National University of Ireland, Maynooth
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Beo and Raja's BioBus Adventure: Guidance Notes and Learning Activities.
Full text linkThis is the eighth comic in the Beo and Raja series created from an original concept by Maynooth University and University College Dublin. This publication is created with the support of BiOrbic - Ireland’s National Bioeconomy Research Centre. This guidance document accompanies the ‘Beo & Raja’s BioBus Adventure’ comic. Join Beo, Raja and their classmates as they travel across Ireland in the BioBus, discovering the science, culture and innovation behind the bioeconomy on a school tour. From the wild peatlands to a bustling town market, they meet local experts tackling real-world challenges and learn how we can all play a part in creating a more sustainable future. These guidance notes are for everyone, teachers, youth leaders, community groups and families, who want to explore the bioeconomy in a fun, accessible way. You’ll find 3 panel-by-panel explanations, discussion questions and activities that connect the story to real science and Irish heritage
Synchronization-suppressing stimulation of the amygdala circuitry reduces pathological anxiety in sub-chronic stress rat model
Full text linkBackground
Synchronization across neural circuits is inextricably associated with brain function and pathology. Although not largely explored, this framework can be applied to baseline anxiety and its disorder, which is characterized by aberrant levels of synchronization between the amygdala nuclei and other areas of the extended amygdala, particularly the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and those outside this complex. Here, we aimed to test the hypothesis that a temporally complex form of electrical stimulation (non-periodic stimulation [NPS]) of the amygdala, specifically designed to disrupt hypersynchronous activity in epilepsy, a major comorbidity of pathological anxiety, may reduce its symptoms.
Methods
Wistar rats were subjected to a physical restriction protocol model of stress to induce pathological anxiety and were assessed using the gold standard elevated plus maze (EPM) and open field (OF) tests.
Result
In all criteria measured by the tests, NPS animals displayed reduced levels of anxiety-related symptoms, back at physiological levels.
Conclusions
Considering the known effects and mechanisms of NPS on epileptic phenomena, we hypothesized that the therapeutic effects were achieved by desynchronization (or normalization of synchronism levels) across brain circuits involving the amygdala, BNST, and others. Overall, past and present findings suggest that NPS may be considered as a therapeutic alternative for the treatment of anxiety disorders
The Design and Synthesis of a new Biomimetic Code: Squaratides
Full text linkAnion recognition is a cornerstone of supramolecular chemistry, addressing the selective interaction of host molecules with anionic guests through non-covalent forces. Anions are ubiquitous in biological, environmental, and industrial systems, playing critical roles in processes such as enzymatic regulation, cellular signalling, and environmental remediation. However, their diverse geometries, sizes, and solvation properties present significant challenges for selective recognition.
Since its inception in the 1960s, driven by the groundbreaking contributions of Lehn, Cram, and Pederson, supramolecular chemistry has proven itself to provide a powerful framework for designing host molecules that exploit hydrogen bonding, halogen bonding, ion-dipole interactions, and electrostatic forces to bind specific anions. These interactions are often fine-tuned using macrocyclic, cage-like, or anion-π receptor architectures, allowing for enhanced selectivity and binding strength. Advances in supramolecular design have enabled the detection of environmentally hazardous anions (e.g., nitrate and phosphate) and biologically relevant anions (e.g., chloride, sulfate, and ATP), providing tools for sensing, diagnostics, and pollutant capture.
Moreover, the principles of anion recognition extend to functional applications such as anion transport across lipid bilayers, a process critical for mimicking ion channels and addressing chloride-related diseases like cystic fibrosis. Supramolecular systems that integrate anion recognition and transport highlight the transformative potential of this field in solving contemporary challenges in medicine, environmental science, and materials development. This thesis titled “The Design and Synthesis of a new Biomimetic code: Squaratides” aims to introduce a new class of peptidomimetic receptors – a hybrid mix of squaramides and peptides that we call “squaratides”. This new building block enables the creation of a library of modified amino acid-based biopolymers that can be tailored for improved hydrogen-bond donor and acceptor behaviour, producing a diversity of anion receptor subtypes with readily engineerable cavity size, lipophilicity and charge.
The thesis opens with a literature review (Chapter 1) documenting the historical perspective on the supramolecular chemistry of anion recognition, addressing the importance and challenges faced with anion recognition and anion receptors, followed by the unique structural features of macrocyclic receptors, such as their well-defined structures and pre-organised binding sites, that contribute to their exceptional anion-binding and transport capabilities.
Chapter 2 details the design of a new peptidomimetic scaffold that incorporates squaramides into the peptide backbone, utilising all the advantages that squaramides offer including rigidity, aromaticity and strong specific anion binding. This new building block enables the creation of a library of modified amino acid-based biopolymers that can be tailored for improved hydrogen-bond donor and acceptor behaviour. With this new class of receptors at hand, we use a combination of experimental techniques to characterise the solid and solution state behaviour of the squaratides as well as their ability to discriminate specific anions through preferential binding interactions.
Chapter 3 builds upon the data and insights presented in the previous chapter whereby we optimise the synthetic pathway of our previously described squaratides as a means to synthesise what we call 2nd generation squaratides. Developed through a solid support using SPPS, this synthetic approach grants us the flexibility in designing longer squaratide chains as well as larger macrocyclic squaratides with various cavity sizes allowing us to utilize this approach for carrying work out on exploring squaratides as antimicrobials. we have generated a structurally diverse library of receptor subtypes. These synthetic constructs are designed to replicate the membrane-targeting activity and selectivity of natural antimicrobial peptides, while offering enhanced stability and tunability. This work highlights the potential of cyclic and modular frameworks as next-generation platforms for addressing the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance.
Chapter 4 utilises the new solid phase synthesis approach to squaratides mentioned in Chapter 3, where we set out to synthesise asymmetric squaratides and a fluorinated squaratide as well as taking advantage of the functionalisation capability of these receptors in order to synthesise a family of functionalised squaratides by incorporating anion binding motifs onto the side chains of the squaratide backbones as a means to
further enhance anion recognition as well expanding the application range of squaratides by studying them as potential anion transporters.
Chapter 5 reveals the development and study of a novel fluorescent based squaratide. By integrating a napthalimide based fluorescent amino acid into the peptidomimetic backbone, we give rise to the first fluorescent squaratide; Sq-2-Lys-Naph, which functions as a self-reporting anion sensor, providing real-time optical feedback on fluoride binding and displacement. We envisage that this design principle can be expanded to engineer new fluorescent peptidomimetics with tailored selectivity and tuneable optical responses
Anthelmintic activity of 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione-based metallodrugs
Full text linkParasitic worm infections impose a significant public health burden, affecting over 2 billion people, particularly in low-income regions. The limited efficacy of current treatments highlights the urgent need for new anthelmintic agents. This study investigates the potential antiparasitic activity of 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione (phendione) and its metal complexes, [Cu(phendione)3](ClO4)2.8H2O and [Ag(phendione)2](ClO4), against Schistosoma mansoni, the causative agent of intestinal schistosomiasis, and Angiostrongylus cantonensis, responsible for eosinophilic meningitis in humans. Additionally, the compounds were tested on Caenorhabditis elegans, a model organism for drug discovery. All compounds exhibited strong antiparasitic activity, with Cu-phendione showing the greatest potency (EC50 = 2.3 µM for S. mansoni and 6.4 µM for A. cantonensis). Ag-phendione also demonstrated significant activity, achieving EC₅₀ values of 6.5 µM against S. mansoni and 12.7 µM against A. cantonensis. The lethal dose (LD50) values in C. elegans were over 40 times higher, indicating selective antiparasitic effects. Cytotoxicity assays using Vero cells revealed a low toxicity profile and a high selectivity index. Given the promising biological properties of phendione and its metal complexes, these findings contribute to the growing body of research seeking to address the urgent need for new anthelmintic therapies
Artificial Intelligence‐Driven Hemodynamic Monitoring of Simulated Bruxism Using Functional Near‐Infrared Spectroscopy: A Preliminary Study
Full text linkSleep‐related and neuromuscular conditions affect the daily lives of individuals as they impact physical and cognitive well‐being. While not classified as a disorder, bruxism has emerged as a prevalent condition characterized by involuntary teeth grinding and jaw clenching, occurring either during sleep or wakefulness. Often left unnoticed, this unconscious behavior can contribute to severe dental damage, facial muscle fatigue, and temporomandibular joint disorders. These consequences require early detection and intervention to prevent long‐term complications. Traditionally, polysomnography (PSG) is widely used for bruxism assessments as it gives insights into the multimodal physiological data, but it lacks direct spatial mapping of neural regions involved in rhythmic masticatory muscular activity (RMMA) associated with bruxism.
Methodology
This research introduces functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) as a neuroimaging tool to monitor cortical activity associated with RMMA, distinguishing bruxism from other masticatory activities. The data were acquired in a controlled simulated paradigm setup from 10 subjects in three trials via a 20‐channeled optode setup of fNIRS placed over the motor cortex region. A total of 12 temporal and frequency domain features were optimized by employing techniques of feature selection, feature importance, and feature reduction. Furthermore, synthetic data augmentation techniques of Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE), Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique for Nominal features (SMOTEN), and Adaptive Synthetic sampling (ADASYN) were compared to five machine learning classifiers including k‐Nearest Neighbors (kNN), Logistic Regression (LR), Naive Bayes (NB), Decision Tree (DT), and Random Forest (RF).
Results
The kNN outperformed in detecting simulated bruxism among other mandible joint movements with an accuracy of 92%.
Conclusion
The findings highlight the potential of fNIRS as a tool for identifying and distinguishing bruxism‐like motor activities from other jaw movements, contributing to the timely management and detection of bruxism in future studies
A Betrayal in the Family: An Inhibitor or Stimulus for Business Model Innovation?
Full text linkAcademic Summary: Business-focused betrayals perpetrated by family members in managerial and decision-making position scan devastate family businesses, questioning their assumptions about trust and how they conduct the business. Such betrayal sign it tensions between family and business logics, potentially causing paralysis and protection of the status quo or compelling innovation of its strategies and operations—its business model. We draw on two contrasting perspectives to examine this tension: the threat rigidity thesis suggests that betrayal inhibits business model innovation by inducing fear of failure (an emotional familial response); organizational learning theory suggests that betrayal stimulates business model innovation by prompting knowledge development (an impassive business response). Relying on a sample of family businesses from India (n = 221) and Bangladesh (n = 289), our results support the latter perspective. Our study provides a theoretical foundation for the relationship between business-focused betrayal and business model innovation, revealing new mediating mechanisms and new insights into when and why the coupling of family and business logic prompts or impedes change. Managerial Summary: Betrayal within family businesses resulting from the actions of family members in leadership or decision-making positions can strike at the heart of trust and stability. Such moments often provoke powerful emotional reactions that lead to defensiveness, strained relationships, and resistance to change. Yet our findings reveal a more complex reality: betrayal can become a powerful catalyst for business model innovation. Rather than inherently damaging the family business, betrayal can disrupt entrenched routines, compel family business leaders to reassess priorities, and push family firms to explore new strategies, new practices, and innovative business models. The key to this innovation lies in reframing betrayal not as a threat, but as an opening for organizational learning, innovation, and growth. By acknowledging this dual nature, family firm scan transform betrayal-induced adversity into momentum. Doing so enables them to navigate emotional familial responses with impassive business responses that drive innovation to restore the strength, resilience, and competitiveness of the family business in time. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.© 2025 The Author(s). Journal of Product Innovation Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Product Development & Management Association
Tradition and Innovation in the Materiality of Medieval Gaelic Law Manuscripts
Full text linkThis article is concerned with paper in the medieval Gaelic law manuscript
tradition during the initial phases of the paper tradition in Ireland.1 Paper
was introduced into the Gaelic manuscript tradition in the late fifteenth
century, but it took several centuries before it replaced vellum entirely
as the preferred writing medium.2 Recent studies have highlighted the
gradual change to paper from vellum in manuscripts compiled in Irish
schools of learning, particularly those of medicine and history.3 The extent
to which paper usage prevailed in the professional law schools during
this initial phase has not yet been fully explored, however. This article
provides a general survey and discussion of paper use in the vernacular
Irish law manuscripts, with particular focus on the largest such collection,
which is held in the Library of Trinity College Dublin. The evidence
demonstrates that the professional Irish law schools were not isolated
from the wider trends and practices of book production taking place in
Ireland. Scribes not only adopted the new writing technology but also
implemented innovative new page layouts in both materials, drawing on
external influences of imported printed books, demonstrating flexibility
and dexterity working between both media
Spatio-temporal dynamics of speleothem growth and glaciation in the British Isles
Full text linkReconstructing the spatio-temporal dynamics of glaciations and permafrost largely relies on surface deposits and is therefore a challenge for every glacial period older than the last due to erosion. Consequently, glaciations and permafrost remain poorly constrained worldwide before ca. 30 ka. Since speleothems (carbonate cave deposits) form from drip water and generally indicate the absence of an ice sheet and permafrost, we evaluate how speleothem growth phases defined by U series dates align with past glacial–interglacial cycles. Further, we make the first systematic comparison of the spatial distribution of speleothem dates with independent reconstructions of the history of the British–Irish Ice Sheet (BIIS) to test how well geomorphologic ice reconstructions are replicated in the cave record. The frequency distribution of 1020 U series dates based on three different dating methods between 300 and 5 ka shows statistically significant periods of speleothem growth during the last interglacial and several interstadials during the last glacial. A pronounced decline in speleothem growth coincides with the Last Glacial Maximum before broad reactivation during deglaciation and into the Holocene. Spatio-temporal patterns in speleothem growth between 31 and 15 ka agree well with the surface-deposit-based reconstruction of the last BIIS. In data-rich regions, such as northern England, ice dynamics are well replicated in the cave record, which provide additional evidence about the spatio-temporal distribution of permafrost dynamics. Beyond the Last Glacial Maximum, the distribution of speleothem dates across the British Isles offers the opportunity to improve chronological constraints on past ice sheet variability, with evidence for a highly dynamic Scottish ice sheet during the last glacial. The results provide independent evidence of ice distribution complementary to studies of surface geomorphology and geology, and the potential to extend reconstructions into permafrost and earlier glacial cycles. Whilst undersampling is currently the main limitation for speleothem-based ice and permafrost reconstruction even in relatively well-sampled parts of the British Isles, we show that speleothem dates obtained using modern mass spectrometry techniques reveal a higher spatio-temporal resolution of glacial–interglacial cycles and glacial extent than previously possible. Further study of leads and lags in speleothem growth compared to surface deposition may provide new insights into landscape-scale dynamics during ice sheet growth and retreat
Resource List: Projects, Toolkits, and Resources related to Cultural Participation of Persons with Disabilities.
Full text linkThis Resource List presents projects, organisations and initiatives reviewed during the extensive research conducted across Work Packages 1 and 2 of DANCING. It also includes initiatives and projects presented to us by participants in the qualitative research. This Resource List complements the Toolkit for Cultural Organisations that presents findings and recommendations.
This Resource List aims to highlight projects, initiatives, toolkits and reports that have a focus on cultural participation by and involving persons with disabilities, the accessibility of cultural content, and the overall relation between disability and the Cultural and Creative Sectors (CCS). In doing so, this Resource List includes references to existing tools and resources which may be of interest to organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), cultural organisations, as well as academics, policymakers and civil society organisations.
This Resource List does not provide a systematic quantitative review, but instead includes a list of selected projects and tools carried out/produced in Europe, many of which have been supported by EU funding. It is important to note that this List is not exhaustive and does not provide a comprehensive appraisal.
The idea of this Resource List arises from findings of WP1, which highlighted that there is still a piecemeal approach to cultural participation of persons with disabilities with many obstacles to ensuring their inclusion and the accessibility of cultural content and venues. As argued in other academic outputs of the DANCING project, good practices in relation to accessibility and inclusion are fragmented and often confined within the specific and limited timeframes of projects.[1] A recurring theme among participants in the empirical research of the DANCING project was the ‘loss’ of good practices. This happens either because such good practices are linked to a project, with a specific timeframe and funding, and are discontinued after the end of a given project, or because such good practices rely on the distinct expertise of certain employees, artists or cultural workers, and discontinue following the exit or retirement of such an expert. Interview responses frequently indicated that, despite the publication of numerous guides and checklists promoting good practices across different countries, cultural organisations still face challenges in their proper use and implementation. Moreover, the adoption of a systematic approach to embed accessibility and inclusive practices into the CCS and into mainstream cultural activities seems still very slow. This is engendered by the tendency for cultural funding not to include specific accessibility budget lines, or, even when they do, such funding is allocated for bespoke (often short-term) projects rather than for sustained, long-term actions aimed at integrating accessibility into all cultural goods and services. For example, a participant of the DANCING research observed that although many innovative projects and ideas for increasing accessibility exist, accessibility rarely becomes mainstream.[2] Hence this Resource List aims to support and stimulate mutual learning to avoid fragmentation of efforts and the engendering of existing piecemeal approaches
Export policy cooperation in a pandemic: the good, the bad and the hopeful
Full text linkWe develop a model in which vaccine‐producing firms from different developed countries supply vaccines to the developing world during a pandemic. Exporting countries experience a negative externality from incomplete global vaccination, which they try to mitigate by exporting vaccines to developing countries. A cooperative export policy is compared to the alternative regimes of non‐cooperation and non‐intervention. When the negative externality is low, cooperation among exporting countries is worse for global welfare than non‐intervention. However, at high externality levels, export policy cooperation is globally superior to non‐cooperative export subsidization. It then even has the potential to maximize global welfare