Sep 16, 2014Jul 8, 2015 Enda O'Connell 2014 Research Article

The Science of Exercise, by Dr. Nicole Burns

In the fifth of our weekly series of articles by NUI Galway researchers, Dr. Nicole Burns, Lecturer in the Discipline of Physiology, in the School of Medicine, writes about ‘The Science of Exercise’.

Ever notice how, when you walk up three flights of stairs your legs begin to ache and you are a little out of breath? If you put your hand to your chest you may also notice that your heart is beating a little faster than normal.

Were you going “too fast”?

If you slowed down would you still feel your heart beating faster than it was at rest?

If you sped up, would you breathe harder?

A subject seated on a cycle ergometer. A heart rate monitor is worn across the chest under the clothing to measure pulse at rest and during exercise. The facemask is connected to a computer which analyses the expired for percentage oxygen, carbon dioxide and total volume. A blood pressure cuff is worn on the right arm to measure changing blood pressure during exercise. (Photo credit Dr. Nicole Burns) — A subject seated on a cycle ergometer. A heart rate monitor is worn across the chest under the clothing to measure pulse at rest and during exercise. The facemask is connected to a computer which analyses the expired air for percentage oxygen, carbon dioxide and total volume. A blood pressure cuff is worn on the right arm to measure changing blood pressure during exercise. (Photo credit Dr. Nicole Burns)

Continue reading “The Science of Exercise, by Dr. Nicole Burns” →

Sep 8, 2014Jul 8, 2015 Enda O'Connell 2014 Research Article

Vision, by Dr. Kieran Ryan of VISICORT

In the fourth of our weekly series of articles by NUI Galway researchers, Dr. Kieran Ryan, VISICORT Project Manager, writes about ‘Vision‘ and VISICORT’s research into improving corneal transplant outcomes by preventing rejection.

Eyes are the organs of vision, detecting light and converting it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons. Eyes come in ten different forms, with the simplest types of ‘eyes’, merely eyespots, detecting whether the immediate surroundings are light or dark (photoreception).

Continue reading “Vision, by Dr. Kieran Ryan of VISICORT” →

Aug 29, 2014Jul 8, 2015 Enda O'Connell 2014 Research Article

Physics in Real Life, by Dr. Rebekah D’Arcy

In the second in our series of articles by NUI Galway researchers, School of Physics Lecturer Dr. Rebekah D’Arcy, writes about the ever evolving world of Medical Physics.

Physics in Real Life – Medical Physics

Hippocrates (460-377 BC), who is known as the “Father of Western Medicine”, may have been the first medical physicist. Over two thousand years ago, in order to locate where an infection was located, he would smear mud over a patient’s back, knowing that infected tissue is warmer and would therefore dry the mud faster. Technology has improved a lot since then and modern thermography, which looks at heat coming from the body using an infrared camera, is very different from Hippocrates’ methods.

In fact modern medical physics uses techniques which sound like they come straight from a science fiction movie.