Studies on disease prevention and control: microbial adaptive responses and survival, pathogenesis, decontamination, inactivation and predictive modelling, and sustainability

This thesis describes research starting in 1997 on five areas of disease prevention and control, namely food safety microbiology, fundamentals of non-thermal decontamination technologies, scale up for technology demonstration and applications, alternative therapies and approaches, and sustainable innovation and frameworks. Production of safe food and medical devices is vital for society. Key factors governing the safe manufacture and treatment of these products rely upon achieving an acceptable balance between microbial destruction including pathogen destruction and the retention of desired nutritional and organoleptic properties for foods. Similarly, medical device manufactures’ ‘instructions for use (IFUs)’ demand high level disinfection or sterilisation without negatively affecting materials, functionality or biocompatibility. There are ever increasing demands for personalized or specialist foods and sophisticated devices to meet complexities of modern society including serving vulnerable groups such as the young, old and immunocompromised. Whilst there is an expanding volume of published literature on elucidating microbial adaptive responses to applied lethal stresses associated with food production and to a lesser degree medical devices, there remains a need to understand why thermal and emerging non-thermal processes work to desired efficacy and what conditions or circumstances operating at this balanced interface between microbial destruction and desired product functionality and quality may promote microbial survivors and triggers pathogenesis. This is an important concept as cellular and molecular functionality governs microbial survival and this influences the type and severity (dose) of decontamination modality to be applied. Not all problematical microorganisms are easily detected nor grow on simple agar plates such as the emergence of atypical or complicated resilient pathogens like parasites and drug-resistant fungi that require appropriate decontamination. Understanding the holistic interplay and totality of all applied and inimical stresses from established and emerging technologies that govern effective microbial lethality defines critical knowledge, which informs design thinking and effectiveness to meet required consumer/patient risk reduction and safety. Such understanding also commensurately shapes sustainability. A holistic knowledge provides valuable insights to help modern and developing societies in meeting unforeseen threats and shortcomings; as my elucidation of appropriate sterilization technologies for safe reuse of PPE arising from critical supplying chain shortages during COVID-19 pandemic along with sustainable waste management. Applying appropriate disinfection and sterilization technologies for treating beediseases in heat-sensitive pollen for pollination industry.ye

Impact of free-stream disturbances on blunt body aerothermodynamics in hypersonic flow

The study investigates the effects of freestream disturbances (acoustic, vortical and entropy) on wall pressure and wall heat flux in front of double cone geometry in hypersonic flow. The two double cone geometries with small cone angle and high cone angles are simulated at hypersonic Mach 6 by using 2D-axisymmetric Navier Stokes Laminar flow solver, exhibit ing steady and oscillatory flow behaviour with constant inlet boundary, respectively. The acoustic (fast and slow wave), vortical and entropy disturbances with single frequency of 20 kHz and amplitude upto 1% are modelled as time-dependent inlet boundary and are introduced after achieving solutions for both cases of double-cone geometries after 5ms. The impact of these freestream disturbances was estimated by analyzing the wall pressure and wall heat flux fluctuations and it was found that rms of wall pressure fluctuation increases approxi mately 10 time and wall heat flux fluctuation increases 6 times for high angled double cone geometry, when compared to small angle double cone geometry subjected to same level of freestream disturbances.ye

Creating a sustainable universal approach to social house design for a lifetime of living specific to vertical circulation, egress, bathrooms, and humanistic storage space requirements.

With the demographic change which Ireland is experiencing, people are living longer. Adequate housing for an aging population is one of the many challenges that this presents. Government housing policy aspires to meet these needs. The problem is that it is questionable as to whether Irish social housing delivers a design for a life me of living for its occupants. This research examines the feasibility of creating a sustainable universal approach to Irish social house design for a lifetime of living specific to vertical circulation, egress, bathrooms, and humanistic storage space requirements. Literature insights from peer reviewed journal articles outline aging in place, aging mobility, stair falls, universal design, barrier free living, housing adaptation together with examining government policy on housing and the Irish building regulations. Insights from the literature review reveal that the concept of home becomes more significant over me, and it suggests that older people now wish to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. A case study methodology was used in this research. Empirical data collection was conducted using five separate live case studies, eleven semi-structured interviews, a research survey questionnaire with social housing tenants as participants and a comparison of layouts and associated costs using three samples of 2-storey, three-bedroom, semi-detached social house designs. Data analysis was conducted using mixed mode analysis and the findings were triangulated. One key finding identified that simple layout revisions to the design of 2-storey dwellings, if implemented, would enable homes to organically adapt to the changing needs of all its occupants for their life me of living, thus benefiting both young and old occupants alike. Another finding illustrated how these simple revisions would incur a minimal cost increase when implemented at the initial design stage. Furthermore, this has the potential to reduce and, in some cases, remove the need for future adaption or rehousing in later life and to allow people to age in place, implementing positive psychology into their life me of living in their own homes. This could also reflect a significant saving on additional adaptation works on into the future. One key contribution to the literature made by this research is to demonstrate that by incorporating selected simple UD principles into Irish social house design, it can benefit all occupants in their home, regardless of their age, size, ability, or disability for a lifetime of living while also future proofing against potential additional costs.n

Enhancing Barrier and Antioxidant Properties of Nanocellulose Films for Coatings and Active Packaging: A Review

Cellulose, a natural biopolymer, offers strong potential for sustainable packaging due to its impressive mechanical, thermal, and barrier properties. However, its high hydrophilicity remains a key challenge for industrial applications. This review delves into both chemical and physical methods to enhance nanocellulose’s hydrophobicity while also exploring the incorporation of reinforcing fillers like antioxidants, antibacterial agents (e.g., tannins, lignin), and nanoclays to improve functionality in active packaging. Additionally, advanced surface modifications using compounds, such as stearic acid, silanes, and treatments, such as cold plasma, are discussed. By providing detailed insights into these techniques and materials, this review serves as a practical guide for researchers, especially in laboratory settings, to assess the feasibility of applying these innovations in their own work. Ultimately, it aims to advance the development of nanocellulose-based packaging solutions, offering a balance among sustainability, enhanced performance, and practical scientific guidance.ye

Draíocht: Sparking Creativity. Proceedings of the 2024 International Graphic Medicine Conference

The Graphic Medicine Community is Global. Conferences are a significant way to bring colleagues together to share art, writing, research, new ideas, and projects. It also provides a venue for networking, enhancing, and developing new collaborations, but most importantly to gather community members who all share an interest in Graphic Medicine based on the primary philosophy that Graphic Medicine is inclusive and gives voice to those who are often not heard. The 15th International Graphic Medicine Conference took place at the Technological University of the Shannon in Athlone, Ireland from July 16th- 18th 2024. The three-day conference kicked off with specialist workshops, based in TUS (Athlone) and in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. The pre-conference workshop entitled Graphic Medicine for Health Care Professionals led by Dr. Williams was awarded Irish College of General Practioners CPD credits and the Developing a Graphic Medicine Collection workshop led by Matthew Noe was awarded CPD Credits by the Library Association of Ireland.ye

Studies on disease prevention and control, decontamination and sterilization, microbial adaptive responses and survival, alternative therapies, and sustainability

This thesis describes my independent research studies starting in 1996 on five related areas that have advanced disease prevention and control including sustainable technologies to meet significant societal challenges. There are ever increasing demands for specialist foods and sophisticated devices to meet complexities of modern society including serving vulnerable groups. Whilst there is an expanding volume of published literature on developing food production, and to a much lesser degree medical devices, there is a need to understand why traditional and emerging decontamination and sterilization modalities work and what conditions or circumstances operating at the interface between microbial destruction and maintaining a desired product functionality could support microbial survivors and potentially foodborne or iatrogenic-mediated infection. There is also a dearth in knowledge surrounding the real-time detection of viable fastidious pathogenic microorganisms (such as complex parasites or drug-resistant fungi) post selection of appropriate technologies to safely treat foods and to decontaminate complex reusable medical devices. There is also a dearth of published information on appropriate cellular and molecular indicators to inform critical mechanistic information underpinning testing, verification and validation of new decontamination technologies. Elucidating holistically, the key parameters governing reliable and effective decontamination, provides evidence-based data to inform next-generation products from design thinking to automation in order to meet emerging societal needs.ye

An Investigation into the Installation of Electric Vehicle Charging Points in Health Service Executive Properties in Galway, Mayo, and Roscommon to Meet Sustainability Drivers.

The driver for this research is the health service executive commitment to achieving net-zero emissions no later than 2050. As Ireland’s largest public body, the Health Service Executive is focussed on decarbonising its fleet, including emergency and community service vehicles, to facilitate the transition to best practice sustainable transport requirements. This transition necessitates upgrading existing infrastructure to support the installation of electric vehicle charging in healthcare settings. This research investigates the electric vehicle charging point installation requirements for existing Health Service Executive West and North West properties to meet the short to medium term requirements as case study research. Currently absent is a best practice evaluation auditing tool to expedite this in existing buildings and estates and therefore this formed a central to the aim and objectives of this research. Literature insights from peer reviewed journal articles on electric vehicles chargers, infrastructure, and installation in the context of sustainability. Insights reveal that such installations could include circular economy requirements. Empirical data collection was conducted using two electronic questionnaire surveys to staff and management, semi-structured interviews, a review of five case studies, and by conducting three live case studies in North West Health Service Executive estates. Data analysis was triangulated when combined with mixed-mode analysis. Findings revealed that in the Health Service Executive West and North West estates, electric vehicle charging points were viable in terms of staff requirements and commuting distance. However, a lack of existing infrastructure to support electric vehicle charging points was a barrier for the procurement of electric vehicles by staff and for the fleet requirements. An evaluation auditing tool has been developed for use by regional and national estates offices in line with international best practice resulting from this research. One key contribution to the literature is to demonstrate a case study retrofit of electric vehicle charging points in healthcare settings.n