1522 research outputs found
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Nanodevice Arrays for Peripheral Nerve Fascicle Activation Using Ultrasound Energy-harvesting
Get PDFAn investigation of a community based physical activity intervention for adult men, 'Men on the Move'
Get PDFTargeted low cost strategies to combat Salmonella spp. in finisher pigs and in the slaughterhouse
Get PDFSalmonella carriage in pigs is a significant food safety issue and low-cost
control measures may provide a useful element in reducing the prevalence of
Salmonella in pigs. This thesis aimed to investigate several pre-harvest Salmonella
control strategies directed towards finishing pigs (35-110 kg). At farm level, two
strategies focusing on dietary supplementation with feed additives: (1) sodium butyrate;
and (2) an encapsulated blend of formic acid, citric acid, and essential oils
(FormaXOL™) were investigated for their effectiveness to control Salmonella shedding
and seroprevalence in pigs 28- and 63-days prior to slaughter. In the abattoir, two
strategies: (3) cleaning and disinfection (C&D) of lairage pens with a quaternary
ammonium chloride or chlorocresol-based disinfectant; and (4) misting pigs with a
preoxygen disinfectant at 0.5% were evaluated for their ability to eliminate Salmonella
in the lairage environment and to topically reduce Salmonella prior to slaughter,
respectively.
Supplementation with sodium butyrate and FormaXOL™ for 28-days prior to
slaughter, not 63-days (for sodium butyrate only), was effective in reducing Salmonella
shedding and seroprevalence but only in the absence of secondary infections. Both feed
additives did not influence intestinal carriage, nor did they reduce seroprevalence to
below the cut-off used for the high Salmonella risk category in Ireland (50%), or
significantly improve growth performance. Treatment with sodium butyrate provided a
benefit of €0.04/kg of live-weight gain; while supplementation with FormaXOL™
increased the feed cost/kg of live-weight gain by €0.08.
In the abattoir, drying lairage pens after C&D with a chlorocresol-based
disinfectant eliminated Salmonella. Additionally, misting with a preoxygen disinfectant
might have a role in topical antisepsis for pigs contaminated with Salmonella prior to
slaughter and as such warrants further investigation.
The findings presented herein, are readily applicable to farmers, abattoirs and
regulatory agencies; and have added novel findings to the field of Salmonella control in
pigs
Persistence in higher education through student–faculty interactions in the classroom of a commuter institution
Get PDFStudent-faculty interactions are a component of social integration, a key concept in Tinto’s (1975, 1993) theory of student persistence which has received empirical support (Pascarella and Terenzini, 2005). However, the influence of social integration for commuting students has been questioned (Braxton and Lee, 2005). Furthermore, student-faculty interactions in the classroom are under-researched (Demaris and Kritsonis 2008) and arguably undervalued as an influence on persistence. A questionnaire (n=248), focus groups and interviews with students including those who withdrew from higher education outline the nature of student-faculty interactions and their influence on persistence. The research supports a theoretical focus on the classroom indicating student-faculty interactions including via active teaching could reap persistence and academic benefits
The Role of Awareness in the Development of LC1 and LC2 Competence in E-tandem Exchanges between Learners of Mandarin and English (Volume 2 of 2)
Get PDFAn Investigation of Dielectric Thermoplastic Elastomers for Civil Infrastructural and Energy Harvesting Applications
Get PDFPoly(styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene) [SEBS] and poly(styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene)-grafted-maleic anhydride [SEBS-g-MA] triblocks have been shown to have superior mechanical performance relative to conventional dielectric elastomers with better morphology. However, historically their use in capacitive energy harvesting, and stress/strain sensing have been constrained by (i) the dearth of knowledge about thermal, mechanical, thermo-mechanical and thermo-electrical properties of elastomers and their nanocomposites, (ii) low dielectric constant of elastomers, and (iii) poor dispersion of high dielectric materials in elastomers. Dielectric filler (barium titanate [BT]) and conductive fillers (carbon black [CB]) based elastomeric composites were successfully manufactured using twin screw extrusion process with/without supercritical fluid carbon-dioxide (scCO2). Thermal, mechanical, morphological, dielectric and conducting properties of dielectric thermoplastic composites (DTC) were studied. Dielectric analysis and dynamic mechanical analysis showed CB composites (below the percolation threshold) manufactured using scCO2 assisted twin screw extrusion were found to have low dielectric loss at low frequency (0.0001 Vs 0.006 dielectric loss at 1Hz for SEBS/CB 1 wt.%), low mechanical losses (0.034 and 0.043 Vs 0.046 and 0.051 value of tan delta in transverse and parallel direction to extrusion respectively at 30 ̊C of SEBS/CB 1 wt %) and improved dielectric permittivity (30% Vs 15% increase upon addition of 1% CB on SEBS) compared to those composites manufactured without scCO2. Similar results were obtained for BT filler based composites. In addition, the composites manufactured with an assistance of scCO2 showed highly conductive behaviour and low mechanical losses at 5 wt. % of CB in SEBS making them sensitive under strain conditions. This result is far superior compared to conventional processing for similar materials. Similarly, chemical, thermal and morphological analysis showed improved interaction and dispersion of both CB and BT in all phases of elastomers when elastomers were extruded with scCO2. Thermoelectric analysis confirms the BT fillers based composites manufactured using scCO2 have highly stable dielectric permittivity over a range of temperatures (40-120 ̊C) and frequencies (1kHz-1MHz) compared to composites manufactured without scCO2. TEM images showed that composites manufactured usingscCO2 have uniformly dispersed additives (CB as well as BT) in elastomers compared to composites manufactured without scCO2. Finally, dielectric measurement of CB and BT composites manufactured with scCO2 presented high sensitivity to uniaxial strain making them highly suitable for stress/strain sensing and energy harvesting application
Sigmoid functions and exponential Riordan arrays
Get PDFSigmoid functions play an important role in many areas of applied mathematics, including machine learning, population dynamics and probability. We place the study of sigmoid functions in the context of the derivative sub-group of the group of exponential Riordan arrays. Links to families of polynomials are drawn, and it is shown that in some cases these polynomials are orthogonal. In the non-orthogonal case, transformations are given that produce orthgonal systems. Alternative means of characterisation are given, based on the production (Stieltjes) matrix associated to the relevant Riordan array
How The Multi-Levels of Individual Learning and Team Learning Interact in Public Healthcare Organisations
Get PDFThis study seeks to increase understanding of organisational learning by researching actual learning processes in public healthcare organisations to enhance understanding of how the multi-levels of individual and team learning interact. A preliminary conceptual framework is developed, drawing upon the multi-levels of learning within organisational learning and the Crossan et al. (1999) 4I framework. A single interpretive case study in the public health service in Ireland is carried out, involving three rounds of semi-structured interviews with Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors (NCHDs), supported by a review of relevant professional documentation and researcher reflective log entries. The findings suggest a greater proportion of individual and team learning occurs in informal settings where interpreting and developing understanding takes place either in dyads, small groups, or with the whole team. The willingness and confidence to share insights, intuitions and to ask questions are triggers for learning. This learning occurs in a public healthcare context where an experience hierarchy, interpersonal relationships and social dynamics form the backdrop to all learning interactions. The training received by NCHDs may vary depending on how effectively they build interpersonal relationships, take advantage of informal spontaneous learning opportunities and manage the social dynamics within their team. A revised learning framework is presented which provides greater insight into how the multi-levels of individual and team learning interact in public healthcare organisations, thereby extending organisational learning theory in the public healthcare setting. The findings have practical relevance to those interested in the effectiveness of post-graduate training and learning of NCHDs in the public healthcare system. They also have practical relevance for enhancing the effectiveness of teamwork and learning interactions, contributing to high quality safe healthcare and responsiveness to change. While the study was carried out in the public hospital system, it may also have relevance within the private hospital sector, community healthcare settings and potentially other contexts. Including other members of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) within future studies could also help to enrich understanding of how the interaction of individual and team learning occurs within teams
A cross-country exploration of the perceived impact of facilitated networks on green innovation capability development in the micro-firm
Get PDFThe motivation for this research originates in the current global debate on the need for a sustainable green economy. As micro-firms (those firms with less than ten employees), represent 90.8% of all businesses in Ireland (CSO, 2011) and 75% in Canada (Industry Canada, 2013), the development of their green innovation capability development is vital in pursuit of green economy goals. This thesis studies explores the perceived impact facilitated network engagement has on green innovation capability development in the micro-firm. This study uses a interpretive multiple case, cross-country approach studying micro-firms in Ireland and Canada over a twelve month period. The proactive implementation of green innovation is influenced by the owner/manager (O/M)’s natural environment orientation (NEO) and the potential for economic gain. The findings show that facilitated networks play a role in the development of innovation capabilties and provide an additional resource that the O/M can draw from. In particular, the network allows the O/M to test new ideas, comprehend legislation and identify potential supports in pursuit of green innovation capability development within the micro-firm. This study has academic, practitioner and policy implications as it assists in understanding the impact of inter-firm collaboration on green innovation capability development. This study offers a framework that can be used as a guideline for micro-firm support organisations including facilitated networks to assist micro-firms in reaching their green innovation goals and objectives. At a national level, government run systematic and collective marketing initiatives, which engage with enterprise and networks could help to promote the financial savings and opportunities of green innovation. In the absence of regulations, the onus is on the individual to take accountability for their own green innovation. This exploratory study provides a basis on which further research can be undertaken in the area of green innovation, facilitated networks and the micro-firm. The framework could potentially be applied in other countries and in further micro-firms to test its applicability for the development of green innovation capabilities