Constructing and disseminating educational knowledge, using e-media

Purpose of presentation To explore how I, as higher education educator, have influenced the professional development of teachers, using an action research approach. To provide space for teachers’ own voices. To explore the concept of educational knowledge. To disseminate educational knowledge. To show how we have asked and researched the question: How can I improve my practice? What is my concern? Why am I concerned? What am I going to do about it? What data will I need to collect to enable me to enable me to make a judgement on my effectiveness? (Whitehead, 2003) To explore the role of e-media in this context

Application of in situ process monitoring to optimise laser parameters during laser powder bed fusion printing of Ti-6Al-4V parts with overhang structures

Enhanced levels of alloy print defects such as porosity are associated with the printing of overhang structures by laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF). This study compared the microstructure and porosity of Ti-6Al-4V overhang structures, with that observed for the bulk alloy. It was observed in the region around the overhang structure that the microstructure exhibited larger grain sizes and was less homogenous, compared to the that obtained within the bulk alloy. An increased level of porosity of up to 0.08% was also observed in the overhang print alloy, compared with the corresponding < 0.02% in the alloy bulk. It is hypothesised that these microstructural changes are associated with the excess heat generated in the overhang region, due to the decreased thermal conductivity of the powder immediately below the print layers, compared with solid alloy. During L-PBF alloy printing, in situ process monitoring of the melt pool emissions was obtained in the near-infrared range and correlated with the properties of the printed parts. This in-process data was used to assist in selecting optimal laser processing conditions, in order to help prevent melt pool overheating at the overhang. By systematically controlling the laser energy during the printing of the first fifteen layers over the overhang structure, the level of porosity was reduced, to the < 0.02% level of the bulk alloy. There was also an associated reduction in the roughness (Ra) of the overhang itself, with its Ra decreasing from 62.4 ± 7.3 to 7.5 ± 1.9 µm.Science Foundation IrelandSMART Eureka project APEM-A

Comparison of two methods of determining central corneal vault under a scleral lens: Estimation by slit lamp biomicroscope and anterior segment OCT

Purpose: The aim of this study was to ascertain if there is agreement in the measurement of central corneal vault (CCV) under a scleral lens, between estimations made using a slit lamp biomicroscope (SLB) and measurements made using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT). Method: 30 images were taken of CCV under various scleral lenses using a SLB and an AS-OCT. Estimations of CCV from SLB photographs were made using known thicknesses of the scleral lenses used and imagej software. The in-built measurement callipers was used to measure CCV on the AS-OCT. Right eyes were imaged on the AS-OCT first and the SLB second and vice versa for left eyes. Results: Bland-Altman analysis of scleral lens thicknesses as measured with a radiuscope thickness callipers and measured with the AS-OCT showed fair agreement (mean difference 1.88 microns and lower and upper limits of agreement were -47.36 and 51.12 microns respectively) and so it was assumed that the AS-OCT was making reasonably accurate measurements of the CCV. Bland Altman analysis of the agreement between the two methods of measuring CCV showed a mean difference of 84 microns and the lower and upper limits of agreement were -174.72 and 342.72 microns respectively. Conclusions: There is a huge variation in the estimation of CCV as made by SLB when compared to measurements taken by AS-OCT. This variation cannot be explained by; differences in corneal curvature, magnification of the scleral lens, angle at which the illumination is at for the SLB estimation, differences in corneal location between the two measurements or lens settling. It is recommended that CCV should not be estimated using a SLB as these estimations appear to be highly unreliable

INFluence of Revascularization Attempts on Clinical Outcomes of Mechanical Thrombectomy Patients and its Economic BURDEN

Background Emerging evidence suggests that clinical and economic benefits of treatment with mechanical thrombectomy vary by level of reperfusion achieved, and the number of passes required to achieve revascularization. This study aimed to investigate the INFluence of revascularization Attempts on Clinical outcomes of mechanical Thrombectomy and the economic BURDEN (INFACT BURDEN) in Ireland using single center real‐world data from the Irish National Thrombectomy Service database. Methods Primary clinical outcomes were reperfusion (modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction 2b‐3 or 2) among patients treated with 1–3 passes compared with ≥4 passes. Multivariable generalized linear models examined the association between number of passes with outcomes, with adjustment for covariates that may affect outcomes (eg, age, pre‐procedure modified Rankin Scale, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score, occlusion site, time from symptom onset to groin puncture). A 90‐day decision‐tree and Markov model with a 5‐year time horizon evaluated the cost‐effectiveness of mechanical thrombectomy from the Irish public healthcare payer perspective. Results Eight hundred twenty three patients met the inclusion criteria. Compared with patients in the ≥4 passes group, patients in the 1–3 passes group achieved a significantly higher rate of successful reperfusion (94% versus 78%, odds ratio [OR], 4.7; P<0.001) and a higher rate of functional independence (49% versus 33%, OR, 2.0; P<0.001). Patients in the 1–3 passes group had a shorter time from onset to reperfusion, lower incidence of procedural complications, including distal emboli into non‐involved territory and intra‐procedure rupture, as well as lower 90‐day mortality. The cost‐effectiveness analysis demonstrated that patients successfully revascularized in 1–3 passes had 0.19 additional QALYs and lower costs (€3328; $3800) such that 1–3 passes was dominant compared with ≥4 passes over a 5‐year time horizon. Conclusion This study illustrates that the number of passes has a significant effect on both clinical outcomes and health care costs

Stroke imaging prior to thrombectomy in the late window: results from a pooled multicentre analysis

Background and purpose Collateral assessment using CT angiography is a promising modality for selecting patients for endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in the late window (6-24 hours). The outcome of these patients compared with those selected using perfusion imaging is not clear. Methods We pooled data from seven trials and registries of EVT-treated patients in the late-time window. Patients were classified according to the baseline imaging into collateral imaging alone (collateral cohort) and perfusion plus collateral imaging (perfusion cohort). The primary outcome was the proportion of patients achieving independent 90-day functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale &apos;mRS&apos; 0-2). We used the propensity score-weighting method to balance important predictors between the cohorts. Results In 608 patients, the median onset/last-known-well to emergency arrival time was 8.8 hours and 53.2% had wake-up strokes. Both cohorts had collateral imaging and 379 (62.3%) had perfusion imaging. Independent functional outcome was achieved in 43.1% overall: 168/379 patients (45.5%) in the perfusion cohort versus 94/214 (43.9%) in the collateral cohort (p=0.71). A logistic regression model adjusting for inverse-probability-weighting showed no difference in 90-day mRS score of 0-2 among the perfusion versus collateral cohorts (adjusted OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.59, p=0.83) or in a favourable shift in 90-day mRS (common adjusted OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.47, p=0.97). Conclusion This pooled analysis of late window EVT showed comparable functional outcomes in patients selected for EVT using collateral imaging alone compared with patients selected using perfusion and collateral imaging.N