Parents' perceptions of microneedle-mediated monitoring as an alternative to blood sampling in the monitoring of their infants

OBJECTIVES: Microneedle (MN) arrays could offer a pain-free, minimally invasive approach to monitoring. This is envisaged to be particularly beneficial for younger patients, but parents' views to date are unknown. The aim of this study was to explore parental perceptions of MN-mediated ISF monitoring, as an alternative to the use of conventional blood sampling, and to understand the important factors for technique approval.

METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents with recent experience of a premature birth. Recruitment was through the Northern Ireland premature infant charity, Tinylife. Interviews progressed until data saturation was reached and thematic analysis employed.

KEY FINDINGS: The study included 16 parents. Parental support for MN-mediated monitoring was evident, alongside the unpopularity of traditional blood sampling in neonates. Factors facilitating MN approval included the opportunity for pain reduction, the simplicity of the procedure, the potential for increased parental involvement and the more favourable appearance, owing to the minute size of MNs and similarities with a sticking plaster. Confirmation of correct application, a pain-free patch removal and endorsement from trusted healthcare professionals were important.

CONCLUSION: These findings will inform researchers in the field of MN development and enlighten practitioners regarding parental distress resulting from conventional blood sampling. Further work is necessary to understand MN acceptability among practitioners. This work should assist in the development of an acceptable MN device and facilitate the reduction of parental distress.

An alternative methodology in Schottky diode physics

The fabrication and electrical characterization of Schottky junction diodes have been extensively researched for three-quarters of a century since the original work of Schottky in 1938. This study breaks from the highly standardized regime of such research and provides an alternative methodology that prompts novel, more efficient applications of the adroit Schottky junction in areas such as chemical and thermal sensing. The core departure from standard Schottky diode configuration is that the metal electrode is of comparable or higher resistance than the underlying semiconductor. Further, complete electrical characterization is accomplished through recording four-probe resistance-temperature (R-D-T) characteristics of the device, where electrical sourcing and sensing is done only via the metal electrode and not directly through the semiconductor. Importantly, this results in probing a nominally unbiased junction while eliminating the need for an Ohmic contact to the semiconductor. The characteristic R-D-T plot shows two distinct regions of high (metal) and low (semiconductor) resistances at low and high temperatures, respectively, connected by a crossover region of width, DT, within which there is a large negative temperature coefficient of resistance. The R-D-T characteristic is highly sensitive to the Schottky barrier height; consequently, at a fixed temperature, R-D responds appreciably to small changes in barrier height such as that induced by absorption of a chemical species (e.g., H-2) at the interface. A theoretical model is developed to simulate the R-D-T data and applied to Pd/p-Si and Pt/p-Si Schottky diodes with a range of metal electrode resistance. The analysis gives near-perfect fits to the experimental R-D-T characteristics, yielding the junction properties as fit parameters. The modelling not only helps elucidate the underlying physics but also helps to comprehend the parameter space essential for the discussed applications. Although the primary regime of application is limited to a relatively narrow range (DT) for a given type of diode, the alternative methodology is of universal applicability to all metal-semiconductor combinations forming Schottky contacts. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.

Periodate – an alternative oxidant for testing potential water oxidation catalysts

The redox catalyst ruthenium dioxide, prepared via the Adams technique, i.e.Ru(Adams), is used as a water oxidation catalyst using the oxidants (i) Ce(IV) in 0.5M H2SO4 and (ii) periodate in 0.5 M H2SO4, water and 0.1 M KOH. Like Ce(IV),periodate is a very strong oxidant that is able to oxidise water to oxygen and can bereadily monitored spectrophotometrically at 280 nm, compared with 430 nm for Ce(IV).More importantly, unlike Ce(IV), which is unstable towards hydrolysis above pH 1,periodate is stable in acid, water and strong alkali. A spectrophotometric study of thekinetics of periodate reduction, and concomitant oxidation of water to O2, reveals thatin the presence of a suitable redox catalyst, Ru(Adams) in this work, periodate is ableto effect the stoichiometric oxidation of water, with a turnover number > 64. In justwater, the kinetics of the latter reaction appear diffusion-controlled, due to the largethermodynamic driving force, a measure of which is the difference in redox potential,i.e. ∆E = 423 mV. As this difference is decreased, ∆E = 396 mV in acid and 290 mVin strong alkali (0.1 M KOH), the kinetics become increasingly activation-controlledand slower. These findings are discussed briefly with regard to the possible use of (i)periodate as an alternative oxidant in the rapid screening of new potential wateroxidation catalyst material powders that are stable only under near neutral and/oralkaline conditions, and (ii) Ru(Adams) as a benchmark catalyst.

New Irish speakers and the ‘gaelicisation’ of Belfast

New Irish speakers in Belfast play a crucial, complex part in the revitalization and change of both the city and Irish within Northern Ireland. This paper examines the role of new Irish speakers in transforming Belfast, whose emergence from a post-conflict period involves a reassessment of communal cultural expressions. Markers of ethno-national identity are bitterly contentious locally, and yet increasingly celebrated, in line with international trends, as high status cultural forms and potentially profitable tourist attractions. Irish in Belfast currently occupies an ambiguous position: divisive enough for a sign reading ‘Happy Christmas’ in Irish to be experienced as an insult by some city councillors, yet a secure enough part of the establishment for a neighbourhood to be officially rebranded as the Gaeltacht Quarter.
When, how and where new Irish speakers use the language in Belfast has implications for the relationship of Irishness to the Northern Irish state and for the place of Belfast within regional frameworks across the UK, Ireland and Europe. Adult learners and young people exiting Irish medium education have an impact on life in Belfast beyond its small population of Irish speakers. Urbanisation fuelled by new speakers, which shifts the balance of Irish language resources and speakers away from traditional rural Gaeltacht areas and towards cities, also has implications for the language itself. Recent increase in new Irish speakers in Belfast is due to expansion in the Irish-medium sector as well as to adult learners, whose decisions contribute to the school expansion.
Urbanisation, multilingualism and intergenerational shift combine in Belfast to produce new linguistic norms. Moreover, in a minority language community where hierarchies of ‘authenticity’ are weighted towards the rural and the native speaker, where the rural and the native have traditionally been conflated, and where indigeneity is a central concept to contested nationalisms, the emergence of a self-confident, youthful Irish speaking community in Northern Ireland’s biggest city involves a recalibration of the qualities signifying ‘gaelicness’. As students, professionals, hobbyists and activists, new Irish speakers in Belfast occupy a vital position at the crux of changing ideas about place, language and identity.