558 research outputs found
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An exploratory study of timber roofs in period buildings
No full textConservation is by no means a new method in construction, as it has been used in countries all around the world. However, it is argued that the potential of this concept has not been fully utilised in Ireland and particularly in respect of the roof, which is one of, if not the most significant element of a building. The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate timber roofs in historic buildings in Ireland. This paper also strives to validate traditional roof forms, through a detailed exploration of the relevant legislation and regulations, the traditional defects in period timber roofs and by examining the surviving period timber roofs in Ireland. Furthermore, this dissertation sets out to chart the characteristics of period timber roofs in Ireland by examining Ireland's oldest timber roof constructions, 9 and 9a Aungier Street, Dublin 2. Numerous articles, academic journals, textbooks, brochures and other sources were reviewed to facilitate this aim. This paper finds that, while there is a structure in place for the conservation of buildings, the current methods do not adequately address timber roofs as a primary factor. Both the building's historic value and the building owner would undoubtedly benefit from this. However, this paper also outlines that conservation in Ireland should be expanded and practiced throughout all sectors of the construction industry. As a result, this dissertation is concluded by the recommendations of the author that the aforementioned issues must be addressed, particularly in relation to period timber roofs
Transforming Requirements of IEC 80001-1 into an ISO/IEC 15504-2 Compliant Process Reference Model and Process Assessment Model
No full textEfficiencies in patient care can be achieved through interoperability of medical devices. Patient safety is the key concern during the design and manufacture of medical devices with medical devices being subject to stringent regulation in the region in which the device is to be marketed. However, with medical devices increasingly being designed to be incorporated into an IT network, the process of networking the device can introduce risks that may not have been considered during the design and manufacture stage. IEC 80001-1 was developed to address the risks associated with the incorporation of a medical device into an IT network. This paper presents how the requirements of IEC 80001-1 were used to develop a Process Reference Model (PRM) and Process Assessment Model (PAM) which are compliant with the requirements for PRMs and PAMs as outlined in ISO/IEC 15504-2
Searching for hidden chambers at Newgrange Passage Tomb; some results with an evaluation of the multi-method geophysical techniques used.
No full textNewgrange Passage Tomb is 76m in diameter and 12m high. A single 19m inner passage leads to a chamber some 6m in diameter and height. The possibility of further chambers existing has been the subject of interest since the partial excavation completed in 1975. Multiple passageways and chambers exist at nearby tombs at Knowth and Dowth - could there be hidden chambers at Newgrange that could be detected using geophysical methods?
We present the results from a multi-method geophysical survey. The principal method used was microgravity which has found hidden cavities in the Great Pyramid at Giza in Egypt. The method has also been used to detect the presence of medieval crypts but there has been little research in the use of microgravity in the detection of chambers in mounds due to their generally small dimensions. The situation in mounds at Brú na Bóinne is different. The major chambers have quite large dimensions, thus enhancing the detection capability of microgravity. A computer simulation to predict the gravity anomaly over the Newgrange chamber was carried out. This showed that the calculated effect on gravity of the chamber volume together with its depth within the mound would produce a measurable negative gravity anomaly.
The key objective of the survey was to investigate the potential of the microgravity method in the initial detection of the known chamber and subsequently in searching for possible hidden chambers. The processing and interpretation of the microgravity survey was informed by ground penetrating radar, electrical resistivity tomography, multi-frequency electromagnetic and earth resistance results.
Initial gravity measurements were made over and in the vicinity of the known chamber. The position of each measurement point was precisely determined using a combination of differential GPS and laser tachymetry methods. Strong winds at the time of survey required windshields to be used to protect the instruments from gusts and each measurement was verified by repeat readings. The average error from repeated and independently controlled measurement points was +/-15 microGals. This is relatively high but acceptable in the case of this survey.
Data were processed to remove the effects of elevation, tidal variation, topography, latitude, and instrument drift. Topography corrections were made using LiDAR data. The output was a gravity anomaly map draped on a 3-D model made from the LiDAR data which presents the properties and geometry of sub-surface inhomogeneities. The map shows a well developed negative anomaly over the centre of the chamber. The size of the anomaly at its centre is several times larger than the precision of the instrument and also the average error of the instruments.
Further gravity measurements were made on the mound and in the chamber in order to seek further anomalies and refine the gravity model of the known chamber. The results confirm the measured gravity anomaly is significantly larger than the computed anomaly based on laser tachymetry measurements of the spaceform of the chamber. This leads us to believe there is an unknown feature or structure of low density associated with the known chamber
Doing the Right Thing: A Practical Guide to Ethics for Undergraduate Researchers
No full textThis chapter provides practical support and guidance to students around the ethical dimensions of undergraduate research with human participants. Ethical considerations are perhaps the most important aspect of any research project involving human participants, especially as they speak of the rights of individuals and groups within society. Ethics in research is as much about the process as the final product and emphasis is put on maintaining integrity throughout the life-cycle of the project. Although ethical issues can be challenging, novice researchers are expected to conform to the same principles, standards and norms as more experienced researchers. With this in mind, the principles that guide ethical decision-making are initially outlined and their application to each stage of the research process is subsequently discussed. This discussion is further enhanced through the provision of expert tips and the use of audio clips from students illustrating how ethical issues can be managed within projects
Making Sense of Each Other: Lived Experiences and Told Stories of Child Protection Social Workers and Asylum-Seeking Families
No full textIreland has become an increasingly multi-cultural society since the mid-1990s, changing from a country of emigration to one of immigration. In response to this multiculturalism, the Irish Government embarked on several commendable initiatives. These changes have yet to be fully recognised within Child Protection and Child Welfare Services (CPCWS). The development of national guidelines in recent times has failed to provide adequate guidance for social workers on how to respond effectively to asylum-seeking families, a relatively new service user group for community care teams. Much of current Irish research sheds limited light on how social workers ought to respond to asylum-seeking children and their families within a child protection context. This study examines the experiences of social workers and asylum-seeking families. The first of its kind in this field in the Republic of Ireland, the study design is primarily qualitative with an overall action research orientation.
Research data was collected by use of a Biographical Narrative Interviewing Method which formed the basis of the broader analysis using ‘Framework Analysis.’ The study highlights the need for appropriate and on-going culturally competent training for social workers in this area. Its findings illustrate the complexity of social work practice in this area and indicate the need for a clear and well-considered basis of recommendations for practice, and a coherent and focused approach to child protection and welfare work, that not only is centred on the child but also acknowledges both the cultural setting in which the child was reared, and the conflicted role of CPWSWs of care and control in mediating between the State and the family. These suggestions are rooted in the enhanced model of cultural competence developed from the study’s findings and provide the basis for future research
Integrating Agile Practices with Plan-Driven Medical Device Software Development
No full textThe popularity of Agile software development is growing rapidly with an increasing number of projects being developed following Agile methodologies such as Scrum and XP [1]. Research has revealed that following Agile practices when developing software can have a significantly positive impact in reducing development time, reducing cost and increasing overall quality [2-4]. Whilst Agile practices can have a positive impact on a development project there are incompatibilities between Agile methodologies and the plan driven approaches followed when developing safety critical software [5, 6]. However, it has been recognised that “formal techniques may be used in an agile way” [5]. Case studies have been performed in organisations developing safety critical software which validate this statement [7-9]. This Ph.D. is focusing on the area of medical device software development and integrating Agile software development principles into traditional plan driven lifecycles for use in developing medical device software
Structure-Activity Relationships of a Novel Group of Large-Conductance Ca(2+) -Activated K(+) (BK) Channel Modulators: The GoSlo-SR Family.
No full textOpening up ion channels: We synthesised a series of anthraquinone analogues, called the GoSlo-SR family. Their effects on bladder smooth muscle BK channels were examined and, as shown, shifted voltage dependent activation >-100 mV (at 10 μM). They were more efficacious than NS11021 and could provide a new scaffold for the design of efficacious BK openers
The Hill of Slane Archaeological Project(HoSAP) EF/HER/2011/68 Preliminary Survey Report, 2012
No full textThis report details the first phase of archaeological and geophysical survey at the Hill of Slane Co. Meath. The work represents the first systematic survey of the complex in modern times and was undertaken in 2011/12 and uses new remote sensing technologies like LiDAR, Worldview 2 multispectral satellite imagery, aerial photography and archaeological geophusics. Specific aims of the project and the fieldwork were to explore the evidence for features of a possible prehistoric date in the complex, to identify evidence of features remaining from the historically attested monastic foundation at the site, to explore evidenece of the Anglo-Norman occupation of the site and to identify features associated with the later development of the site related to the standing structures visible there today
