Collaboration on a grand scale: facilitating the transition of first year students into higher education

This article describes the development and delivery of a new research and study skills module delivered to all students in an undergraduate degree programme in Dublin City University. It discusses the benefits and challenges of successful collaboration between academics,librarians and other key support staff

The Irish Research electronic Library initiative – levelling the playing field?

Purpose - The Irish Research electronic Library (IReL) is a nationally funded electronic research library providing online access to full text articles from thousands of peer-reviewed publications in a range of disciplines. This paper examines the opportunities that have arisen for academic libraries at a local level in terms of how they expose resources and promote the initiative. It discusses the challenges that have arisen as libraries enhance, or indeed introduce, value added services to their research community. It examines the results of an in-depth national survey which yielded invaluable insights into how Irish researchers were using library services. Finally, it reflects on the challenges libraries face in facilitating and nurturing research behaviour. Design/methodology/approach – In the first quarter of 2007, seven university libraries asked their researchers for feedback on how they use IReL resources and their awareness of the initiative in the form of a national survey. These results and in particular the feedback from DCU researchers are further analysed. Focus groups and visits to research centres also provided more in-depth analysis. Findings- This paper finds that a collaborative approach to the negotiation of a single national licence for seven academic libraries, with associated training and a discount for consortium contracts has been highly successful. However, it has also posed significant challenges for all libraries in terms of ensuring that the resources are fully exploited and that the necessary support structures are in place to facilitate the provision of appropriate services to the growing research community. Originality/Value –This paper will be useful to libraries planning services for fourth level researchers and in particular, services that promote access to online resources

Making it real: information literacy and student engagement

In recent years Irish universities have expanded and diversified in response to a changing external environment. A key factor in this change is the increasing acceptance of the importance of lifelong learning. This drive to produce quality graduates, who can compete in a national and global market, combined with a parallel a shift in the approach to teaching and learning within higher education means that the library and its resources are becoming fundamental components of the teaching and learning process. This paper will share innovative practices currently taking place in both Dublin City University (DCU) and University College Dublin (UCD) and discuss their impact on learning outcomes; it will include feedback received from academic staff and students. This paper presents innovative ways that identify the information skills (IS) needed to meet the module learning objectives at all levels. It suggests ways IS can be delivered in a more quantifiable, coordinated, and planned way that can be incorporated - in a practical and effective way – into module assessment

Committed to burnout: An investigation into the relationship between sport commitment and athlete burnout in Gaelic games players

This study examined the relationship between sports commitment, outlined in the hierarchical Sport Commitment Model, and athlete burnout in men and women playing Gaelic games, for the first time. These athletes experience a number of unique challenges, including playing with numerous teams simultaneously, significant personal commitment despite their amateur status, and the societal and cultural importance of their sports. This study also involved piloting a novel commitment measure of ‘team importance’ for team-sport athletes. Two-hundred-and-one male and female Gaelic games players completed the Sports Commitment Questionnaire, team importance measure and Athlete Burnout Questionnaire. Hierarchical Multiple Regression analyses revealed a negative relationship between sport enjoyment, social support (emotional) and desire to excel and particular burnout components; a positive relationship between other priorities and personal investments and particular burnout components; and enthusiastic commitment was associated with lower burnout, while constrained commitment was linked to higher burnout. The team importance measure was also found to be a reliable and valid measure of sports commitment. These findings provide important insight into how sports commitment can contribute to, or guard against, burnout in male and female athletes

Stimuli-responsive hydrogels based on acrylic acid and acrylamide

Hydrogels are three-dimensional polymeric networks that can absorb and retain large quantities of water in relation to their physical size. By incorporating stimuli-responsive units into the gel structure, hydrogels can be actuated by external stimuli such as light[1], temperature[2] and pH[3], among others. In this study pH responsive hydrogels were developed using copolymers of acrylic acid (AA) and acrylamide (Am) in different molar ratios (30:70, 50:50 and 70:30, respectively). In order to turn this pH response into a photo-response, a reversible photo-acid generator, namely spiropyran acrylate (SP-A), was copolymerised in the polymer backbone

pH and photo-responsive hydrogels based on acrylic acid and acrylamide

Hydrogels are three-dimensional polymeric networks that can absorb and retain large quantities of water in relation to their physical size. By incorporating stimuli-responsive units into the gel structure, hydrogel materials can be actuated by external stimuli such as photo, thermal, electro and pH, respectively. In this study, pH responsive hydrogels were developed by using copolymers of acrylic acid (AA) and acrylamide (Am) in different molar ratios (30:70, 50:50 and 70:30, respectively). At pH above the pKa of AA (pH>4.5) the AA dissociates to the more hydrophilic acrylate (A-) form triggering swelling of the hydrogel. In contrast, at pH < 4.5, the hydrogel contracts due to the formation of the hydrophilic AA form in the polymer backbone, which triggers release of water from the gel. In order to turn this pH response into a photo-response, a reversible photo-acid generator, spiropyran acrylate (SP-A), was copolymerised in the polymer backbone. In acidic environments, the SP-A will spontaneously convert to the protonated hydrophilic merocyanine (MC-H+) form and switch back to the hydrophobic SP-A when exposed to white light, expelling a proton in the process. The switching between these two forms can be used to trigger LCST behaviour in the gel, leading to photo-controlled swelling/contraction due to water uptake and release. The composition used for the photo responsive hydrogel was AA: Am: SP-A in a 10:10:1 molar ratio. When the hydrogel is immersed in water, in the dark, the AA dissociates and the proton is taken by the SP-A to form MC-H+, which gives the hydrogel a yellow colour. Under these conditions (A-, MC-H+) the polymer chains are more hydrophilic causing the hydrogel to expand (Fig. 1, initial point). However, when exposed to white light, the MC-H+ is converted back to the SP-A form (colourless) expelling a proton, decreasing the local pH, and protonating the AA. This makes the polymer chain less hydrophilic and the hydrogel contracts (Fig. 1, 0-10 min). As seen in Fig. 1, this process is reversible and with the initial photo-contraction complete in seconds. After ca. 10 min, the white light is switched off, and the hydrogel reswells to about 95% of its fully hydrated size after ca. 15 min in the dark

pH-induced shrinking and swelling of hydrogels based on copolymers of acrylic acid and acrylamide

Hydrogels are three-dimensional polymeric networks that can absorb and retain large quantities of water in relation to their physical size. By incorporating stimuli-responsive units into the gel structure, hydrogel materials can be actuated by external stimuli such as photo, thermal, electro and chemical (e.g. pH). In this paper, we demonstrate that the size and volume of a pH sensitive hydrogel based on acrylic acid (AA) and acrylamide (Am) can change when exposed to different pH environments. The pH responsive hydrogels that were developed used copolymers of AA and Am in different molar ratios 30:70, 50:50 and 70:30, respectively. At a pH value above the pKa of AA (pH > 4.5) the AA dissociates to the more hydrophilic acrylate anion (A-) triggering swelling of the hydrogel. In contrast, at pH < 4.5, the hydrogel contracts due to the formation of the less hydrophilic AA form in the polymer backbone, which triggers the release of water from the gel causing it to physically contract. The hydrogel samples were photo-polymerised using a photo-mask with 1mm diameter circles exposed. Each of the hydrogel samples was placed in pH solutions varying from pH 1-14. The hydrogels with 50:50 molar ratio of Am:AA in the polymer backbone produced hydrogels with the highest relative pH response when compared with the other molar ratios, having a large diameter increase from pH 2 (~0.57mm) to pH 10 (~3.27mm). Successive changes of the solution pH showed that the pH-induced actuation is a reversible process with no detectable hysteresis

Photo-responsive hydrogels with enhanced volume changes due to local pH alterations

Photo-responsive hydrogels of varying compositions containing spiropyran photochromic units have been widely studied in recent years due to their many potential applications, including photo-actuated micro-valves for microfluidic devices [1,2]. In this study two hydrogel formulations were employed to produce reversible photo-responsive hydrogel actuators operative in neutral pH. Both compositions contain the photochromic unit spiropyran acrylate (SP) and acrylic acid (AA) copolymerised in the main polymer backbone, together with N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) or acrylamide (AAm), respectively. At neutral pH, the AA comonomer dissociates to the acrylate anion (A-) and the proton transfers to the SP unit to give the more hydrophilic protonated merocyanine (MC-H+) form, which triggers water uptake and hydrogel expansion. Under white light irradiation, the MC-H+ reverts to the more hydrophobic SP isomer, with simultaneous reformation of acrylic acid, and hydrogel contraction. In the case of p(NIPAAm-co-AA-co-SP) hydrogel, an area contraction of up to 45% of its fully hydrated size was achieved after 4 min of white light exposure followed by reswelling to up to 85% of the initial size after 11 min in the dark. In the case of p(AAm-co-AA-co-SP) hydrogel, the SP unit serves also as a reversible photo-acid generator changing the local pH which in turn determines the ratio of AA/A-, and therefore the hydrophilic character of the polymer backbone. In this case, photo-contraction of ~15% in diameter is achieved within 90 seconds of white light irradiation followed by reswelling to ~95% of its fully hydrated size after further ~30 seconds in the dark. In both cases the photo-induced contraction/reswelling processes were reversible and repeatable over at least 3 cycles with no detectable hysteresis

Is a pandemic as good as a rest? Comparing athlete burnout and stress before and after the suspension of organised team sport due to Covid-19 restrictions, and investigating the impact of athletes’ responses to this period

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in social-distancing measures and the suspension of organised sport globally, and has been shown to have negatively impacted mental health. However, athletes may have experienced reprieve from sport demands, which have previously been linked with maladaptive responses such as burnout and stress. The aims of this study were (1) compare levels of burnout and stress reported by Gaelic games athletes pre- and post-COVID-19 suspension period, (2) explore how athletes utilised and perceived this period and the return to sport, and (3) examine the implications of this for burnout. Participants completed an online questionnaire, which included the athlete burnout questionnaire, perceived stress scale, sport emotion questionnaire, demographic questions, weekly training hours, and other hours for sport (e.g. travel) before Covid-19 (BC-19) and after the Covid-19-induced suspension (AC-19_S). Questions relating to how athletes utilised (e.g. training focus) and perceived (positive/negative impact) the period were included AC-19 S. Data was compared across time- points and we explored predictors of burnout AC-19_S. Ninety-two athletes completed the questionnaire at both time-points. No significant differences in burnout or stress were identified, suggesting the suspension period did not significantly impact these variables. Burnout BC-19, stress AC-19_S, unpleasant emotions about returning to sport and using the period to rest/recover positively predicted burnout AC-19_S. Reduction in other hours across time-points and pleasant emotions about returning predicted lower burnout. Results suggest an athletes’ response to a suspension period and subsequent return to sport can impact feelings of burnout, and may have implications for future unanticipated change events

Urban transformation with TURAS open innovations; opportunities for transitioning through transdisciplinarity

Transitioning is a unidirectional process of mainstreaming sustainability within normative societal behaviour, which communities hope will build resilience, reduce our dependence on distant resources and lead to the transformation towards more sustainable living as an end product. Throughout Europe there are numerous examples and pilot or demonstration projects that illustrate tools, practices, mechanisms, pathways and policies for how transitioning can be guided and a transformation can be achieved. This paper draws on the experience of the TURAS project by illustrating some of the diverse open innovation opportunities that have been derived using novel transdisciplinary approaches. The paper concludes with identifying possible ways forward by utilising the TURAS innovations to enable the transformation of urban communities