1522 research outputs found
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Conceptualisations of Market Orientation in a Higher Education Context
Get PDFPurpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine how market orientation (MO) has been conceptualised in the context of higher education (HE). Methodology: A search of major research databases with multiple keywords was performed to identify relevant peer-reviewed articles. Findings: Five categories of literature conceptualising MO in a HE context are delineated. Category I offers a somewhat limited outline of MO, Categories II to IV provide established perspectives on MO with adaptations while Category V outlines a more developed view of MO in a HEI context. Implications: A conceptualisation of MO in a HE setting needs to reflect the cultural and the behavioural elements of MO as well reflect the evolution that has taken place in the concept. Thus, it should reflect the stakeholder perspective at its most developed which includes society, the environment and sustainability. Finally, this must be achieved in a way that is tailored to the complexities of the HE sector. Value: The paper offers potential for the assessment and application of MO in HE settings as well as potentially other non-profit organisations. This review of the literature can serve as a roadmap for academics and help stimulate further interest
Examining professional quality of life in cancer health care professionals: relationships to empathy and emotional intelligence
Get PDFWorking in cancer care is stressful, where cancer health care professionals are exposed daily to the distress and suffering of patients with cancer. As a result of this exposure, health care professionals working in cancer care experience both compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. Cancer health care professionals use empathy in their interactions with patients however, being empathic also increases experiences of compassion fatigue. Higher levels of emotional intelligence have been linked with lower levels of compassion fatigue. To date no studies have examined the relationships between professional quality of life, that is compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue, and the constructs of empathy and emotional intelligence in cancer health care professionals.
The aim of this research is to examine the relationships between professional quality of life, empathy and trait emotional intelligence. A mixed methods explanatory sequential design was used over two phases. Data collection involved a survey (n =122), and semi-structured interviews (n=12). Quantitative data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences-22®. The semi-structured interviews were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, and employed NVivo-12® to manage qualitative data.
The results revealed that levels of secondary traumatic stress experienced by cancer health care professionals are high (28%). A second significant finding is that the trait emotional intelligence subscale of well-being was predictive of both compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. Nurses and radiation therapists drew parallels with their own family when empathising with patients with cancer that may add to the nurses and radiation therapists’ personal distress. The nurses and radiation therapists constructed two types of cancer patient in their practice that impacted on their personal distress.
Recommendations include the need for national policy to take the levels of compassion fatigue into consideration in work-force planning. Additionally, clinicians and educators need to implement empathy education and well-being strategies into practice and education initiatives. These recommendations will assist in improving cancer health care professional’s compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue
Maternal supplementation with Bacillus altitudinis spores improves porcine offspring growth performance and carcass weight
Get PDFThe objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of feeding Bacillus altitudinis spores to sows and/or offspring on growth and health indicators. On day (D) 100 of gestation, 24 sows were selected and grouped as: control (CON), fed with a standard diet; and probiotic (PRO), fed the standard diet supplemented with B. altitudinis WIT588 spores from D100 of gestation until weaning. Offspring (n=144) from each of the two sow treatments were assigned to either a CON (no probiotic) or PRO (B. altitudinis-supplemented) treatment for 28 days
post-weaning (pw), resulting in four treatment groups: 1) CON/CON, non-probiotic supplemented sow/non-probiotic supplemented piglet; 2) CON/PRO, non-probiotic supplemented sow/probiotic-supplemented piglet; 3) PRO/CON, probiotic-supplemented sow/non-probiotic supplemented piglet; 4) PRO/PRO, probiotic-supplemented
sow/probiotic-supplemented piglet. Bacillus altitudinis WIT588 was detected in the faeces of probiotic supplemented sows and their piglets, and in the faeces and intestine of probiotic-supplemented piglets. Colostrum from PRO sows had higher total solids (P=0.02), protein
(P=0.04), and true protein (P=0.05), and lower lactose (P<0.01) than colostrum from CON sows. Maternal treatment improved offspring feed conversion ratio at D0-14 pw (P<0.001) and increased offspring body weight at D105 and D127 pw (P=0.01), carcass weight (P=0.05) and kill-out percentage (P<0.01). It also increased small intestinal
absorptive capacity and impacted the haematological profile of sows and progeny. Little impact of post-weaning treatment was observed on any of the parameters measured. Overall, the lifetime growth benefits in the offspring of B. altitudinis-supplemented sows offer considerable economic advantages for pig producers in search of alternatives to in-feed antibiotics/zinc oxide
The Carotenoid- Omega Bioavailability Study: COAST
No full textWhether it is nutrition, medical care, the nutraceutical industry, or safety and quality regulatory bodies, dietary antioxidants are at the core of the narrative, where the fascinating xanthophyll carotenoids (XCs) are the quintessential antioxidants. This dissertation is an investigation into the bioavailability of the XCs lutein (L), zeaxanthin (Z), and meso-zeaxanthin (MZ) in nutritional supplements, their measurement in human tissue, and their environmental and nutritional determinants in human beings. To achieve this, the methodology to quantify these XCs at the retina, in terms of macular pigment (MP), had to be established. The first part of this dissertation presents the two studies conducted to standardize the measurement and report of MP: a validation study, where the Spectralis MPOD module is presented as a reliable and feasible technique, and a new metric for reporting MP is proposed, called MP optical volume (MPOV) that accounts for MP profile and distribution; and a descriptive study, which reports MP and its constituents in serum and diet for the first time in a Mexican sample. In addition, it describes sunlight exposure and dietary patterns as determinants of MP. Based on this standardized and proposed methodology, a 6-month, multiplearm, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted. A novel formulation with acetate derivatives of L, Z, and MZ, was found to have better bioavailability by producing a higher response in serum for Z and MZ, in comparison with classic microcrystals-in-oil formulations. Currently, these XCs have been proven to enhance visual performance and are potential preventive and therapeutic agents in retinal pathology. Understanding the complex interactions of these carotenoids would help improve the role of these antioxidants in human health. This research has progressed our scientific knowledge in a way that we can improve the delivery of these natural micronutrients to enhance human health and function
Interdisciplinary Gerontological Research by Design
Get PDFIncreasingly, gerontological research requires interdisciplinary approaches to address complex research questions. Design methods have been proven to facilitate the growth of interdisciplinary research as they are agile, adaptive, and iterative (White and Deevy, 2020). Involving 140 researchers across 6 faculties, this study used design methods to create interdisciplinary research on ageing. This paper discusses how Design methods were used to successfully grow this research culture for over 5 years. Low and high touch approaches to Design were used. A cross-campus environmental scan was designed to understand cultural commonalities and differences between disciplines and Design workshops were created to harness interdisciplinary understanding, encouraging groups to create interdisciplinary proposals. Ethnographic research and surveys were conducted to assess how Design methods had influenced research culture. Outputs and partnerships were also assessed, and an international scientific committee reviewed interdisciplinary research proposals. Results showed that interdisciplinary partnerships and collaborations increased across faculties. Positive changes in culture were observed, with increased interactions among researchers. Scientific reviewers commented that proposals addressed needs, insured stakeholders inclusion, and were likely to have a positive impact on older people. It demonstrated that Design methods can assist in the creation of interdisciplinary gerontological research. Design assisted researchers to find ‘common languages’ and was beneficial in both group communication and proposal creation. Collaborating with other disciplines offered researchers perspectives that were otherwise inaccessible and lead to more inclusive researc
SPIRITUAL ACCOMPANIMENT AND MARGINALISATION IN THE VINCENTIAN TRADITION : AN EXPLORATORY STUDY
Get PDFThe Vincentian tradition is the legacy of Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac, seventeenth century collaborators, mystics and founders who, after their deaths, became saints in the Catholic Church. Better known for their compassion, charity and material service to people who were marginalised, they did not neglect the spiritual needs of those to whom they ministered. This reflexive, mystagogic, four-step explorative study examines how the legacy of their spiritual practice contributes to and informs the contemporary practice of the spiritual accompaniment (an interchangeable term for the ministry known as spiritual direction) by members of the Vincentian Family. The theoretical framework for the research is established by exploring the evolving history of spiritual direction giving particular attention to its availability to and practice with people who are marginalised; exploring metaphors and models for spiritual direction from the early Church to more contemporary offerings; and proposing an over-riding paradigm of story-telling. Key formative influences on the spirituality of Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac are explored and more contemporary studies in relation to spiritual accompaniment of people who are marginalised examined. The applied aspect of the research provides a thematic analysis of the findings of two qualitative studies the first with twelve practicing spiritual directors, who are members of the Vincentian Family internationally, and the second with six people in marginalised circumstances in Ireland who have received spiritual direction from members of the Vincentian Family. These are compared with the themes from a representative sample of the writings of Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac. The research concludes by suggesting some characteristics of spiritual direction in the Vincentian Tradition and identifies the capacity for further research on the nature, character and scope of spiritual direction in diverse contexts
Rearing Strategies for Dairy Heifers
Get PDFReplacement heifer rearing is one of the most important tasks on a dairy farm due to the cost it incurs and the potential benefits that may arise in terms of heifer growth and performance thereafter. A successful heifer rearing strategy prioritizes DMI, BW, and frame size of the heifer; however, consideration must also be given to the way in which a heifer is managed. Therefore, the aim of this thesis was to establish the effect of different heifer rearing strategies on aspects of pasture-based heifer growth. An experimental field study was carried out to investigate the effect of weaning age (eight or 12 weeks) and post-weaning feeding regime (high or low) on the DMI, growth performance, and reproductive efficiency of pasture-based heifers of different breed groups. Results in Chapters 3, 4, 5, and 6 indicated that although heifer DMI, BW, and frame size differed with breed group, they were highly susceptible to the post-weaning feeding regime, irrespective of weaning age. This finding has positive practical significance for pasture-based dairy farmers as it indicates that post-weaning feed management can be manipulated to ensure that weight-for-age targets are achieved. Pasture-based heifer DMI throughout the rearing period was quantified in Chapter 3, and the resulting data were used to create an equation to predict the DMI of HF and JE using BW as a proxy.
An accurate DMI prediction equation will assist pasture-based dairy farmers in optimizing pasture allowances and thus increasing the efficacy of pasture utilization. In Chapter 4, an equation was created to determine the growth trajectory of pasture-based HF and JE; this equation showed that pasture-based heifer growth was sigmoidal in shape. Furthermore, the use of this equation to create additional weight-for-age targets for pasture-based heifers will optimize heifer growth prior to the commencement of the
breeding season. A separate equation was created in Chapter 6 to predict heifer BW using a series of LBM; this facilitates the monitoring of heifer growth in the absence of a weighing scale. Findings in Chapter 5 suggested that growth pattern throughout the rearing period is an important determinant of reproductive performance, the efficiency of which was impeded when feed allowance fluctuated between the pre and post-weaning periods and when heifers were ahead of target BW at breeding.
Furthermore, by using an external dataset of 1,323 heifers across 2,924 parity one to three calving events, the associations between AFC and BW at first calving of pasture-based heifers were quantified. Findings indicated that BW at first calving had a greater impact on performance in the lactating herd than that of age. Moreover, BW at first 109 calving has the potential to negate the suboptimal performance that is often associated with a younger AFC. The findings in this thesis highlight the importance of management decisions on the performance of dairy heifers
International Faculty Collaborations: Social Learning through Professional Communities
Get PDFCollaboration in learning communities at an international level allows for individual growth in faculty members and develops the profession and practice of teaching. This qualitative study interviewed ten Core Fulbright Scholars, exploring their perceptions of the Fulbright, the support for international experiences, and the formation and sustainability of professional collaborations. We contribute to the literature on international scholarship, collaboration, and support for faculty learning and development. Lastly, we discuss the need for future research on further faculty opportunities that broaden understanding of the critical importance of international connections and communities of practice in the 21st century
Strategies to improve the microbial quality of liquid feed and optimise growth of liquid-fed grow-finisher pigs
Get PDFThe objectives of this thesis were to (1) characterise the microbiological quality of liquid feed on Irish pig units; (2) control spontaneous fermentation during liquid feeding using controlled fermentation and dietary acidification; (3) compare feed form and delivery in grow-finisher pigs; (4) determine the optimum water-to-feed ratio for grow-finisher pigs. A survey of eight commercial pig production units was conducted, in which spontaneous fermentation and amino acid degradation were found in liquid feed. Controlled whole diet fermentation and cereal-only fermentation were then compared to fresh liquid and wet/dry feeding of the same diet. Feeding a fermented whole diet reduced pig growth and caused feed conversion efficiency (FCE) to deteriorate. As no benefits were found for fermentation, feed form (meal, pellets) and delivery methods (dry, wet/dry, liquid) were compared. The conclusion was that wet/dry feeding of a pelleted diet to growfinisher pigs optimises growth and FCE. In an attempt to improve FCE in liquid-fed pigs, four commercially used water-to-feed ratios (2.4:1, 3:1, 3.5:1 and 4.1:1, dry matter basis) were compared. The 3.5:1 ratio optimised FCE without reducing killout percentage. Lastly, diets supplemented with benzoic acid (BA) at 0, 2.5, 5 and 10kg/t were liquid-fed to grow-finisher pigs. While BA inclusion stabilised liquid feed pH and controlled lactic acid bacteria (LAB) growth in troughs, no improvements in growth or FCE were observed; however, FCE was excellent for the control and hence a response to BA was unlikely. In conclusion, wet/dry feeding of a pelleted diet optimised growth and FCE in grow-finisher pigs. Spontaneous fermentation occurs during fresh liquid feeding and even controlled whole diet fermentation leads to amino acid degradation. To optimise FCE, a 3.5:1 water-tofeed ratio is optimal for short-trough liquid feeding of grow-finisher pigs. Benzoic acid stabilised liquid feed pH and controlled LAB growth but did not improve pig growth
Fog Computing Support for Internet of Things Applications
Get PDFWith more devices on-board the Internet every day, there is a constant drive to balance
Quality of Service (QoS) with an efficient use of resources. At present, the Internet of
Things (IoT) applications are entirely hosted in the cloud. With emerging ‘smart’ scenarios
in verticals such as dairy farming, health, home, mobility, etc., the real-time communication
delay from the cloud platform necessitates the need to use computing platforms closer to
the data source. While a traditional centralized cloud approach has led the path towards a
pivotal revolution in modern-day computing, the emerging IoT era gave way to its own
range of applications demanding a lower response time, efficient network usage, and
improved data protection, to name a few.
In this age of IoT, the devices along the things-to-cloud continuum present a unique
opportunity to additionally serve as computing hubs. Termed fog computing, this paradigm
can be used to host applications and process data closer to the source. However, these
intermediate devices are usually resource constrained in nature, and are thus limited in
computational flexibility. This paradigm shift towards fog computing brings up a challenge
of using these intermediary computing resources efficiently to host application(s) and serve
as additional computational resources without affecting their primary functionality.
The research presented in this work addresses these demands and challenges, and
presents how to use the fog computational platform to support these requirements. It
presents a set of tools, algorithms, approaches and methodology of developing and deploying
these emerging IoT applications while leveraging the fog computing paradigm.
With extracting knowledge from the generated data being one of the prime objectives of
IoT deployments, this work also presents how the data analytics computing operations
can be decomposed to run on these resource-constrained devices without affecting their
fundamental operation