CORA
Cork Open Research Archive (CORA) is UCC’s Open Access institutional repository which enables UCC researchers to make their research outputs freely available and accessible.
UCC Research Communities
Recent Submissions
A comprehensive approach towards efficient removal of fluoride along with co-existing pollutants from real groundwater using electrocoagulation process
(Springer Nature, 2025-06-27) Das, Daisy; Nandi, Barun Kumar
This study evaluated the effectiveness of electrocoagulation in treating fluoride-contaminated groundwater from Gharbar village, Jharkhand, where fluoride concentrations range from 3.76 to 12.9 mg L − 1 along with other co-existing ions. The order of abundance of anions was sulfate > fluoride > nitrate > potassium > phosphate > chlorine, and for cations, it was magnesium > calcium. Optimal EC conditions were achieved for five groundwater samples (S1 to S5), with fluoride removal efficiencies from 89.58 to 96.40%, attaining the safe threshold of 1 mg L − 1. The process utilizes an electric potential of 12 V, an electrode gap of 0.5 cm, and a treatment time of 3600 s, using aluminium electrodes in bipolar mode. An additional adsorption step with activated charcoal (1 g 3 L − 1 ) for 1800 s enhanced the treated water quality, reducing hardness, alkalinity, and turbidity, achieving fluoride removal rates between 93.45% and 99.82%. To replace laboratory-scale filter paper methods for floc separation, commercial ceramic candle-based filters and carbon gravity filters were employed. Analysis of the sludge via field emission scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis confirmed the capture of fluoride and other ions in metal hydroxide flocs. Kinetic analysis indicated that fluoride ion removal followed the first-order kinetic model. The optimized electrocoagulation process demonstrated an electric energy consumption of 3.2 kWh m − 3, electrode consumption of 0.2684 g L − 1, and theoretical H 2 generation of 0.3581 L. The operating cost was estimated at 0.5030 US$ m − 3 for electrocoagulation alone and 0.5185 US$ m − 3 with adsorption and filtration, highlighting the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of this hybrid approach for fluoride removal from groundwater.
A fast electrochemical impedance spectroscopy with a square wave as excitation signal for impedance-based biomedical applications
(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 2025-06-18) Wang, Zhongzheng; Shao, Han; O'Riordan, Alan; Higes-Marquez, Javier; O'Connell, Ivan; O'Hare, Daniel; Science Foundation Ireland; Enterprise Ireland
This paper introduces a fast, high-accuracy methodology for conducting Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) based on Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), to meet the requirements of portable, real-time biomedical impedance-based detections with Ultra-Microband (UMB) sensor. Instead of using white noise-like wideband signals as in conventional FFT-based EIS, the proposed method uses a square wave as the excitation signal, which achieves a fast, accurate EIS measurement, but no longer requires complex circuits like high-resolution DACs or frequency mixers for the signal generation. This work starts with the theoretical justification for treating the sensor as a Linear Time-Invariant (LTI), then the practical linear region for operating the sensor as an LTI system is experimentally verified and determined, which enables the capacity of employing the harmonics of a square wave for EIS measurements. A dynamic model of the charge-transfer resistance together with an approximated of the Constant Phase Element (CPE) are implemented with Verilog-A for simulations, and a circuit consisting of a control amplifier and a Trans-Impedance Amplifier (TIA) is designed and fabricated with 65 nm CMOS for validating its on-chip feasibility. This work shortens the EIS measurement time by 91.7% in a frequency sweep range from 0.5 Hz to 500 Hz, with only 2.73% average Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), compared to a commercial electrochemical instrument AutoLab, with five pre-modified electrodes across four different concentrations of Ferrocene Carboxylic Acid (FcCOOH), demonstrating this method is suitable for portable, real-time label-free EIS biomedical detections and applications.
Monolithically integrated silicon photonic biaxial FMCW LiDAR for scalable 3D sensing
(Optica Publishing Group, 2025) Prost, Mathias; Qiu, Huaqing; Croes, Guillaume; Reza, Manuel; Romme, Jac; Berteloot, Brecht; Lin, Ziduo; Perez Santacruz, Javier; Venialgo Araujo, Esteban; Emmen, Erik; Govers, Jochem; Bembnowicz, Pawel; Pacheco de Oliveira, Felipe; Schilder, Noor; Bechthum, Elbert; Sasikumar, Harish; Kashi, Amir A.; Chauvet, Nicolas; Girouard, Peter; Kongnyuy, Tangla D.; Kandil, Mennatallah; Ramezani, Maliheh; Subramaniam, Puvendren; Morrissey, Padraic E.; Collins, Sean; Hall, Matthew L.; O’Brien, Peter; Brouckaert, Joost; Oldenbeuving, Ruud; Jansen, Roelof; Shin, Dongjae; Bachmann, Christian; Gerets, Peter; Dahlem, Marcus; IMEC.invest; PhotonDelta
We demonstrate, for the first time, a monolithically integrated biaxial LiDAR on a silicon photonic platform, combining an optical phased array emitter with fast on-chip calibration, and a focal plane array with coherent pixel receivers.
The influence of the food environment on diet quality: insights from an extensive household survey in Ethiopia, focusing on women of reproductive age
(BioMed Central Ltd, 2025-06-02) Hailu, Andinet Abera; Thornhill, Stephen; Tessema, Masresha; Weldesilassie, Alebel Bayrau; Lahiff, Edward; Canadian International Development Research Centre; Ethiopian Policy Studies Institute; Ethiopian Public Health Research Institute
Background
Undernutrition is a significant challenge in Ethiopia, where limited dietary diversity and widespread micronutrient deficiencies affect millions, especially women of reproductive age. Although much research has explored dietary gaps and practices, the impact of the food environment (FE) on diet quality remains understudied. This study examines how FE factors influence dietary quality, using a food systems approach to inform sustainable nutrition policies.
Methods
A cross-sectional survey of 1,828 households was utilized to assess women’s dietary quality using Poisson regression, with food environment (FE) components and socioeconomic variables predicting four indicators: women’s diet diversity score (WDDS), fruit and vegetable score (FVS), global dietary quality score (GDQS), and household diet diversity score (HDDS).
Results
Dietary diversity was low, with fewer than 20% of women meeting the minimum recommendation; however, improvement was observed with higher quality food environments (FE). Starchy staples dominated consumption across all FE, while pulses and dark green leafy vegetables increased in households with medium and high FE. Low household dietary diversity (average 6.23) and a GDQS of 20.7 (far below the maximum of 49) indicate widespread deficiency. Poisson regression (adjusted for socioeconomic covariates) showed that a high FE score significantly predicted better diet quality compared to a low FE score: 27% higher WDDS (exp(β) = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.22–1.32, p < 0.001), 43% higher FVS (exp(β) = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.33–1.54, p < 0.001), 5% higher GDQS (exp(β) = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02–1.08, p < 0.001), and 48% higher HDDS (exp(β) = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.43–1.54, p < 0.001). The results demonstrate consistent and significant associations between higher food environment (FE) scores and improved diet quality across all four dietary metrics.
Conclusions
This study demonstrates the critical influence of food environments—encompassing market food diversity, physical access (e.g., food availability), economic access (e.g., affordability), and supportive infrastructure (e.g., roads, transportation, financial services)—on improving dietary quality among Ethiopian women and household food security. High food prices, socioeconomic disparities, and regional variations limit access to nutrient-rich foods (e.g., fruits, vegetables, animal-sourced products), particularly for low-income households. To enhance dietary quality and health outcomes, policymakers should prioritize interventions that expand diverse food markets, strengthen rural infrastructure (roads, transportation), and improve affordability through targeted economic support and price stabilization, ensuring equitable access to nutritious foods.
Tumour-specific growth rate as a potential predictor of outcomes in oligoprogressive disease treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy
(Elsevier Ltd., 2025-06-18) Navarro-Domenech, I.; Helou, J.; Kuruvilla Thomas, S.; Dawson, L. A.; Hosni, A.; Raman, S.; Chung, P.; Wong, R.; Glicksman, R.; Lindsay, P.; Javor, J.; Weiss, J.; Hope, A. J.; Barry, Aisling S.
Aims: Growing data suggest a potential progression-free survival advantage with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in oligoprogressive disease (OPD). However, optimal candidates remain uncertain. This study aims to investigate tumour-specific growth rate as a potential predictor of outcomes in OPD. Materials and Methods: Patients with ≤5 radiological OPDs were enrolled in a prospective phase II study. SBRT-treated metastases were retrospectively contoured on (1) gross tumour volume (GTV)1—pre-SBRT/baseline computed tomography (CT); (2) GTV2—SBRT planning CT, (3) GTV3—post-SBRT follow-up CT. Specific growth rate for each oligoprogressive lesion (SGR_OP) was calculated according to the literature as (ln(GTVy/GTVx)/t) %/d (t = days). SGR_OP1 was defined as pre-SBRT growth (from SBRT planning CT scan to baseline imaging) and SGR_OP2 as post-SBRT growth (from follow-up CT to planning CT). A high SGR_OP1/2 was defined as one greater than the median SGR_OP1/2 value. The primary endpoint was the impact of SGR1/2 on overall survival (OS) rate, which was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards models. Local progression (LP) was progression to the treated lesion, while disease progression (DP) was progression of other nontreated metastases. Cumulative incidence function and Fine-Grey subdistribution hazard models were utilised to estimate progression rates. Results: Thirty-five patients with 55 metastases grouped in gastrointestinal (GI) (40%), genitourinary (GU) (31%), and breast (29%) cancer groups were analysed. The median follow-up was 11.74 months (interquartile range [IQR]: 8.05, 15.65). The median SGR_OP1 and SGR_OP2 value was 0.007 %/d (IQR: 0.004, 0.013) and -0.009 %/d (IQR: -0.014 to 0.002), respectively. Forty-eight percent of patients had high SGR_OP1 (>0.007 %/d). and 50% had high SGR_OP2 (>-0.009 %/d). The 12-month OS rate was 59% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 44.2-78.1), which was significantly lower in the GI group (14% [95% CI: 4-51.5], [P = 0.002]) than in the GU and breast groups. A low SGR_OP1 showed higher rates of OS than high SGR_OP1 (71% vs 47%, P = 0.35). Conclusion: SGR_OP analysis appears to demonstrate a wide range of growth rates within individual cancer group and may allow prediction of patient outcomes independent of histology. Additional validation will be required to confirm if this tool can be used to predict outcomes.