Dublin City University

About: Dublin City University is a education organization based out in Dublin, Ireland. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Machine translation & Laser. The organization has 5904 authors who have published 17178 publications receiving 389376 citations. The organization is also known as: National Institute for Higher Education, Dublin & DCU.

Inherently conducting polymer modified polyurethane smart foam for pressure sensing

Abstract: A new compressible conducting material has been developed by coating polyurethane (PU) foam with inherently conducting polypyrrole (PPy). The optimised conditions for preparation of the conducting foam have been investigated. Evaluation of the conducting foam shows that a linear relationship exists between the conductance and the stress applied. Parameters such as sensitivity, dynamic range, repeatability of this pressure sensor are discussed. The use of this soft pressure sensor in a prototype breath monitor is also reported.

An absolute sodium abundance for a cloud-free 'hot Saturn' exoplanet

Abstract: Broad absorption signatures from alkali metals, such as the sodium (Na i) and potassium (K i) resonance doublets, have long been predicted in the optical atmospheric spectra of cloud-free irradiated gas giant exoplanets1–3. However, observations have revealed only the narrow cores of these features rather than the full pressure-broadened profiles4–6. Cloud and haze opacity at the day–night planetary terminator are considered to be responsible for obscuring the absorption-line wings, which hinders constraints on absolute atmospheric abundances7–9. Here we report an optical transmission spectrum for the ‘hot Saturn’ exoplanet WASP-96b obtained with the Very Large Telescope, which exhibits the complete pressure-broadened profile of the sodium absorption feature. The spectrum is in excellent agreement with cloud-free, solar-abundance models assuming chemical equilibrium. We are able to measure a precise, absolute sodium abundance of logeNa = $${{\bf{6.9}}}_{-{\bf{0.4}}}^{+{\bf{0.6}}}$$ , and use it as a proxy for the planet’s atmospheric metallicity relative to the solar value (Zp/Zʘ = $${{\bf{2.3}}}_{-{\bf{1.7}}}^{+{\bf{8.9}}}$$ ). This result is consistent with the mass–metallicity trend observed for Solar System planets and exoplanets10–12. The optical transmission spectrum for the ‘hot Saturn’ exoplanet WASP-96b reveals a clear atmosphere, an atmospheric sodium abundance and hence its metallicity, which is consistent with the metallicity trend observed in Solar System planets and exoplanets.

Integrated microfluidic tmRNA purification and real-time NASBA device for molecular diagnostics

Abstract: We demonstrate the first integrated microfluidic tmRNA purification and nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA) device incorporating real-time detection. The real-time amplification and detection step produces pathogen-specific response in < 3 min from the chip-purified RNA from 100 lysed bacteria. On-chip RNA purification uses a new silica bead immobilization method. On-chip amplification uses custom-designed high-selectivity primers and real-time detection uses molecular beacon fluorescent probe technology; both are integrated on-chip with NASBA. Present in all bacteria, tmRNA (10Sa RNA) includes organism-specific identification sequences, exhibits unusually high stability relative to mRNA, and has high copy number per organism; the latter two factors improve the limit of detection, accelerate time-to-positive response, and suit this approach ideally to the detection of small numbers of bacteria. Device efficacy was demonstrated by integrated on-chip purification, amplification, and real-time detection of 100 E. coli bacteria in 100 microL of crude lysate in under 30 min for the entire process.