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Evaluation of MoveSmart MS - an online structured exercise, Social Cognitive Theory-based behavioural coaching and peer support programme - on anxiety in multiple sclerosis
Full text linkAnxiety is a common experience among people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). While it is known that engaging in exercise has a number of benefits, the role played by exercise in reducing anxiety has received less attention in this context. Understanding the effect of exercise on anxiety, the predictors of this change. and participant experiences will help to further develop programmes which can support PwMS.
Aim
This study used a pre/post evaluation design (1) to assess the efficacy of a structured physiotherapist-led online exercise programme (MoveSmart) on anxiety in PwMS living in Ireland, (2) to identify the role of sociodemographic, health and psychological factors in predicting baseline anxiety, (3) to investigate how changes in these factors predict changes anxiety following completion of the programme, and (4) to explore the experiences of participants with the programme.
Method
Data from 284 PwMS who took part in a 10-week programme between January 2021 and June 2022 were analysed. Participants provided sociodemographic and health information at baseline and completed measures of psychological factors at baseline and again on completion of the programme. Change in anxiety scores were analysed using hierarchical regression analysis. Follow-up focus groups were conducted with 25 participants to explore their experiences of taking part in the programme, with data analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Results
Participation in the MoveSmart programme was associated with significant reductions in anxiety. Younger age, lower disability, higher Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale-29 physical scores and higher fatigue were significantly associated with higher baseline anxiety scores, and changes in the physical impact of MS predicted changes in anxiety scores. Key themes identified through thematic analysis included ‘Benefits of peer support’, ‘Benefits of goal setting’, ‘Noticed improvements’ and ‘Praise for programme execution’.
Conclusion
Participation in a physiotherapist-led structured exercise programme resulted in significant improvements in anxiety, in part through reducing the impact of physical MS symptoms. Qualitative results suggest that peer support and goal-related coaching may have contributed to reductions in anxiety
Virtual learning networks for sustainable co-engaged knowledge dissemination
Full text linkLearning Networks in the agri-environmental education sector have proven to be a valuable tool for sharing knowledge and building capacity outside formal training processes. During the Covid-19 pandemic, many in-person learning networks transformed into Virtual Learning Networks. Subsequently, it appears that some of these Learning Networks thrive while others die quietly. This paper investigates the elements, functioning and mechanisms of four learning networks in a virtual space to understand what factors contribute to the sustainability of such networks and identify what actions might improve the chances for future success.
We drew upon Cultural Historical Activity Theory and developed a contextual profile for each learning network as an activity system. Data was obtained through the use of a Social network mapping tool, WhatsApp Network Group Chat Analysis and interviewed 25 learning network members.
The research aimed to understand the functioning, elements and mechanisms of Virtual Learning Networks in order to develop the understandings, approaches and tools necessary to increase the chances of future success for these social knowledge-sharing platforms. The research outcomes reveal that learning networks are affected by factors such as functionality; shared interests; the levels and kinds of activity being shared, the levels of members’ contributions and; their willingness to share. Networks are also subject to challenges including competing interests, distractions, and online fatigue. We conclude that Virtual Learning Networks, at their most dynamic, can be effectively utilised as knowledge-sharing bases. Virtual Learning Networks require continuously engaged and stimulated interactions within an established community of practice to be sustained
Stimuli-Responsive Luminophore Drives Mechanism Switch for Highly Efficient Electrochemiluminescence Immunosensing
Full text linkAlthough widely used in clinical diagnostics, the sensitivity of electrochemiluminescence (ECL) bead-based immunoassays is intrinsically limited by the reaction mechanism driving the emission of [Ru(bpy)3]2+ on the bead surface. Depending mostly on the coreactant oxidation, the ‘remote’ pathway is hindered by the slow coreactant oxidation rate and the short half-lives of electrogenerated radicals. In this work, we synthesized a [Ru(bpy)3]2+ derivative featuring a stimuli-responsive disulfide bond in its linker to the bead. Electrogenerated tri-n-propylamine (TPrA) neutral radicals reduce disulfide moieties, electrochemically inducing the release of Ru(II) labels in solution and thereby leading to an unprecedented mechanism shift toward the more efficient “homogeneous” ECL pathway. Leveraging ICP-MS, ECL microscopy, and finite element simulations, we demonstrate rapid bond cleavage and an impressive signal enhancement of up to 613%. Using an experimental configuration designed to emulate commercial clinical analysis, we developed an ECL-based immunoassay for the rapid detection of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein in whole virus samples from swab formulations. The immunosensor incorporating the cleavable luminophore demonstrated a 40% lower detection limit and a 2-fold increase in sensitivity, while reducing TPrA consumption by 72%. These findings establish stimuli-responsive luminophores as a groundbreaking class of ECL labels, promising substantial improvements in the sensitivity of commercial biosensors
Entrepreneurial Cognition and Artificial Intelligence Adoption—Contingency Role of Innovation Ecosystem Resource Mobilization and Entrepreneurial Bricolage
Full text linkThe integration of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the mechanisms by which firms operate. To better understand this integration, this study aimed to answer how entrepreneurs' belief systems and mental frameworks shape their intention to AI adoption, particularly within an ecosystem, where firms are characterized by bricolage. With a focus on the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) ecosystem (i.e., a vanguard in embracing AI), we propose a rhetoric theoretical framework of entrepreneurial cognition, resource mobilization from the ecosystem, and bricolage. Grounded in the social cognitive theory, we investigate 236 firms operating in the ICT sector in Bangladesh using structural equation modeling. Key findings from our study evident the positive impact of entrepreneurial cognition on firms' inclination towards AI adoption. Intriguingly, this relationship is further strengthened when entrepreneurial cognition is coupled with the mobilization of resources within the ecosystem. In the context of an emerging economy like Bangladesh, the principle of bricolage also plays a crucial role in overcoming resource constraints through resourcefulness and creativity. The research concludes with implications for policymakers and suggestions for future studie
Linguistic Contributions to a Model for the Celticisation of the Western Archipelago
No full textThe question of the arrival of Celtic-speaking peoples in Britain and Ireland, i.e. the Celticisation of these islands in prehistory, has been a bone of contention – and a mystery – since the early days of Celtic Studies. For the longest time, the only two disciplines that could meaningfully contribute to this debate were archaeology and historical linguistics. However, during the latter part of the 20th century the realisation grew that the methodologies and the data of the two disciplines are not commensurate, and that the conclusions drawn by scholars from the involved disciplines are not compatible with each other.
Since 2015, a third discipline with an entirely new type of data has joined the discussion: palaeogenetics. The analysis of ancient DNA provides a completely different perspective on the prehistory of the Western Archipelago and allows insights into it that neither archaeology nor linguistics are able to achieve with their own methods, and that can inspire the two traditional disciplines to look at their data again and reevaluate it. This talk is a modest attempt from the point of view of historical Celtic and Indo-European linguistics to respond to the new insights and challenges that palaeogenetics has to offer, and to assess how they can be integrated into a general theory of the Celticisation of the Western Archipelago
Semantic-Based Surrogate-Assisted Neuroevolution for Neural Architecture Search in Deep Neural Networks
Full text linkNeuroevolution is a popular branch of Neural Architecture Search (NAS) that searches
for high-performing artificial neural network architectures using evolutionary algorithms.
Neuroevolution of deeper, more complex architectures, like deep neural networks, however,
comes at a great computational cost, as often thousands of architectures need to be
trained and evaluated over numerous Graphical Processing Unit days. To address this,
research has turned to the use of Surrogate-Assisted Evolutionary Algorithms (SAEAs),
where less expensive surrogate models can be used to estimate the fitness of an architecture,
without the need to fully train it, resulting in a substantial reduction in the
associated computational cost. Ultimately, SAEAs have emerged as a graceful response
to tackling computational intensive workflows, such as neuroevolution, however, some
notable limitations remain, such as, issues relating to high-dimensionality and complex
encoding strategies required in current surrogate-assisted neuroevolution methods.
In this thesis, we use a semantic-inspired method to adeptly handle these issues, which
in turn, is incorporated into a novel technique named Neuro-Linear Genetic Programming
(NeuroLGP). NeuroLGP evolves chain-structured topologies with a representation closely
aligned to how neural network architectures are naturally constructed. This allows us to
perform an in-depth analysis not only on the surrogate model robustness and architecture
performance, but also allows us to analyse how the internal makeup of our architectures
change during evolution. From this, we propose a new mechanism, named NeuroLGPMB,
that is capable of evolving truly complex modern networks that exhibit multi-branch
connections. Our proposed SAEA approach was shown to not only be robust for both
NeuroLGP and NeuroLGP-MB but was also able to find high-performing individuals with
a substantial reduction in time
Performance and factor structure of green, grey and red securities in European Union countries
Full text linkGeographical Refinement of Nitrogen Fertiliser Management in Irish Grasslands: A Model Based Assessment
Full text linkPlant available nitrogen (N), commonly applied in agricultural soils through the use of inorganic
and organic fertilisers, when surpasses the N requirement to maintain a targeted crop yield, is
lost from the soil into the environment where it has negative impacts, including – climate
change, ozone layer depletion, air and ground water pollution, eutrophication of water bodies,
acidification of soil and water etc. The ‘4R of Nutrient Stewardship’ (4RNS), promotes the
application of fertilisers at the right time, right place, right rate and from the right source - to
meet a targeted yield, seeking to prevent surplus N supply. Process-oriented biogeochemical
models can help to investigate and identify the potential of incorporating spatially explicit
information into N management plans to achieve 4RNS objectives, enabling simulated yield and
N loss via different pathways to be estimated, while explicitly accounting for soil and
atmospheric variables, management and their impact on nutrient dynamics. In this research we
investigate the scope of the DNDC (DeNitrification DeComposition) model to inform more
geographically refined N management plans, for intensively managed Irish grasslands that are
currently managed by aspatial N management strategies at farm and national level. A score of
20 % or less relative deviation of estimated annual yield and N loss was used as a benchmark of
deciding reliability of model performance, while tools like mean absolute error, root mean
square error and correlation was applied to compare the model performance at a daily scale
with respect to existing studies, as required. Our study showed that the DNDC model reliably
estimates site-specific grass growth rate and annual yield when the correct parameterisations
for the crop phenology and local background atmospheric conditions are accounted for within
the model. The model performs well when site-specific soil and management inputs are used,
as well as for more generalised inputs - relevant for sites with limited availability of site-specific
information. However, to generate reliable annual estimates of both yield and N loss via
different pathways, it is necessary to include site-specific soil inputs including water filled pore
spaces (WFPS) at field capacity (FC) and wilting point (WP). At a daily scale, the correlation
between available measured and estimated N loss was poor. However, the errors at daily scale
and relative deviation at annual scale were lower in comparison to existing results published. A
scenario analysis showed that key environmental variables explaining spatial variation of nitrate
(NO3
-) leaching varies with the annual N application rate. Whereas the key variables relevant for
regulating annual yield and annual N loss through ammonia (NH3) volatilisation and nitrous
oxide (N2O) emissions, identified through one factor at a time sensitivity analysis (with
categorising output on the basis of sensitivity index of greater than 10 % as sensitive, between
0.1 % to 10 % as potentially sensitive and less than 0.1 % as not sensitive), relevant to develop
more simplified and robust models for site-specific N management, were – soil texture and clay
content, soil organic carbon (SOC), bulk density (BD), pH, stocking rate and annual N fertiliser
application, annual rainfall and average annual temperature. Finally, this work also sought to
identify if a robust application of DNDC is possible to reliably simulate spatial variation of grass
yield and N loss - when default inputs are used for non-mandatory soil and atmospheric
variables, while the model is parameterised for crop phenology of perennial ryegrass. This study
showed that such application is only limited for estimation of spatial variation of yield and NO3
-
leaching – while yield itself is an indicator of potential N2O emissions
An examination of the Irish in South Africa, c.1919-61
No full textThis thesis breaks new ground by examining the Irish population in South Africa during the
twentieth century. While the Irish diaspora continues to captivate the minds of scholars around
the world, South Africa has generally occupied a marginal position within this much larger
discourse. As a result, the historiography that has developed around the Irish in South Africa
is quite modest and overwhelmingly focused upon the nineteenth century. Even for the handful
of existing works that do venture into the twentieth century, analysis tends to end either before
the Great War or immediately after the Irish Revolution.
What is wrapped up in this is the assumption that the Irish in South Africa ceased to be a
coherent group after the initial decades of the twentieth century. Historians of South Africa
have also tended to concur with this thought, assuming that Irish identity was inherently
transient in South Africa and that Irish individuals were destined to shed their distinct ethnic
awareness within South Africa’s racially charged society.
This thesis puts these popular beliefs to the test, by examining the Irish population in South
Africa during the rough time period between the Irish Revolution and South Africa’s
declaration of a republic. It demonstrates that previous assumptions regarding the Irish
experience in South Africa do not hold up to close inspection and argues that far more nuance
is required when discussing English-speaking white cohorts in South Africa generally. While
the early to mid-twentieth century was a period of immense change in Ireland and South Africa
– from which Irish South Africans were not immune – this thesis maintains that the Irish
continued to represent a distinct ethnic cohort in South Africa throughout the first half of the
twentieth century