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
Use of algal and other non-fish oils in refined edible products: a report commissioned by the Scottish Aquacuture Research Foundation
(Scottish Aquaculture Research Foundation, 2014-02) O'Higgins, Linda; Scottish Aquaculture Research Foundation, SARF
Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs), particularly EPA and DHA, are essential nutrients that cannot be synthesized by mammals and must be obtained through diet. Aquaculture, especially salmonid production, is a major consumer of these lipids, while demand from the refined edible products (REP) sector, including dietary supplements, infant formula and functional foods, continues to grow rapidly due to the recognized health benefits of EPA and DHA. Global supply remains heavily dependent on fish oils derived from wild forage fisheries, creating concerns regarding resource constraints, price volatility and long-term sustainability. This study assessed the feasibility of increasing omega-3 production from algal and other non-fish sources to support future demand. Specifically, it investigated current production volumes of crude marine omega-3 lipids from fish and non-fish sources; quantified the costs associated with lipid extraction, refinement and concentration of EPA and DHA fractions; evaluated value creation across the omega-3 supply chain, including food safety and quality requirements, processing losses, storage and oxidation-related wastage, packaging considerations, and sector-specific profitability expectations; and examined marketing implications of a transition from forage fish oils to algal and other non-fish oils, including potential retailer and consumer responses to vegetarian sources of LC omega-3 ingredients. The findings highlight both the opportunities and challenges associated with developing sustainable alternatives to fish-derived omega-3 supplies.
A meta-analytic review of species suitability and approaches to culture optimization for commercial biodiesel production from microalgal biomass.
(Cellana Inc., 2008-10-01) O'Higgins, Linda; Huntley, Mark E.; Redalje, Donald G.; O'Kelly , Charles J.
The Pre-Screening component of the Cellana LLC biofuels project was concerned with the identification of the top 150 microalgal species/strains meeting baseline physiological criteria for economically feasible microalgal feedstock production (Chisti 2007; Huntley and Redalje 2007). Baseline selection criteria included an average specific growth rate of at least 1 cell division per day (i.e. 1.4 µ.d-1) and a minimum total intracellular lipid content of 20% of cell dry weight (Chisti 2007). More than 10,000 strains (including duplicates) from twelve international culture collections were examined using as a reference the large corpus of published scientific literature available for microalgal growth, lipid productivities and environmental tolerances. From evidence provided here candidate species/strains were evaluated both qualitatively and, where adequate data was available, quantitatively, to determine those species best suited for mass cultivation under periodic extremes of temperature, irradiance and salinity.
Vaccinating children and the enduring resistance to Gillick competence: overcoming barriers to consent through a children’s rights-based approach
(LexisNexis, 2026-08-10) Stalford, Helen; Daly, Aoife
It has been 40 years since the landmark ruling in Gillick. This dispensed with the need for parental consent to provide advice and treatment to children deemed to have sufficient maturity and understanding to consent on their own behalf. While this remains a cornerstone of decision-making in the context of healthcare, it has yet to permeate policies and processes relating to childhood vaccination. Vaccination of children is a critical and highly effective public health measure to combat HPV and other serious diseases associated with the virus, and yet evidence shows a progressive decline in take-up rates. Drawing on the views and experiences of over 100 vaccination nurses and managers, this article provides unique empirical insights into the barriers to gaining consent for HPV vaccination. The findings reveal that parental consent is generally treated as the sole criteria by which to determine whether a child can be vaccinated, even where a child is deemed by them to be Gillick-competent. The findings indicate how more robust and confident application of the law, in line with the UK’s children’s rights legal obligations, would significantly enhance protections for all children and achieve considerable and much-needed savings to vaccination programmes.
Development of the UCC Graduate Attributes and Values Compass (GAP Compass)
(EUA, European University Association, 2023) Murphy, Mike; Coleman, Adel; Donoghue, Eleanor; Hunt, Eithne
The purpose of the Graduate Attributes Programme is to deliver a suite of Transition modules to enable a successful student journey and to prepare students for their future. Transition Through initiatives provide targeted supports, deliver skills training and develop graduate attributes and values that go beyond disciplinary content knowledge and can be applied in life-wide contexts. The GAP Compass self-assessment and suite of learning experiences is the flagship initiative and supports a successful student transition through UCC. The values identified for inclusion in the GAP include: Respect; Ambition; Compassion; Resilience; Integrity. The attributes selected were: Creators, Evaluators, and Communicators of Knowledge; Independent and Creative Thinkers; Digitally Fluent ; Socially Responsible ; and Effective Global Citizens who Recognise and Challenge Inequality. Our goal is to foster the development of these crucial characteristics during our students’ time with us. This goal requires a valid and reliable means of assessing each value and attribute.
Child/youth leadership and climate cases: Postpaternalism in the courts?
(Onati International Institute for the Sociology of Law, 2026-07-27) Daly, Aoife; Walsh, Lucy
This article examines the phenomenon of child/youth leadership within climatelitigation. We argue that it is a part of postpaternalism, whereby children/youth engagein grassroots action (for the first time, on a global scale), rather than well-meaning adults ‘giving’ them their rights. Analysis is provided of 15 child/youth-involved climate cases.We identified that the leadership of children is inherent in their taking of these cases,and particularly in the way that they assert their constitutional/human rights as legalactors. We found significant reference in applications to children’s leadership in theircommunities and countries. Children are engaging in leadership as they see it on behalfof all children/youth; or on behalf of humanity more broadly. We found some limitedreference to their leadership in the judgments and outcomes of cases. We conclude byarguing that the involvement of children/youth in these cases is crucial for human rightsand for the climate.