“It’s not pain it’s discomfort”: development and investigation of a discomfort measurement scale.

Logically, anecdotally and empirically, there appears to be a shared understanding of the difference between 'pain' and 'discomfort'. Although discomfort is commonly referred to in medical literature, it has never been objectively measured or its properties examined. This study devised a visual analogue discomfort scale (VAS-D) and obtained a sample of n=128 outpatient musculoskeletal physiotherapy patients who complete it alongside a traditional visual analogue pain scale (VAS-P) and the EQ5D-5L. Demographic data was also collected. The purpose of the investigation was to preliminarily validate the VAS-D as a psychometric index. Scale scores and correlations are examined in the entire sample and in sub-samples split by gender and pain severity. Scale correlations were primarily moderate indicating the VAS-D measures a related but distinct construct to pain and there was a statistically significant difference between discomfort scores when compared to pain. This indicates the VAS-D measures a related, but distinct construct to pain. 7.8% of respondents endorsed the VAS-D but scored zero on the VAS-P. The relationships between pain and discomfort scores held face validity, adding empirical evidence to a theoretical relationship between the constructs. As a preliminary study, it appears the VAS-D is a valid scale that is distinct from a VAS-P. Data supports a hypothesis that VAS-P scores may be lower or even absent in the concurrent presence of a VAS-D measure. Clinical implications and direction for future investigation are briefly discussed

The Value of Pain Coping Constructs in Subcategorising Back Pain Patients according to Risk of Poor Outcome

Background. Subcategorising patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) could improve patient outcomes and facilitate prioritisation of treatment resources. Objective. This study aimed to develop a subcategorising method for individuals with CLBP using the Coping Strategies Questionnaire 24 (CSQ24) and to investigate the methods potential validity. Methods. 196 patients were recruited from a physiotherapy outpatients department. All participants completed a battery of questionnaires before and after treatment including the CSQ24 and a measure of pain, disability, and mood. At discharge participants also completed a global subjective outcomes scale consisting of a 6-point Likert scale. All participants received usual physiotherapy. Results. Cut-off values for the CSQ24 were calculated using triangulation of the findings from three different statistical methods. Cut-off values were identified for the Catastrophising and Cognitive Coping subscales of the CSQ24. Participants were categorised into low, medium, and high risk of a poor outcome. The cut-off values for these were ≥21 on Cognitive Coping and ≤9 on Catastrophising for low risk and ≤15 on Cognitive Coping for high risk, with all other patients being classified as being at moderate risk. Conclusion. Further validation is required before this approach can be recommended for clinical practice

Characterisation and modelling of degradation mechanisms in RF MEMS capacitive switches during hold-down operation

RF MEMS switches represent an attractive alternative technology to current mechanical (e.g. coaxial and waveguide) and solid-state (e.g. PIN diode and FET transistor) RF switch technologies. The materials and fabrication techniques used in MEMS manufacture enable mechanically moveable devices with high RF performance to be fabricated on a miniature scale. However, the operation of these devices is affected by several mechanical and electrical reliability concerns which limit device lifetimes and have so far prevented the widespread adoption and commercialisation of RF MEMS. While a significant amount of research and development on RF MEMS reliability has been performed in recent years, the degradation mechanisms responsible for these reliability concerns are still poorly understood. This is due to the multi-physical nature of MEMS switches where multiple mechanical and electrical degradation mechanisms can simultaneously affect device behaviour with no clear way of distinguishing between their individual effects. As such, little progress has been made in proposing solutions to these reliability concerns. While some RF MEMS switches have recently been commercialised, their success has come at the expense of decreased performance due to design changes necessarily imposed to prevent device failure. However, more high performance switches could be developed if the mechanisms responsible for reliability problems could be understood and solved. The work of this thesis is focussed on the isolation and study of individual reliability mechanisms in RF MEMS capacitive switches. A bipolar hold-down technique is used to minimise the effects of dielectric charging and allow mechanical degradation to be studied in isolation in aluminium-based capacitive switches. An investigation of mechanical degradation leads to the identification of grain boundary sliding as the physical process responsible for the decreased mechanical performance of a switch. An alternative material for the switch movable electrode is investigated and shown to be mechanically robust. The effects of dielectric charging are isolated from mechanical degradation using mechanically robust switches. The isolated investigation of dielectric charging leads to the identification of two major charging mechanisms which take place at the bulk and surface of the dielectric, respectively. The exchange of charge from interface traps is identified as the physical mechanism responsible for bulk dielectric charging. An investigation of surface dielectric charging reveals how this reliability concern depends on the structure and design of a switch. Finally, electrical and material means of minimising dielectric charging are investigated. The findings and results presented in this thesis represent a significant contribution to the state-of the- art understanding of RF MEMS capacitive switch reliability. By implementing the design changes and material solutions proposed in this work, the performance and lifetime of RF MEMS capacitive switches can be greatly improved

Technological University Dublin\u27s Pathway to Embedding Sustainability in Food Degrees, NEMOS and Beyond

The School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Technological University Dublin, commenced a journey to embed Sustainability in its modules and programmes in 2020 with a nationally funded project ‘Sustainable Food Curriculum Co-Create’. The project’s goal was to build capacity for integrating sustainability learning outcomes across Food programmes through educator professional development and co-creation with students. The CPD curriculum design involved several stakeholders in Education for Sustainable Development from across the Food System including enterprise and state organisations who advised on sector-specific sustainability issues, food experts from across several Schools, and sustainability experts from across the University and beyond. It also was informed by industry publications and policy frameworks. In 2021, the School commenced the European Erasmus partnership NEMOS – A new educational model for acquisition of sustainability competences through service-learning. Using a TU Dublin designed sustainability mapping tool, our BSc Food Innovation degree was analysed for current levels of sustainability, based on the AASHE Stars categorisation. Through research involving internal and external stakeholders, barriers to sustainability were identified, and categorised as economical, supply chain issues, labour, knowledge, awareness, investment, government, human nature, climate change, environmental, social sustainability, capitalism, low adoption of Innovation, and food safety. Meanwhile, key food related Sustainability concepts that will be useful to inform the review of food degrees were identified and categorised as Farming Practices, Climate change direct impacts, Environmental, Agrifood Circular Bioeconomy, Waste reduction, Measuring and benchmarking, Food Safety and Regulatory Affairs, Food product development, Sustainable and Ethical Food Business. In all, 70 competencies were identified. In this special session, TU Dublin will outline the CPD module for enhancing lecturer capacity for embedding sustainability in the curriculum, the TU Dublin curriculum mapping tool for measuring sustainability, and provide an Irish and European context for sustainability competencies