional development and learning methods, of which coaching was deemed the most effective. This included in-situ modelling and individual feedback, coupled with the gradual emergence of a community of practice, which fostered deeper reflection and embedded learning.
At policy level, this study points to the need for adjustments to national curriculum, to include PA skills’ development and reflect the extended duration children spend in early childhood settings today. Concomitantly, the inclusion of PA development skills within initial teacher education (ITE) programmes and continuing professional development for early years’ educators is recommended
Defining the Impact of Obesity and Obesity-Targeted Therapies on Natural Killer Cell Metabolism and Function
No full textObesity is a chronic progressive disease, which is strongly linked to numerous co-morbid conditions, and thus is a major global healthcare concern. A major mechanism via which obesity drives the development and/or progression of co-morbid disease is via immune dysregulation. These dysregulations can both weaken the immune system, exposing people with obesity (PWO) to increased rates of viral infections and various cancers but can also drive chronic inflammation, a major contributor to chronic pathologies. Natural Killer (NK) cells are an important subset of immune cells, with a critical role in protection from viral infection and cancer. NK cells are significantly impacted by obesity, with reduced numbers, defective metabolism, and reduced function reported in PWO. In this thesis, by describing the function and metabolism of NK cells from people without obesity I outline some of the deficiencies of NK cells from PWO, in particular focusing on the importance of iron for optimal NK cell function and investigate strategies for restoring NK cell immunity in PWO.
Paper I of this thesis reviews our current understating of NK cell function and metabolism and collates the available information on how obesity affects NK cells. Our group and others report that obesity is linked to lower numbers of peripheral NK cells that have a defective metabolism which leads to a reduced ability to carry out their core function as cytokine producing cells and cytotoxic cells. There are some indications that various weight loss therapies and aids such as diet advice, exercise and bariatric surgery can help remedy some of the effects of obesity on NK cells and this is explored and discussed in Paper I.
Following from this review, in Paper II we examine the importance of iron for human NK cell biology. We find that iron is crucial for mitochondrial health in human NK cells, which in turn means iron is critical for NK cell cytokine production and de novo protein synthesis. As iron deficiency is a common comorbidity with obesity, we examined the effect that low circulating iron has on NK cells. We demonstrate that PWO who have low serum iron have more dysfunctional NK cells, in comparison to both healthy controls and PWO who had normal serum iron levels. This paper not only highlights the key role iron plays for NK cell biology but highlights that obesity-related iron deficiency may, in part, underpin the reported defects in NK cells in the setting of obesity.
Finally, Paper III continues to describe the effect of obesity on NK cell metabolism and function. In addition to functioning mitochondria, NK cells require amino acids to stabilise mTOR which is a key driver of increased metabolic activity for activated NK cells, in particular an increased dependence on glycolysis. We show that NK cells from PWO have lower levels of a key amino acid transporter and metabolic enzymes that are required for optimal NK cell metabolism and function. This translates to a reduced capacity to produce cytokines such as IFN-γ and kill target cells in comparison to healthy controls. However, we show for the first time that after six months of GLP-1 analogue therapy, an approved for weight loss therapeutic, NK cell metabolism and function is significantly improved in PWO, independent of weight loss. Collectively, this thesis aims to expand on our current understanding of human NK cell biology, how obesity impact NK cells and explores approaches to restore NK cell immunity in PWO
AgroCycle Kids Education Programme
No full textThe AgroCycle Kids Education Programme, conceived by the Maynooth University team made up of Dr Máire Nic an Bhaird and Dr Laoise Ní Chléirigh, represents a departure
from traditional didactic approaches, opting instead for participatory sessions that
engage children as active co-creators of knowledge. Through immersive experiences designed to facilitate observation and reflection, participants are invited to explore the inherent circularity present in nature—a paradigm where waste is a concept rendered obsolete by the continual recycling and regeneration of materials and energy.
The programme places a strong emphasis on experiential learning, with children given
ample opportunities to design and implement solutions for a circular economy.
Spending significant time in natural environments, participants witness firsthand the interconnectedness and cyclical nature of all life forms, reinforcing the notion that nature serves as the ultimate model of sustainability
Can dialogue help police officers and young Black adults understand each other? Key findings from a restorative process
No full textRelationships between the police and minority ethnic communities are often characterised by tension, mistrust and a lack of understanding. It seems unlikely that the solutions lie in traditional approaches to police-community engagement. This article outlines the key findings from the first study to use restorative practices to facilitate dialogue between police officers and young Black adults in Europe. This occurred in a part of West Dublin, Ireland, where the police recently shot and killed a Black man. Observational and interview data suggest that the process enabled participants to speak and listen respectfully to each other and to understand how each other’s experiences shaped their perspectives on policing. These data suggest that restorative practices are a viable method for enabling dialogue that can play an educational role and provide a space safely to discuss and reflect upon views and experiences of belonging, policing and police-community relations. While there is sufficient evidence to justify seeking to scale-up dialogic processes, it remains unclear whether and how the contribution that dialogue can make at the individual and local level could translate into cultural change at the institutional level, or address underlying structural inequalities
Learning from innovative staff practices that led to virtual disability services using the lens of Complex Adaptive Systems
No full textthis paper draws on a complex adaptive systems lens to develop an understanding of the staff practices that sup-ported the development of Virtual Disability services in ireland amid the cOViD-19 pandemic. the study involved twelve interviews with service providers, which were anal-ysed using Reflexive thematic analysis, leading to two over-arching themes. the first theme focuses on the logistics of constructing the response. this includes dynamic adaptive-ness, technological readiness, a positive attitude towards technology, resource availability, digital skills, and the level of take-up. the second theme centres on the enacted response, which encompasses sensemaking, developing technological expertise, managing upward, fostering creative innovation, cultivating a systems sensibility, and creating conditions for psychological safety and authentic engagement. We conclude that staff practices are key for creating conditions conducive to safe spaces, sustaining well-being, and reshaping power dynamics and emphasise the impor-=tance of embracing technology as a tool for innovation within complex operating environments
“This is Where the Care Can Step Up”: A Typology of Nurturing Pedagogies in Primary Schools Serving Low-Income Communities During COVID-19 Closures
No full textAll schools possess a duty of care towards their students. However, this duty of care falls unevenly across schools, with those serving low-income communities often responding to the material and psychological effects of poverty as a priority. This duty of care for such schools was placed into stark relief during the period of COVID-19 school closures, when structural inequalities in society became particularly pronounced. Previous research has drawn distinctions between different forms of caring enacted in schools serving low-income communities. These range from practices centred on children’s academic learning to those more concerned with children’s welfare and well-being—which, for the purposes of this paper, we term as academic nurturing and affective nurturing respectively. Others recognise the need for schools in low-income communities to perform a dual role and engage in both forms of nurturing simultaneously—which we term as critical nurturing. This paper presents findings based on case studies from three designated disadvantaged primary schools in Ireland during pandemic-related closures. It draws on interviews from the Children’s School Lives longitudinal study with the teachers, principals, and families of four Junior Infant children (typically aged four to five years). Our findings suggest a typology of nurturing pedagogies, with academic and affective nurturing emphasised to varying degrees across our three schools during this period. Narratives from interviewees also demonstrate the central role of school culture and leadership in achieving critical nurturing, with significant social justice implications for the education of children in schools serving low-income communities
Reimagining Effectiveness in Youth Justice: The Necessity of Moving Towards the Holistic Child
No full textThe aim of this research is to look at effectiveness and its relevance and definition within the
context of youth justice. Although ‘effective’ is frequently used to describe the success of youth
justice policies, interventions and systems, its precise definition remains elusive. In order to
explore the concept of effectiveness, and its use in the area of youth justice, an extensive review
of the literature was undertaken, establishing a theoretical framework which provided the basis
for a thematic analysis of Irish policy documents. This approach offered a detailed exploration
and comprehensive insights into where the understanding of effectiveness within these
documents sits in relation to the literature in the area. This analysis revealed that ‘effectiveness’
is a highly fluid and adaptable term, which is capable of meaning many things to many different
stakeholders. It often serves as a catch-all phrase that is shaped by political, social, and
ideological contexts. As a result, the concept is difficult to pin down and is open to
interpretation depending on the perspective of the evaluator. While its position within youth
justice remains the same, its meaning is everchanging and is not captured easily. There is a
clear need for a more consistent and streamlined definition of effectiveness, with further
research required in the area
What Can Language Models Tell Us About Human Cognition?
No full textLanguage models are a rapidly developing field of artificial intelligence with enormous potential to improve our understanding of human cognition. However, many popular language models are cognitively implausible on multiple fronts. For language models to offer plausible insights into human cognitive processing, they should implement a transparent and cognitively plausible learning mechanism, train on a quantity of text that is achievable in a human’s lifetime of language exposure, and not assume to represent all of word meaning. When care is taken to create plausible language models within these constraints, they can be a powerful tool in uncovering the nature and scope of how language shapes semantic knowledge. The distributional relationships between words, which humans represent in memory as linguistic distributional knowledge, allow people to represent and process semantic information flexibly, robustly, and efficiently