A continuous method for determination of the evaporation rate of zinc

A method for determination of the evaporation rate of zinc using a continuous recording balance has been devised. Tests were carried out under an inert gas over the range 600°C to 750°C with a total pressure of 1 atmosphere. It was found that the rate of evaporation doubled with an increase of 50°C in this range. Scanning electron microscope photographs show the crystalline nature of the condensate and the presence of a thin oxide layer on some solidified test samples. This oxide layer reduced the rate of evaporation by retarding the zinc vapor escape from the evaporating surface --Abstract, Page iii

Digital Transformation Impacting Programme Delivery at CCT College Dublin

Since its foundation in 2005, CCT College Dublin has had a strong focus on digital innovation to enhance the teaching and learning experience. In February of 2019, prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning\u27s Irish National Digital Experience INDEx Survey indicated that 78.3% of students positively rated digital teaching and learning approaches at CCT (31.9% excellent and 3.4% best imaginable). With the emergency online pivot in March 2020 and QQI’s approval of CCT’s blended learning extension of scope application, CCT has subsequently upgraded all of its classrooms for hybrid delivery and promoted the Community of Inquiry pedagogical approach (Garrison, Anderson and Archer, 1999) for the virtual classroom. Digital transformation at CCT is informed by sectoral research and a partnership approach engaging all stakeholders. This poster highlights recent developments pertaining to digital transformation involving faculty in the context of programme delivery. Scores for digital infrastructure and support in the 2022 CCT Annual Student Engagement Survey were extremely high with 90% of respondents positively rating the virtual classroom at CCT (good, very good or excellent). 88% of respondents also positively rated the navigation and layout of CCT Moodle\u27s instance as well as the software and platforms used to support the delivery of programmes.https://arc.cct.ie/fac_presentations/1010/thumbnail.jp

Synthesis, characterisation and DNA intercalation studies of regioisomers of ruthenium (II) polypyridyl complexes

Regioisomers of the functional group of the main ligand (L) on a series of [Ru(phen)2L]2+and [Ru(bpy)2L]2+ complexes, where phen is 1,10 phenanthroline and bpy is 2,2′-bipyridine, were synthesised to investigate the interaction with deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) as potential therapeutics. UV–Vis binding titrations, thermal denaturation and circular dichroism were used to evaluate their interaction with DNA. The conclusions indicated the significance of the auxiliary ligand; especially 1,10-phenanthroline has on the binding constants (Kb). The systematic variation of auxiliary ligand(phen or bpy), and polypyridyl ligand (4-(1H-Imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthrolin-2-yl)benzonitrile (CPIP), 2-(4-formylphenyl)imidazo[4,5-f] [1,10] phenanthroline (FPIP), 2-(4-bromophenyl)imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline (BPIP) and 2-(4-nitrophenyl)imidazo[4,5-f] [1,10] phenanthroline (NPIP), split in terms of functional group change were investigated for DNA interaction. The CPIP analogues in particular were investigated for the regioisomerism (ortho, meta, para) effect of the nitrile group on the ligand. It was found that both the DNA interaction could be tailored through the systematic variation of the electronic nature of the individual auxiliary ligand and to a lesser extent the functional group and regioisomeric change. Preliminary cell line studies have been carried out to determine the selectivity of the complexes against cell lines such as A375 (Skin Cancer), HeLa (Cervical Cancer), A549 (Lung Cancer), Beas2B (Lung Normal Cell) and MCF-7 (Breast Cancer). Complexes which had strong DNA interactions in the binding studies have proven to be the most efficacious against certain cell lines. Establishing well-defined structure property relationships when looking at trends in spectroscopic properties and DNA binding will aid in the intelligent design of potential therapeutic complexes

Plasmodium falciparum ligand binding to erythrocytes induce alterations in deformability essential for invasion

The most lethal form of malaria in humans is caused by Plasmodium falciparum. These parasites invade erythrocytes, a complex process involving multiple ligand-receptor interactions. The parasite makes initial contact with the erythrocyte followed by dramatic deformations linked to the function of the Erythrocyte binding antigen family and P. falciparum reticulocyte binding-like families. We show EBA-175 mediates substantial changes in the deformability of erythrocytes by binding to glycophorin A and activating a phosphorylation cascade that includes erythrocyte cytoskeletal proteins resulting in changes in the viscoelastic properties of the host cell. TRPM7 kinase inhibitors FTY720 and waixenicin A block the changes in the deformability of erythrocytes and inhibit merozoite invasion by directly inhibiting the phosphorylation cascade. Therefore, binding of P. falciparum parasites to the erythrocyte directly activate a signaling pathway through a phosphorylation cascade and this alters the viscoelastic properties of the host membrane conditioning it for successful invasion

Concurrent panel session 1: Environmental sustainability and Las Vegas

Moderator: Dr. Stan Smith, UNLV School of Life Sciences Scribe: Crystal Jackson, UNLV Department of Sociology Conference white paper & Full summary of panel session, 6 page

Evidence of Neurovascular Water Exchange and Endothelial Vascular Dysfunction in Schizophrenia: An Exploratory Study

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS: Mounting evidence supports cerebrovascular contributions to schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD) but with unknown mechanisms. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is at the nexus of neural-vascular exchanges, tasked with regulating cerebral homeostasis. BBB abnormalities in SSD, if any, are likely more subtle compared to typical neurological insults and imaging measures that assess large molecule BBB leakage in major neurological events may not be sensitive enough to directly examine BBB abnormalities in SSD. STUDY DESIGN: We tested the hypothesis that neurovascular water exchange (Kw) measured by non-invasive diffusion-prepared arterial spin label MRI (n = 27 healthy controls [HC], n = 32 SSD) is impaired in SSD and associated with clinical symptoms. Peripheral vascular endothelial health was examined by brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (n = 44 HC, n = 37 SSD) to examine whether centrally measured Kw is related to endothelial functions. STUDY RESULTS: Whole-brain average Kw was significantly reduced in SSD (P = .007). Exploratory analyses demonstrated neurovascular water exchange reductions in the right parietal lobe, including the supramarginal gyrus (P = .002) and postcentral gyrus (P = .008). Reduced right superior corona radiata (P = .001) and right angular gyrus Kw (P = .006) was associated with negative symptoms. Peripheral endothelial function was also significantly reduced in SSD (P = .0001). Kw in 94% of brain regions in HC positively associated with peripheral endothelial function, which was not observed in SSD, where the correlation was inversed in 52% of brain regions. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides initial evidence of neurovascular water exchange abnormalities, which appeared clinically associated, especially with negative symptoms, in schizophrenia

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Technical change and efficiency in Irish agriculture

This paper calculates average technical efficiency levels and rates of technical change for Irish agriculture using an unbalanced panel of 2,603 farms drawn from the Irish National Farm Survey over the period 1984 to 1998. An average technical efficiency level of between 65 and 70 per cent with a slight upward trend over the period was found. The efficiency of individual farms is positively associated with the size of the farm household, the ratio of debt to assets and the farmer?s age, and negatively related to being located in the West of Ireland, having an off-farm job and size of farm. Technical progress is observed at an unweighted rate of approximately 0.9 per cent and a weighted rate of 2.1 per cent per annum over the 1984-98 period. There is evidence that this rate of growth has been slowing over time. Technical progress was considerably faster on farms in the East of the country compared to Western farms, on larger farms compared to smaller ones, and on dairy and tillage farms compared to cattle and sheep farms

Measuring Productivity Change and Efficiency on Irish Farms.

End of Project ReportThis report investigates technical change and levels of technical efficiency on Irish farms using National Farm Survey (N.F.S.) data. It also examines whether levels of technical efficiency are influenced by contact with the extension service. The study utilises a stochastic production frontier approach to measure productivity growth and the technical efficiency of a panel of Irish farms over the period 1984 to 1998. This sample was used to calculate (a) technical change over time as measured by best practice farms and (b) technical efficiency levels of all farms over this period. It, therefore, provides disaggregated estimates of technical change by farming system as well as quantifying the average level of technical efficiency. The project also examines the factors associated with differences in technical efficiency between farms and the impact of extension service contact on farm-level technical efficiency. Mean technical change (i.e. changes in best practice) continued, albeit at a declining rate, throughout the period studied. Significant differences were revealed in the rate of technical change on farms of different types. For example technical change on dairy and crop farms averaged nearly 2 per cent per annum while technical regress occurred on beef and sheep farms. In addition to examining technical change, farm efficiency relative to best practice within each farming system was also measured. Results indicate that farms achieved, on average, approximately 65 per cent of the efficiency level of best practice farms. The average level of farm efficiency has been decreasing by 0.4 per cent per annum indicating that the gap between best practice farms and all farms has been increasing by this amount over time. Thirty one percent of the most efficient farms were dairy farms while 23 per cent were arable farms. Approximately 52 per cent of the least efficient farms were cattle farms while a further 31 per cent were sheep farms. Average efficiency over the period was 34.2 per cent in the least efficient quintile of farms. This compared to almost 90 per cent for the most efficient quintile of farms. A positive relationship between age and efficiency was found up to the age of 49 years after which the relationship between age and efficiency becomes negative. The farm debt to assets ratio was positively related to efficiency while farm size and location in the West of Ireland was negatively related to efficiency. Farms in contact with the extension service were found to be on average 6.5 per cent more efficient than farms without contact. Contact farms with a lower than average dependency on direct payments were a further 6.6 per cent than contact farms with an average dependency on direct payments. Contact farms with a higher than average dependence on direct payments were 1.9 per cent less efficient than the same group of contact farms. However, efficiency on these farms with a high dependence on direct payments was still, on average, higher than on farms with no extension contact.Teagasc Walsh Fellowshi

Carotid ultrasound pulsatility indices and cardiovascular risk in Australian women

Introduction Ultrasound-acquired internal carotid arterial (ICA) pulsatility indices (PI) have been demonstrated to be useful measures of cerebrovascular disease. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the association between carotid artery PI, cardiovascular risk and ischaemic heart disease in aging women. Methods One hundred and fifty-eight female participants of the Longitudinal Assessment of Ageing in Women study, aged 48-85 years, were evaluated. The relationships between common carotid artery (CCA) and ICA Doppler PI to cardiovascular risk factors (age, body mass index, systolic and mean arterial blood pressure, smoking and diabetes), carotid-femoral (femPWV) and carotid-radial (radPWV) pulse wave velocities, and ischaemic heart disease (IHD) were assessed using Spearman\u27s rank correlation (ρ), multiple regression and logistic regression. Dependent variables were Box-Cox transformed to meet linear regression assumptions. Results CCA and ICA PI were significantly correlated to femPWV (ρ = 0.414 and ρ = 0.544, respectively). Cardiovascular risk factors were significantly predictive of CCA PI (Adj R2 = 0.176, P \u3c 0.01); however, their relationship to ICA PI (Adj R2 = 0.508, P \u3c 0.01) was stronger. This result was comparable with the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and femPWV (Adj R2 = 0.561, P \u3c 0.01). Age and systolic blood pressure were the dominant risk factors for IHD in this group. Conclusion ICA PI is comparable with femPWV in its association with cardiovascular disease. PI does not improve the prediction of IHD over age and systolic blood pressure