The extraction of bioactive compounds from white willow bark (Salix. alba) and their application in food

This thesis investigated the use of sustainable extraction methods to produce food-grade willow extracts rich in polyphenols and subsequently evaluated the feasibility of incorporating willow bark extract into yoghurt. In Chapter 2, extraction systems with different EtOH concentrations (20-96%), extraction temperatures (25-100°C), and solvent pH (pH 2-6) were studied. TPC and antioxidant activity were maximum with 50% EtOH. The extracts obtained from a combination of low pH and high temperatures contained a high proportion of NT, which might be preferred by consumers due to being less astringent and lighter in appearance. The phenolic compounds identified and quantified in the willow extracts were salicin, chlorogenic acid, epicatechin, p-salicylic acid, and p-coumaric acid, in which the former three compounds exhibited in silico inhibitory potentials against AChE and BuChE. The aqueous willow extracts at 80°C contained high level of these three compounds, may have potential in preventing Alzheimer’s disease. Overall, the results indicated hot water extraction could be a cost and environmentally friendly alternative to 50% EtOH, with a comparable level of TPC and promising neuroprotective potentials. Chapter 3 investigated the effects of MAE on the phenolic compounds in willow bark using LC-QTOF-MS. The LC-MS analysis enabled the tentative identification of 40 compounds. Salicylates, flavonoids, procyanidins, and phenolic acids were main compounds in the willow extracts. The TPC and antioxidant activity were affected by the end-point temperature obtained from MAE, with the TPC and antioxidant activity of the extracts increasing with an increase in temperature from 70 to 220°C. However, the LC-MS and colour analyses revealed the possible degradation of some phenolic compounds due to the excessive temperature during MAE. Overall, MAE is a promising extraction method to produce willow bark extracts with high antioxidant activity for use in functional foods. Chapter 4 compared the impacts of emerging pre-treatments (PEF, US) with milling and soaking on the damage of the willow tissues and their cumulative effects in a subsequent hot water extraction of polyphenols from willow bark chips. All pre-treatments increased the release of TPC and antioxidant activities. At a similar energy level, PEF with 400 pulses yielded the highest TPC. However, a small increase in energy input via US resulted a significant increase in TPC (46 mg GAE/g d.w.). Compared with mechanical pre-treatments, soaking was less effective in recovering polyphenols, but showed a comparable extractability with PEF and US when employed at low energy levels. Overall results indicated emerging technologies PEF and US can be alternatives to milling to enhance the extractability of polyphenols, to reduce the energy consumption, and to make the filtration step easier. In Chapter 5, willow bark (2—10%, w/w) was successfully incorporated into a yoghurt. The addition of willow bark affected the rheological properties of the yoghurt. During fermentation at 42°C, an increase in willow bark concentrations from 0 to 10% led to an increase in the time required to reach the gelation point (G’ ≥ 1). No significant differences in the final G’ at 42°C between the control and samples containing 2% & 5% willow bark, whereas 10% willow bark significantly reduced the final G’. However, once the gel was cooled to 4°C, there was a significant increase in the G' of the yoghurts with willow bark added, indicating formation of a firmer gel at 4°C. However, willow bark addition increased the level of syneresis of the final yoghurt. The change in the rheological properties of willow added yoghurt may believe to be associated with the interactions between proteins and willow bark polyphenols. Overall, fortification of yoghurt with 2 & 5% willow bark might be a promising functional dairy product with acceptable texture and appearance

Power, Politics and Peace of mind: The study of how German financial integration into the global economy before 1914 shaped debates about German national security

Before the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, Germany's escalating financial integration into the global economy heightened concern surrounding Germany's war readiness. This thesis aims to examine German national security in relation to financial interdependence by examining the impact of war scares on German financial markets, debates about financial power and financial integration, and German civilian and military leaders’ plans to mitigate the impact of war on financial stability. First, as financial markets can offer a gauge on financial risk, this thesis examines the effect of war scares on German financial markets by analysing bond prices, bank share prices, industry shares and bank interest rates during war scares between 1905 to 1912. For example war scares in 1911 and 1912 alarmed investors; market panic, in turn, alarmed decision makers. Second, this thesis analyses the debate, amongst officials and within the public sphere, about the benefits and risks of increasing German financial integration into international capital markets. Germany’s deepening global financial integration offered pportunities for German diplomacy to utilise capital exports as a tool in achieving foreign policy aims. Yet during times of crisis or war, the risk of suspension from participating in foreign capital markets was high. Third, this thesis assesses how various state, military and civil institutions prepared for the financial risks associated with the breakout of a future major European war. Despite Germany’s lack of financial war-readiness during the First World War, this thesis will show that before 1914, civilian and military leaders understood the importance of preparing and strengthening Germany’s financial system for future belligerent action

Elements of Quantum Neuromorphic Learning and Information Processing on Semiconductor Quantum Dot Arrays

This dissertation presents a comprehensive study of semiconductor quantum computing, offering novel insights into quantum sensing, information processing and neuromorphic learning within the realm of semiconductor quantum dot arrays. Beginning with an introduction to the foundational mathematical principles of quantum information theory such as qubits, Hilbert spaces and density matrices, it sets the stage for the in-depth analyses that follow. The research progresses by investigating the design and characterization of nanoscale single-electron box (SEB) utilizing a floating lead for enhanced quantum sensing capabilities. Through the adaptation of a multi-orbital Anderson impurity model, the study provides a theoretical framework for understanding the SEB’s behavior, identifying limitations and suggesting future improvements. Further exploration into the dynamical multipartite entanglement formation highlights the critical role of quantum information encoding and the impact of metallic leads. Employing advanced quantum models, the research investigates the interplay between qubit encoding strategies and multipartite entanglement, revealing essential trade-offs and the influence of carrier numbers on quantum information scrambling. The dissertation also investigates the detection of topological order and qubit encoding within Su-Schrieffer-Heeger type quantum dot arrays. By proposing models with odd and even parity and examining topological edge states, the research explores novel approaches to quantum information encoding based on topological invariants. This investigation sheds light on the potential for leveraging quantum correlations and topological properties for quantum computing

American Anthem: Poems and Essays

American Anthem is a collection of poetry followed by a critical reflection on the craft elements within the manuscript. The collection of poetry explores the growing levels of gun violence in the United States. More specifically, the manuscript seeks to illustrate the devastating psychological ramifications trauma inevitably has on the mind and body as a result of such violence. Following the collection of poetry, the critical reflection places significant emphasis on elements of craft that inform the collection by examining how the interplay of narrative and lyric, intimacy and distance within perspective, and the interplay of tradition and innovation within form can serve to convey the complexity of trauma. When taken together, the poetry and critical reflection shed new light on the ways in which poetry grapples with the phenomenon of violence

Cultivation of Microalgae Nannochloropsis for Bioremediation of Lactose-Enriched Dairy Waste Streams and Co-Production of High-Value Biomass

The EU is one of the world's largest milk producers (ca. 150 million metric tons). Dairy processing generates significant amounts of nutrient-rich wastewater and by-products, which pose significant environmental problems due to high organic matter contents (e.g., lactose, proteins and fats), BOD level and COD level. Microalgae biotechnology is an attractive solution for dairy waste treatment due to its potential to achieve simultaneous bioremediation and co-generation of useful biomass and high-value compounds in a circular economy model. The main objective of this thesis was to develop a sustainable and cost-effective microalgae-based strategy for lactose enriched dairy waste stream (specifically whey powder solution) using Nannochloropsis, an autotrophic lipid-rich microalgal genus with a typically high omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) content in the form of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA or C20:5). The application of Nannochloropsis can alleviate dairy systems reliance on a linear “collect-treat-discharge” practice of handling waste and instead promote a more sustainable, cost effective and circular practice whereby valuable ‘waste’ resources are continuously recovered and reused. The study presents an integrated approach which addresses fundamental research gaps in Nannochloropsis cultivation on dairy waste streams (such as the mechanism of lactose assimilation) and transfer these insights into the development of an effective pre-treatment and growth strategy to attain optimal bioremediation. The specific objectives of the study were: (1) to evaluate the mechanism of lactose assimilation in Nannochloropsis under different trophic modes and their intrinsic capacity for metabolising dairy waste, (2) to assess the effect of different waste pretreatment regimes (e.g. salinity intervention and sterilisation techniques) on physicochemical and biological characteristics of the waste and their ability to support microalgal growth, (3) to understand the critical role that phycospheric bacteria and their interaction with microalgal cells play in driving growth and bioremediation performance, (4) to assess the effect of cultivation on waste on the proximate and lipid composition of resulting microalgal biomass to determine end-user applications, and (5) using critical insights from Objective 1-4, to develop an innovative multiple-stage growth strategy which harnesses the power of probiotic bacteria in the wastewater and symbiotic bacteria in microalgal co-culture in order to maximise Nannochloropsis growth, bioremediation efficiency, and lipid productivity on the waste. Overall, this thesis demonstrated the potential of Nannochloropsis-based strategies for the effective bioremediation of lactose-rich dairy waste streams and co-generation of valuable products for circular bioeconomy development, such as ω-3 PUFAs, and β-galactosidase enzymes. Future studies can combine the two-step strategies developed in the thesis with other nutrient-feeding (e.g. batch, fed-batch, and continuous) and biological strategies (e.g. adaptive laboratory evolution) to further optimise growth and bioremediation performance. Lab-scale discoveries made in the study should also be substantiated at pilot scale and supported with predictive process modelling and robust trials using diverse waste streams generated throughout the dairy processing chain (e.g. CIP cleaning) in order to validate performance consistency and commercial scalability.2025-10-29 JG: Author's signature removed from PD

Harbour: Poems and Essays

Harbour is a collection of poems and an essay. The poems address many themes, from silence to childhood, boarding school, Dublin and heartbreak. The essay will focus on silence and how this affects my poems. As I will explain more fully in the essay, at the core of the poems are two kinds of silence. The first is the silent trauma that dominates the poems, both in form and subject. This can be explored in terms of Lacan’s definition of trauma from his January 20th 1954 seminar (ed. by J-A Miller), which he later defined as part of the ‘Real’ in ‘The Imaginary, The Real, and the Symbolic’. This appears in ‘The Dream of Irma’s Injection (Conclusion)’, in the seminar from March 23rd 1955 (Lacan 33). Lacan explains that trauma is that which cannot be expressed; it is the flux of meaning, the ‘glimmers of light’ that hit us before they can be symbolized. In Part I of the essay I explore Lacan’s notion of trauma, as well as its responses, through ambivalence and mysticism. Part I will thus take the form of auto-criticism and examine where the trauma or its responses have made their mark on my poems. In Part II I will explore the silence that accompanies the materiality of language. I am thus arguing that in my poems my attention to the materiality of language creates a detachment from meaning, which equates to the experience of silence. For example, my use of minimal form, careful lineation that is often more vertical than horizontal, and lyricism, briefly distracts the reader from ‘meaning’, and creates silence. To support this argument, I will examine the poet Thomas A Clark’s use of material silence in his concrete, visual and page poetry; I will also consider some of my poems that were inspired by his materiality and silence. Parts I and II of the essay will thus offer an insight into how silence affects my poems from two separate angles – while exploring the broader cultural and poetic context that supports each of these

Carbon storage and sequestration in Irish saltmarsh habitats

Coastal wetlands are recognised for the vital role they play in climate change mitigation and adaptation. In particular, coastal wetlands are efficient ecosystems for sequestering and storing carbon. Regional estimates of carbon stocks and rates of carbon accumulation are often lacking, particularly for the temperate Northeastern Atlantic region. To address this knowledge gap, I conducted a national carbon stock assessment of 23 saltmarshes in Ireland to determine the magnitude of their carbon inventory and to understand the variability between different morphology types. The carbon density per hectare was 145.28 ± 2.58 Mg Corg ha-1 resulting in a carbon stock of over 950,000 Mg Corg, with the main drivers of variability being the composition and origin of the substrate. To understand the annual increase in carbon stock, I analysed the sediment and carbon accumulation rates of 13 saltmarshes of varying geographical locations through marker horizons and radiometric dating. Through these techniques, the annual present and historic carbon accumulation rate were estimated as 0.018 ± 0.002 g Corg cm-2 and 0.0077 ± 0.0005 g Corg cm-2, respectively. Lastly, I determined the contribution of an invasive species (Spartina anglica) on the carbon storage and accumulation rates. Areas of S. anglica swards were found to store 78.4 ± 6.0 Mg Corg ha-1, and a national total of 105,918 ± 8,106 Mg Corg. Spartina anglica-dominated areas were also found to annually accumulate 40% more sediment and 15% more carbon. Overall, the saltmarshes of Ireland have a below average carbon density and an average carbon accumulation rate on a global scale. This research provides the backbone for Tier 2 data for IPCC National Inventory Reporting and expands our understanding of carbon dynamics in saltmarsh ecosystems in the temperate Northeastern Atlantic region. This will ultimately underpin improved management for the protection and restoration of these habitats.2025-10-29 JG: Author's signature removed from PD

Molecular profiling of AMA oocytes: from basic biology to improving fertility in aged women

In a world where more and more women are delaying motherhood, age-related fertility decline poses a significant challenge. Age-related infertility is primarily attributed to oocytes, as they diminish in both quantity and quality as women age. The deteriorating quality of ageing oocytes is closely associated with aneuploidy and alterations in cytoplasmic content. Nevertheless, the precise mechanisms driving this decline in oocyte quality remain unclear. The objective of the thesis studies was employed cutting-edge omic technologies to unravel the molecular intricacies of the oocyte maturation process and to determine the extent to which they are impacted by age and reflected in oocyte quality. Comprehensive molecular profiling was conducted on a substantial number of human oocytes sourced from women spanning nearly two decades of reproductive life and two oocyte maturation stages. This effort resulted in the creation of an innovative dataset. This research uncovered crucial insights into the transcriptomic, DNA methylation, and proteomic landscape of human oocytes, establishing a significant connection with maternal age. The findings highlight distinctive changes in both transcript and protein abundance during oocyte meiotic maturation, while CpG methylation levels exhibit remarkable consistency. Notably, most of these changes are evident in both young and advanced maternal age oocytes. Additionally, age-related modifications in oocytes are predominantly observed at the protein level. Specifically, several proteins crucial for meiosis control and proteostasis exhibited a decline with age, particularly within immature oocytes. This includes noteworthy changes in the proteasome complex which has also been validated to have a pivotal role in human oocyte maturation. The observed alterations in proteasome quantity, combined with other identified changes, likely contribute to the reduction in oocyte quality. The resulting dataset holds immense potential for informing the scientific community about oocyte ageing, offering valuable insights that can aid ongoing and future age-related studies in humans and other species. In conclusion, proteasome complex is proposed as a promising target for future interventions and treatments aimed at enhancing oocyte quality in reproductively aged women

"Fly, Phoenix!": the conception of the poet in English and Irish women poets, 1930-1950

This thesis serves to address absences in the national canons of and find connections between Irish and English women poets publishing between 1930 and 1950. By examining the publishing conditions, reviews, cultural engagements, and poetic evolution of four poets, I chart how each invented and re-invented themselves in relation to their literary culture. Both Temple Lane and Ruth Pitter took on the role of the public poet and intellectual with engagements with popular culture. Lane used the popularity of middlebrow novels and her education to create a space for her poetry, which gradually grew in directness of critique of Irish literary culture and gender roles, as well as carve a career by literary pursuits. In order to maintain this space, Lane re-invented her poetic persona multiple times as her relationship to the popular and the middlebrow changed. Pitter walked a similar path by engaging with both literary and popular poetry in order to unite her inner vision with the mundane world and adapted her aesthetics as her sense of this developed and evolved through the period. Daryush and Laughton chose more private paths. Daryush used her social position and experience in English literary culture as daughter of a Poet Laureate to restart her poetic career in 1930s and quickly focused her work on the search for an aesthetics and form grounded in tradition that also fitted her female voice. Laughton, who published very briefly in comparison to the others, re-imagined traditionally feminine and domestic images and combined them with Jungian psychoanalysis to convey feminine creative power. Despite these diverse methods for claiming space as poets, the elements of their work that fits pre-existing models of the woman poet were highlighted and used to characterise their work, leading to their devaluation and removal from critical consideration

Liquidity resiliency of the euro-area sovereign bond market

This thesis is a collection of three essays that empirically examine liquidity resiliency from a market microstructure perspective in the Eurozone sovereign bond markets. Firstly, I offer new insights into liquidity resiliency by constructing Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO)-based resiliency measures applying the mean-reverting model of Kempf et al. (2015), and this is presented in Chapter 2 (first essay). Second, in Chapter 3 (second essay), I examine the commonality of liquidity resiliency at the GIIPS, non-GIIPS, and pan-European levels. In the final chapter (Chapter 4), I examine whether liquidity resiliency as a separate dimension of liquidity is a priced variable by applying the liquidity-capital asset pricing model advanced by Acharya and Pedersen (2005). In the first essay (Chapter 2), I present novel insights into liquidity resiliency, a relatively neglected dimension of liquidity. I empirically analyse the liquidity resiliency of the Eurozone sovereign bond markets by applying 2-, 5-, 10-, and 30-year bond maturities. Three periods were applied in this study: the pre-crisis period (January 2008-October 2009), the Eurozone crisis period (November 2009-December 2013), and the full period (January 2008-December 2013). I employed the Kempf et al. (2015) OLS-based approach and a combination of an OLS approach and the LASSO machine learning approach to compute resiliency from relative spreads (RS) and quoted depths (QD). The findings reveal that RS and QD resiliency are negatively correlated with relative spreads and positively correlated with quoted depth. The correlations between RS resiliency, QD resiliency, relative spreads, and quoted depths are generally low. This indicates that resiliency is a separate liquidity dimension and provides information that cannot be subsumed from the relative spreads or quoted depth dimensions. I provide evidence that OLS- and LASSO-based resiliency measures should be used interchangeably. Moreover, I study the interrelationships between resiliency and volatility, returns, and credit risk and find that intertemporal relationships exist. Chapter 3 examines the commonality in liquidity resiliency of the ten eurozone sovereign bond markets across the maturity spectrum. I applied the principal component analysis (PCA) to compute the market-wide (common) resiliency factor. Using OLS-based regressions, I then tested the sensitivities of individual country bond resiliency to the market-wide resiliency factor. This is analysed at the peripheral (GIIPS) countries, core (non-GIIPS) countries, and pan-European levels. I examine the strength of the relationship between GIIPS and non-GIIPS countries' resiliency using the canonical correlation analysis (CCA) approach. Finally, supply-based variables (funding liquidity constraints), demand-based variables (investor sentiment, economic policy uncertainty, and exchange rate fluctuations), and market variables are used to explain the drivers of commonality in resiliency in the Eurozone sovereign bond markets. I find evidence of commonality in the resiliency of GIIPS and non-GIIPS countries in the pre-crisis and crisis periods; however, this is more apparent and pervasive in the GIIPS region during the Eurozone crisis period. I find a significant Eurozone liquidity resiliency effect, though economically small but statistically significant, as the countries react differently to the Eurozone resiliency factor, which is congruent with the fragmented nature of the Eurozone countries. I find that funding liquidity constraints, as supply-side drivers of commonality in RS and QD resiliency, impact both GIIPS and non-GIIPS countries. In Chapter 4, I examine whether liquidity resiliency risk is a priced variable in Eurozone sovereign bond returns beyond the level of resiliency, credit risk, and market risk. I apply a variant of the Liquidity-Adjusted Capital Asset Pricing Model developed by Acharya (2005)